60 fun journals for theatre students

© Elizabeth Mills 2016

60 Fun Journals for Theatre Students I started collecting and writing these journal topics when I was student teaching. I wanted to give my

students the opportunity to become better writers, to deepen their ability reflect on their personal

experiences, and improve in communicating their ideas clearly. I also realized that as a K-12 educator,

my students needed opportunities for quantifiable grades—both formative and summative as they

went through my classes. These journal topics have been hand-selected for use in Theatre classes

taught in a school setting. I think you will find them extremely helpful getting your students to write!

This resource includes: Ideas for Grading the Journals

Printable, Easy to Reference List of 60 Journal Topics

Printable Version of 60 Journal Topics, formatted with 2 topics per page

Getting Started I use most of these topics in my high school Theatre Arts 1 classes, but they could also

work well in a middle school theatre class or even in an advanced theatre class.

I require students to write the topic and a ½ page response.

These journals could be completed in 60 days if they are used back-to-back,

or over the course of the semester or year, if only a few topics are given each week.

I use these topics sprinkled throughout the course.

Grading the Journal Topics • I grade a few individually at the beginning of the year to help students understand

what I’m looking for (and to make sure they start out with good grades ).

• You could assign the rest individually as homework assignments.

• You could collect them in groups of 10, or at the end of each unit or grading

period.

• You could collect them by choosing only a few specific numbers to turn in at

random. This is the best way I have found to ensure they complete all of them.


List of 60 Fun Journal Prompts #1 How do you feel about performing in front of classmates? An audience? Why

do you think that is?

#2 Spend 3 minutes getting to know the student next to you. What was your first

impression of him/her? Write as many things about him/her as you can

remember.

#3 Which year in school has been your favorite so far? Why?

#4 Would you rather be a race car driver or a musician? Why? What about that job

appeals to you?

#5 Write about something or a few things you do well. How do you feel when you

do these things?

#6 What is one thing you would like to change about yourself? Is it possible to

change it? How can you change this thing or learn to live with it?

#7 Describe the best costume you have ever worn. Why did you wear it? If you

have never worn a costume before, describe a costume you would have enjoyed

wearing.

#8 Imagine 5 things inside a bowl. What are they? Describe them. Then draw what

you have imagined.

#9 Write about the best performance you have ever seen. What about it made it

the best?

#10 What is your favorite thing about our school? What is your least favorite thing?

#11 If you could have 50 pounds of anything (other than a form of currency), what

would you choose?

#12 Would you rather be too hot or too cold?


#13 Of the activities we have done so far, which has been your favorite? What do

you like about it?

#14 Of the activities we have done so far, which has been the most difficult for you?

What was difficult about it?

#15 Describe the best friend you have ever had. What made him or her such a good

friend?

#16 Describe the worst day you have ever had. What happened? Was it as bad as

you thought in the end?

#17 If you had access to a mummy, would you allow dinner guests unwrap it at your

house? Why or why not? Note: This was a fad during the 1800s!

#18 If you could only eat one food for the next 5 years, what would you choose?

What is one food you would like to never eat again?

#19 When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? What do you

want to be now? What changed?

#20 What do you think is the biggest difference between middle school and high

school (or elementary school and middle school)? Do you like this change?

#21 If you could have any animal in the world as a pet, what would it be? Why

would you choose that animal?

#22 Describe your perfect day. What would you do? Who would be with you?

#23 Describe either the best or worst experience you have ever had while

performing or giving a presentation.

#24 If you had a time machine, what year would you travel to? What would you do?

#25 If you could change your first or last name, what would you change it to? What

do you like or dislike about your name?


#26 If you had the opportunity to meet one famous person, who would you choose?

What do you admire about this person?

#27 What day and month of the year were you born? Where do the names for these

come from?

#28 If you could magically have a new skill tomorrow, what would it be? Why

would you choose that skill over other things?

#29 If you had to cook a meal for your family tonight, what would you choose and

how would you make it?

#30 Write a story about one of your parents or grandparents. What is/was he/she

like?

#31 Write a story about something that happened to you when you were little.

#32 Write a story about a time when you really wanted something and what you did

to get it.

#33 Write about your favorite place in the world. What are some things that are

usually in that place?

#34 Trade papers with another student. Write about what the opposite of this

person would be like.

#35 Write a story about a time when a situation that seemed bad turned out well.

#36 Write a story about either the best or worst trip you have ever taken. What

happened? Who was with you? Where were you going?

#37 Write a story about something funny that happened to someone in your family

or a story that is told often in your family.

#38 How “touchy-feely” are you? Are you right or left handed? Would you consider

yourself right or left brained?


#39 How many caffeinated drinks do you consume each week? What are 3 things

you could do to take better care of your voice?

#40 How was your weekend? Describe something you enjoyed and something you

didn’t enjoy.

#41 Would you rather travel to the top of the tallest mountain on earth or the

bottom of the lowest ocean?

#42 Would you rather work at a theme park but never get to ride the rides, or only

be able to go to a theme park one more time during your lifetime?

#43 What is the best fiction book you have ever read? What did you like about it?

#44 Imagine that you have won a free vacation to anywhere in the world. Where

would you like to go? What would you do and see there?

#45 If you could have any one superpower for a day, what would you choose? Why

would you choose that one? What would you do that day?

#46 Describe what it would be like to have a dinosaur for a pet.

#47 Describe your perfect breakfast.

#48 What is the best thing about your family?

#49 If you could be a new character on any T.V. show, which one would you

choose? Why would you choose that one?

#50 What do you think will be the biggest difference between high school and

college (or middle school and high school)? Do you think you will like this

change? Why or why not?

#51 How have you improved as a performer since the beginning of the year? What

specific skills have you improved? What skills do you want to improve next?


#52 What are some qualities of a good acting partner? Who would you like to work

with for the next project? Why?

#53 Which technical theatre area do you think you would most like to participate

in? What about that area do you think you would enjoy?

#54 Which would you rather be—a standby, an understudy or a swing?

#55 Describe how you could create the feeling on stage of being in a forest with

lights, sound effects and scenery.

#56 Describe how you could create the feeling on stage of being at a basketball game

with lights, sound effects and scenery.

#57 Describe how you could create the feeling on stage of being at a theme park

with lights, sound effects and scenery.

#58 Describe how you could create the feeling on stage of being in a cafeteria with

lights, sound effects and scenery.

#59 Describe one thing you are looking forward to doing this summer and one

thing you are looking forward to about next year.

#60 What are one skill have you improved most this year? What one activity or

assignment was your favorite?


#1 Date: _________

How do you feel about performing in front of

classmates? An audience? Why do you think that is?

#2 Date: _________

Spend 3 minutes getting to know the student next to

you. What was your first impression of him/her? Write as

many things about him/her as you can remember.


#3 Date: _________

Which year in school has been your favorite so far? Why?

#4 Date: _________

Would you rather be a race car driver or a musician?

Why? What about that job appeals to you?


#5 Date: _________

Write about something or a few things you do well. How

do you feel when you do these things?

#6 Date: _________

What is one thing you would like to change about

yourself? Is it possible to change it? How can you change

this thing or learn to live with it?


#7 Date: _________

Describe the best costume you have ever worn. Why did

you wear it? If you have never worn a costume before,

describe a costume you would have enjoyed wearing.

#8 Date: _________

Imagine 5 things inside a bowl. What are they? Describe

them. Then draw what you have imagined.


#9 Date: _________

Write about the best performance you have ever seen.

What about it made it the best?

#10 Date: _________

What is your favorite thing about our school? What is

your least favorite thing?


#11 Date: _________

If you could have 50 pounds of anything (other than a

form of currency), what would you choose?

#12 Date: _________

Would you rather be too hot or too cold?


#13 Date: _________

Of the activities we have done so far, which has been

your favorite? What do you like about it?

#14 Date: _________

Of the activities we have done so far, which has been the

most difficult for you? What was difficult about it?


#15 Date: _________

Describe the best friend you have ever had. What made

him or her such a good friend?

#16 Date: _________

Describe the worst day you have ever had. What

happened? Was it as bad as you thought in the end?


#17 Date: _________

If you had access to a mummy, would you allow dinner

guests unwrap it at your house? Why or why not?

Note: This was a fad during the 1800s!

#18 Date: _________

If you could only eat one food for the next 5 years, what

would you choose? What is one food you would like to

never eat again?


#19 Date: _________

When you were little, what did you want to be when you

grew up? What do you want to be now? What changed?

#20 Date: _________

What do you think is the biggest difference between

middle school and high school (or elementary school and

middle school)? Do you like this change?


#21 Date: _________

If you could have any animal in the world as a pet, what

would it be? Why would you choose that animal?

#22 Date: _________

Describe your perfect day. What would you do? Who

would be with you?


#23 Date: _________

Describe either the best or worst experience you have

ever had while performing or giving a presentation.

#24 Date: _________

If you had a time machine, what year would you travel

to? What would you do?


#25 Date: _________

If you could change your first or last name, what would

you change it to? What do you like or dislike about your

name?

#26 Date: _________

If you had the opportunity to meet one famous person,

who would you choose? What do you admire about this

person?


#27 Date: _________

What day and month of the year were you born? Where

do the names for these come from?

#28 Date: _________

If you could magically have a new skill tomorrow, what

would it be? Why would you choose that skill over other

things?


#29 Date: _________

If you had to cook a meal for your family tonight, what

would you choose and how would you make it?

#30 Date: _________

Write a story about one of your parents or grandparents.

What is/was he/she like?


#31 Date: _________

Write a story about something that happened to you

when you were little.

#32 Date: _________

Write a story about a time when you really wanted

something and what you did to get it.


#33 Date: _________

Write about your favorite place in the world. What are

some things that are usually in that place?

#34 Date: _________

Trade papers with another student. Write about what

the opposite of this person would be like.


#35 Date: _________

Write a story about a time when a situation that seemed

bad turned out well.

#36 Date: _________

Write a story about either the best or worst trip you have

ever taken. What happened? Who was with you? Where

were you going?


#37 Date: _________

Write a story about something funny that happened to

someone in your family or a story that is told often in

your family.

#38 Date: _________

How “touchy-feely” are you? Are you right or left

handed? Would you consider yourself right or left

brained?


#39 Date: _________

How many caffeinated drinks do you consume each

week? What are 3 things you could do to take better care

of your voice?

#40 Date: _________

How was your weekend? Describe something you

enjoyed and something you didn’t enjoy.


#41 Date: _________

Would you rather travel to the top of the tallest

mountain on earth or the bottom of the lowest ocean?

#42 Date: _________

Would you rather work at a theme park but never get to

ride the rides, or only be able to go to a theme park one

more time during your lifetime?


#43 Date: _________

What is the best fiction book you have ever read? What

did you like about it?

#44 Date: _________

Imagine that you have won a free vacation to anywhere

in the world. Where would you like to go? What would

you do and see there?


#45 Date: _________

If you could have any one superpower for a day, what

would you choose? Why would you choose that one?

What would you do that day?

#46 Date: _________

Describe what it would be like to have a dinosaur for a

pet.


#47 Date: _________

Describe your perfect breakfast.

#48 Date: _________

What is the best thing about your family?


#49 Date: _________

If you could be a new character on any T.V. show, which

one would you choose? Why would you choose that

one?

#50 Date: _________

What do you think will be the biggest difference between

high school and college (or middle school and high

school)? Do you think you will like this change? Why or

why not?


#51 Date: _________

How have you improved as a performer since the

beginning of the year? What specific skills have you

improved? What skills do you want to improve next?

#52 Date: _________

What are some qualities of a good acting partner? Who

would you like to work with for the next project? Why?


#53 Date: _________

Which technical theatre area do you think you would

most like to participate in? What about that area do you

think you would enjoy?

#54 Date: _________

Which would you rather be—a standby, an understudy or

a swing?


#55 Date: _________

Describe how you could create the feeling on stage of

being in a forest with lights, sound effects and scenery.

#56 Date: _________


being at a basketball game with lights, sound effects and

scenery.


#57 Date: _________


being at a theme park with lights, sound effects and

scenery.

#58 Date: _________


being in a cafeteria with lights, sound effects and

scenery.


#59 Date: _________

Describe one thing you are looking forward to doing this

summer and one thing you are looking forward to about

next year.

#60 Date: _________

What are one skill have you improved most this year?

What one activity or assignment was your favorite?

60 fun journals for theatre students

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