Recycled Journals-
At the beginning of our study of “Fatty Legs” I made these recycled journals with the class for recording all our responses before, during and after our reading. The journals are made out of paper shopping bags of different sizes, and colours of recycled and loose leave paper. The spine of the books are made with washi tape, masking tape and staples. The engagement factor was high. The students felt a very strong sense of ownership over the books. I don’t think the unit would have been as successful if I had used regular exercise books.
At the time the 35 minutes it took to make these journals seemed to be an expensive use of time. The classroom was a mess from making these books. I realize now that the messy 35 minutes was really an investment that paid off every morning during our language arts time. Each student took pride and care in their work. Almost no one was missing work or any entries in their journal. Those who were absent were eager to catch up on any pages they missed when they returned to school
This is a great way to have students be socially responsible and take ownership of their journals. It is so good that they felt connected to their ongoing journals and ensured they were on track with writing assignments. Well done!