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Friday Journals

Creating a connection between home and school has such a huge impact on a student’s education.  One way that I go about this is having students share with their families what we are learning in the classroom through a series of hand-written letters.

On Fridays, during Writer’s Workshop, my students write in their Friday Journals.  We start by brainstorming what we learned and any other exciting events that happened in our classroom during that week.

The students then write a letter, detailing a few of the ideas that we brainstormed.  Most students choose to write to a parent, but I allow them to write to an adult (or older sibling) that they will see over the weekend.  In a few cases, I’ve had students write to a teacher or other staff member, if I know that there might not be a lot of support at home.

The students then bring their notebook home on Friday afternoon and I ask that the parents respond to their child’s letter.  It’s a great remedy for the question, “what did you do in school today?”  I also love seeing the interaction between the student and the parent.  I make sure to put a note to the parents at the beginning of the notebook so that they know what to expect.

Friday Journals offer a way for students to share their learning with their families and practice their letter writing at the same time!

At the beginning of the year, my second-graders start off writing just 3 sentences and asking a question.

Friday Journals offer a way for students to share their learning with their families and practice their letter writing at the same time!

We eventually move on to writing multiple paragraphs!  It’s a wonderful way to see their writing grow and develop.

Friday Journals offer a way for students to share their learning with their families and practice their letter writing at the same time!


If the students bring their journal back on Monday with a parent response (or at least a signature), they receive a sticker for the cover of their journal.  By the end of the year, it has a nice decorative look and the parents have a special keepsake!

Friday Journals offer a way for students to share their learning with their families and practice their letter writing at the same time!

It is great practice writing letters and it is a great review of what we have learned together.  You can grab the letter template for free here.  I shared more info on Friday Journals in my Facebook Live video, which you can watch here.

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