My Journal

In this course you are expected to keep a journal.  Your journal will be where you keep all of your assignments, notes and reflective writing.  Watch the videos below for tips on how to take notes, how to keep your journal and how to write successful reflective pieces.  

Starting Your Journal 

  1. I suggest you use a 1.5 inch ring binder for your journal.  This will allow you to add handouts to it easily.
  2. Download the journal marking rubric handout, print it off and add it to your journal.
  3. ​Your journal is your own personal record and evidence of your learning.  I encourage you to be creative in your notebook by using colours and pictures (drawings or images), diagrams, foldables, etc...  
  4. At the start of each unit you will download the unit checklist, as you complete the assignments on the checklist place them in your journal in order.
  5. Create a cover page for the outside of your journal.  The following must be included and clearly visible: your name, course name, teacher name and the school year (ex. 2017-18).  Be Creative!
  6. On the first page of your journal write the heading 'Journal Requirements' across the top, then place today's date in the top right hand corner of the page.  Next write out the following bullet points:
  • each page must have a heading (top left hand corner of page)
  • each page must have the date (top right hand corner of page)
  • all work is kept in journal (in the order presented)
  • any external handouts are to be placed into the journal in the order given
  • each unit must have a FULL page cover page
  • notes must be taken on each reading assignment and video
  • all work is neat and tidy

​Note Taking 

There are many ways to take notes, watch some of the tips and tricks shared by these YouTubers.  You will be required to keep notes on your learning in your journal.  
​On the next page of your journal write the heading 'Note Taking'.  As you watch the videos below make notes. Be sure to download and print off any worksheets provided and place them into your journal.

How to take notes

  • Download this worksheet before watching the video.
  • One method of taking notes is to turn a fact that you have learned into a question, then to answer your own question.  Try doing this with the facts that you learn in this video.  When you are done, place it into your journal.

More note taking tips!

Creative note taking

Visual Note Taking 

One way to take notes is by drawing pictures or symbols that represent the material you are learning.  Here you see an image that outlines the types of note taking styles.  
This style of note taking may be done by drawing one large picture with each component part representing the various ideas within the main theme OR it can be many smaller images and/or bold words, such as in the picture below.
Picture

​Reflective Journaling

​Part of the requirements of your journal is to include reflective writing pieces.  This is where you will reflect on your learning and write down your personal thoughts and feelings on the subject matter.
On the next page in your journal write the heading 'Reflective Journaling' as you watch the videos below take notes.  Be sure to download and print off any worksheets provided and place them into your journal.

​What is a reflective journal?

​Why keep a reflective journal?

​How to write a reflection

​ Download the Reflective Writing PDF (from http://loveyourpencil.com) that goes along with this video.