SENIOR CAPSTONETopic Generating Journals

3 doors to enter capstone

Mentor

Opinion Product

Make a list of 7-10 school-appropriate activities you enjoy at least on a somewhat regular basis. These can be things you do alone or with friends or family. Anything from reading to snowboarding to watching TV to shopping to working on your car.

Hobbies

Freewrite!Pick one of the activities from the list above, and freewrite about it. You’re going for a good solid ¾ page of writing here. Write about all the details of the hobby. How you accomplish it; where you go to do it; why you like it; who influenced you to get into it; what, if anything, you wish you were better at (or knew more about) concerning the hobby.

Make a list of 7-10 school-appropriate activities you used to enjoy but, lately, it just doesn’t seem like you have had time for them, or maybe the people you used to do this around aren’t here anymore, or maybe you changed in some way.

Remember when…

Freewrite!Pick one of the memories from the list above and freewrite about it. Again, you’re going for about ¾ page of writing. Here, you should focus on details such as what you used to enjoy about the activity, who was there, how you accomplished it, when you would go, where it was, etc. No amount of detail is too much, really.

Try it out…Next, make a list of 7-10 school-appropriate things you’ve rarely (or never) tried but would like to. This could be stuff you’ve not been able to do because you don’t have the time or money, or maybe you don’t feel qualified or talented enough, or maybe you just don’t think your friends would think it’s cool.

Freewrite!Pick one of the things from the list above and freewrite about it. Again, you’re going for about ¾ page of writing. Here, you should focus on details such as why you want to try this new thing, and how you could possibly, if ever, do it, and who you know that already does this, and where you could find out more about it.

Know what I think?Next, make a list of 7-10 school-appropriate things that you have a strong opinion about. This is maybe the stuff that gets under your skin, really makes you mad. Or maybe you have a passion for something or someone, almost feel sorry for it. Or, maybe there is a cause out there that people need to know about, get off their couches and do something about it…

Freewrite!By now you know the drill… ¾ page on one of the items from the list. Here, just let yourself spout off, you know? You have a strong opinion on this topic, and I want to hear about it. Why do you think what you think? Is your opinion based on personal experiences? If so, tell me about those.

I wish I knew…For this one, I want you to write sentences starting with the phrase “I wish I knew…” Try to write at least 20 to 30 of them. It doesn’t matter how you end the sentence. Just go for it.

ReflectionTake a look at anything you’ve written so far. Does anything stand out to you as something you’d like to spend part of your school day looking up on the Internet? If yes, what? If not, which is closest? Tell me why.

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