LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify a range of health benefits associated with journaling; identify a variety of ways to journal.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 7: Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self and others.

CASEL: Self-management, self-awareness

Lesson Plan: A User’s Guide to Journaling

Keeping a diary has benefits for your body and mind.

PREPARING TO READ

Before you read the article “A User’s Guide to Journaling,” ask your students the following pre-reading question:

How can keeping a diary benefit your body and mind?

READING AND DISCUSSION

  • Have your students read the article “A User’s Guide to Journaling”; read the article out loud to them; or have students partner-read the article out loud.
  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed?

BUILDING COMPREHENSION

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Comprehension Quiz

EXPANDING SEL OPPORTUNITIES

Continue the learning journey with the following extension activity:

In READY, SET, JOURNAL!, have your students work individually or in pairs to put what they learned to use. Have them choose one of the prompts in the article (or think of their own topic) and write a one- to two-page journal entry using the skills sheet. Encourage them to get creative by following some of the article’s other suggestions, like adding doodles or listening to music while they write. If they want, they can also add other creative touches, like stickers or stamps. Have your students complete the reflection at the end. If there is time, have your class share their thoughts about journaling in a whole-class discussion.

Print the Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech