The literary journal is a veritable treasure chest for storing little nuggets of greatness. This is the place for students to collect plot lines, character analysis, themes, new vocabulary words, hand-drawn maps, poetry, remarkable quotes, author biographies, and more. It will be a collection of great books as seen through the child and represented by his own handiwork.
Creating a literature journal has the surprising benefit of strengthening children's reading skills. After completing a few journal pages, students will begin to search for items they might wish to include in their journal. For example, if they just finished studying metaphors, they might easily identify and record any used by their author. They will also pay close attention to literary elements such as plot, theme, characterization, setting and conflict. They will recognize vocabulary words they have learned from previous reading and pinpoint those with which they are unfamiliar. All these skills will fall into place naturally, enhancing the students' enjoyment and comprehension.
