Student Journal Prompts for the New Year

Journaling is an entry point for full student engagement and all young learners can benefit from keeping a journal.

Students who might not feel comfortable speaking in front of their classmates might relish the opportunity for private reflection; students who feel passionate about the subject can express their thoughts at length. Students can write in their journals, but they can also sketch images or diagram word clouds or use any form of expression on paper that helps them connect their thoughts with what they’re learning. 

A journal is an instrumental tool for helping students develop their ability to critically examine their surroundings from multiple perspectives and to make informed judgments about what they see and hear. Many students find that writing or drawing in a journal helps them process ideas, formulate questions, and retain information.

As we enter a new calendar year, introducing journal time to your students can be a great way to ease back into the classroom environment. Journal entries can revolve around your current lesson plans or being more open-ended. Below we offer a selection of journal prompts that can provide reflection points for the new semester. Facing History’s Teach with Facing History Journal Prompts page also lists a comprehensive selection of prompts that cover self-exploration, coming-of-age, family and friends, and storytelling.

Journal Prompts for January

• What do you hope people say about you? Why?
• What is one new skill, project, or goal you want to take on in 2024 and why?
• Write about a skill or subject you’d like to explore further. Why does it interest you?
• What is one word you want to keep close for 2024? Why? What’s the power of that word for you?
• Looking back at last year, what was the biggest change in your life?
• What are three things that make you feel joy?
• What are you hopeful about for 2024? What does hope mean to you and how do you seek it out?
• Write a note of encouragement to someone in your life who you think could use a pick me up.
• What is one action I can take that might change my school or my community?