Maps and the act of getting directions are some of the most literal ways people connect from one place to another. There’s something deeply grounding about drawing a map—especially one that doesn’t follow traditional geography. In My Map Book, author-illustrator Sara Fanelli reimagines what mapping can be: not just a way to track location, but a playful and reflective tool for understanding ourselves, our experiences, and our world. Inspired by her work, this blog post offers 25 creative mapping activities perfect for outdoor journaling. These prompts are flexible for individuals, students, or groups, and each one encourages cross-curricular connections—blending literacy, science, art, and social-emotional learning. If you’re a teacher without easy access to green space, outdoor mapping is also a great way to introduce nature journaling to your students.

Got a blank notebook around the house you don’t use? Have a half-filled notebook that you love that you don’t want to ignore any longer? Find a use for any blank notebook using this giant list of 100+ ideas. Any blank notebook will work for any of these activities. Some of these notebook ideas may travel with you throughout your day, some notebooks will stay at home on the shelf. If you need a notebook recommendation, check out the shop supplies page on the blog. You can also grab some discount codes for a new notebook from some of my favorite vendors. One of the main messages on the blog is that “you are what you write.” However, even more so, you are all of your dreams, goals, and habits. All you need is a blank page.

If you don’t know where to start with a journaling system, start with the post “Choose a Journaling System That Works For You.”

If you’re feeling the tug to slow down, step outside, and reconnect with the world around you, nature journaling might be exactly what you need. But where do you begin? The easiest entry point is one that feels more like play than practice: go on a nature scavenger hunt or take a simple walk outdoors. Whether you're on your own or with kids, this gentle activity opens the door to curiosity, observation, and connection—the very heart of nature journaling. And when I say "nature walk," I simply mean stepping outside. Whether you're facing desert heat or a winter blast, you can observe the world around you and begin with any notebook or journal.

This post provides a starting point with some prompts, and it gives some resources and materials for stepping into the outdoors.

Whenever I sat down with my middle school English team, met with a colleague for curriculum planning, or chatted with teachers across departments, one question always surfaced: “How do you teach the essay?” or “What parts need to be taught to students?”

As I continue working with more and more teachers, I’ve noticed that the academic essay is often assigned based on a teacher’s own learning experiences, their mentor’s approach, or a set of commonly accepted skills that are rarely questioned. I’m not claiming that my method of teaching essays is better than anyone else’s. Instead, this post serves as a starting point for a larger conversation about how the academic essay is implemented across grade levels. The goal, ultimately, should be consistency.

In this post, I’ll use the Six Traits of Writing as a shared language for teaching writing in the classroom. I’ll also outline the essential components of an academic essay—what I refer to as the building blocks.

Just like physical building blocks, these parts can be removed, rearranged, or used differently depending on the purpose of the assignment. The same concept applies here: consider each part as an area where you can choose to emphasize, adapt, or even skip depending on what your students need. I like the Six Traits of Writing because they provide flexible, universal terminology that applies across genres and writing types.

The academic essay can feel overwhelming to teach because it’s often viewed as a rigid form. But in reality, there’s quite a bit of flexibility, depending on the teacher’s experience, the grade level, and the writing genre. In my experience, success in teaching essay writing comes from two things: using a consistent structure and adopting a shared language. When teachers have a common understanding of these areas, it leads to better conversations about writing—and more clarity, purpose, and structure for students.

Our daughter’s favorite part of a trip to Lowe’s is walking through the garden section to see the flowers and collecting a stack of “rainbows”—color paint sample cards. After one of these trips, I remembered that I had a writing prompt kit called Paint Chip Poetry. This little box includes a wide variety of colors, each paired with a word or phrase, along with prompts to spark ideas. There’s something magical about color—how a single shade can evoke a memory, tell a story, or capture the essence of a season. When we combine that sensory experience with the power of words, we open up an entirely new pathway to creativity.

One of my favorite tools for inspiring outdoor journaling is using paint chips taped into a notebook. Paint chip poetry and color-based activities offer an accessible, playful, and deeply reflective way to connect with nature, especially when paired with time spent outside. Whether you’re journaling in your backyard, at a park, or on a classroom nature walk, these activities add a vibrant lens to the experience.

This post outlines five color-inspired journaling activities to try with your students or in your own nature notebook. It also includes recommended picture books that serve as wonderful resources for kids of all ages, from upper elementary to high school.

In all classrooms that thrive, students are not only readers and writers—they are thinkers. Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis, in their foundational text Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Engagement, Understanding, and Building Knowledge, Grades K-8, remind us that comprehension is more than just decoding words; it’s about making meaning. The six key strategies they outline—monitoring comprehension, activating and building background knowledge, asking questions, visualizing and inferring, determining importance, and summarizing—are not only tools for deep reading, but also cornerstones of effective writing.

Strategic readers make intentional decisions as they interact with texts. The same is true for strategic writers. When students are invited to use writing as a thinking tool, especially through writing-to-learn strategies like outdoor journaling, they begin to connect ideas, process emotions, and synthesize information in authentic and meaningful ways. Outdoor journaling, in particular, provides a rich opportunity to activate background knowledge, ask curious questions, and synthesize observations—all while immersing students in the world around them.

In this post, we’ll explore how each of these six comprehension strategies can be found in journaling activities. Outdoor journaling can foster not just literacy growth, but confident, curious communicators. Let’s take literacy goals out of the classroom and into the fresh air—where thinking and writing grow together. Below, you'll find a list of 42 different journaling activities that align with literacy goals. Included is the activity name, a brief description, suggested resources, and example classroom applications.

“What is poetry?” Daniel asks.
“Come with me,” says Spider, “and I will show you.”
— Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer

In Daniel Finds a Poem, readers journey with Daniel as he walks through the park and asks his animal friends, “What is poetry?” Each creature responds in their own way. Spider speaks of dew, Frog talks about cool water, and Owl praises the night sky. As Daniel listens, observes, and reflects, he discovers that poetry is all around him. Poetry is what you see, hear, feel, and imagine—just like what our students can discover during a walk outside.

Using Daniel Finds a Poem as a mentor text, you can create a powerful classroom-building activity that also helps destigmatize the practice of writing poetry through found poems.

Creating a sense of belonging in the classroom isn't just a goal—it’s the foundation for all other interactions. This activity is a great way to build community at the beginning of the year, or to reconnect after a longer break. Found poetry invites writers to “find” words and phrases from existing texts or the world around them. For this activity, you might take students outside, but you could also use books, signs, notes, or even snippets of spoken dialogue—then arrange them into a new poetic form.

In this variation, students become the source text. You collect their words and transform them into a poem that reflects your shared classroom identity. The best part? When everyone shares their favorite line to create a collaborative community poem, it almost feels like teaching magic.

Writing is more than just a way to show what we know—it’s a tool for thinking, processing, and discovering. One of the most effective and versatile strategies for strengthening student voice and supporting content-area learning is the Claim, Evidence, Reason (CER) paragraph. This structure helps students organize their thoughts and communicate their ideas, whether they’re in an English, science, or social studies classroom. The CER paragraph is a strong place to start if your team or school wants to build consistency in writing expectations. In this post, you’ll find ideas for teaching CER using the mentor text The One Thing You’d Save by Linda Sue Park and Robert Sae-Heng, along with practical tips for helping students develop strong, thoughtful responses.

Many of us reach a point where we’re simply ready for a reset. Whether it’s the start of a new journal, a new season, or just the need for a mental refresh, taking time to refocus your vision and energy can be powerful. You don’t have to wait for January to set goals—any time is the right time to dream big, reflect on what matters most, and realign with your purpose.

One of my favorite ways to do this is through vision boarding. It helps me get my priorities in order and brings a sense of clarity and lightness. I always begin with a few journaling prompts to ground myself, and then I move into the creative work of cutting, pasting, and dreaming. Whether I’m using my Commonplace Notebook or creating a one-page spread at the front of a new daily journal, the process is always personal and reflective. This post will walk you through helpful journaling prompts, a quick video tutorial, and the four main steps to create your own vision board—using any journal you already have at home.

In Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer, two curious children explore the natural world by asking poetic questions like, “Are trees the sky’s legs?” and “Is dirt the world’s skin?” This mentor text serves as a powerful model for both students and teachers—it invites readers to slow down, observe, and wonder. The book can inspire an activity that not only takes students outdoors, but also encourages them to reflect on the different kinds of questions they are asking each day. The very place where we are standing can become a tool for learning if we’re willing to pause and look closely through a lens of inquiry.

This post offers a walkthrough of a lesson you can bring outside—as a StoryWalk or as an introduction to nature journaling. It’s also a great cross-curricular activity that can launch an inquiry or research unit, blending observation, curiosity, and writing in a meaningful way.

Teaching writing isn’t about chasing perfection—it’s about nurturing confident, capable communicators who understand that writing is a process. Whether you’re guiding students through a writing-to-learn activity or a more formal activity centered around the narrative, informational, or argumentative genres, each step of the writing journey provides an opportunity to build skills, spark creativity, and deepen learning. In this post, I’m breaking down the writing process using eight visual icons—each paired with clear definitions and classroom-ready examples. From gathering ideas with mentor texts to celebrating student voice and real-world connections, these tools help make writing more accessible, engaging, and meaningful for all learners. Let’s explore how each stage supports writers in finding their voice and growing their mindset.

First, let’s talk about the term “writing process” and clarify what I mean when I use this term with teachers and with my students.

An awesome quick strategy to teach narrative summary writing combines the video elements of Pixar Shorts and the application of Somebody Wanted But So Then. Somebody Wanted But So Then is a widely taught strategy for teaching summary while reading fiction. While the materials for SWBST are vast, I often find the easiest way to teach this memorable technique is through the use of quick shorts or Pixar shorts that are available on YouTube. I use the gradual release of responsibility model that focuses no I Do, We Do, You Do. This technique is best applied as a scaffolding technique to reach a higher-level goal. This post will outline the strategy for teaching summary writing with fiction texts, and it will also link some of my favorite Pixar shorts or clips to use in my middle-grade classroom.

A great way to bring nature journaling into your daily life is by using the Compass Page. This page organizes your journaling around four meaningful areas: Daily Life, Nature and Surroundings, Memory-Keeping, and Reflection. However, you could always choose the four different regions of your compass. With all of the various planning methods and choices for goal-setting, the heart of this work is narrowing down the way you go about finding your purpose through journaling. This layout is a perfect blend of planning and creative expression, allowing you to stay organized while connecting with nature. Every time you create a new Compass Page for your day, week, or month, you’re not just setting goals and scheduling tasks—you’re also opening the door to new reflections, observations, and moments of inspiration. Whether you sketch a quick landscape, jot down a feeling inspired by the weather, or simply reflect on the natural world around you, the Compass Page makes it easy to weave nature journaling into your routine. For the Compass Page, you can reference this work each and every time you make a new layout for your day, week, or month.

You can find inspiration from my Compass Page or you can download your own ready-to-use template.

What if the timeline of your life could tell a bigger story—one that connects your personal milestones with the history unfolding around you? In this reflective and analytical writing prompt, Your Life At-A-Glance (Moments from History), students begin by mapping out five significant life events. Then, they explore how these moments overlap with world, national, cultural, and local events. The goal? To select one historically significant moment that holds an argument or debate, and craft a compelling argumentative paragraph through the lens of their own experience. This activity not only builds historical thinking and writing skills, but it also helps students see their lives as part of a broader narrative—where their voice and story matter in the context of history.

“Your mind is the garden, your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds.” —William Wordsworth

Just like a real garden, our thoughts need space, nourishment, and time to grow. I sometimes like to pause on certain words that come across in readings, poetry, or even on social media. The word cultivate stuck out to me when I initially started trying this activity in journaling workshops and seminars because we are not only constantly creating, but we are growing in many ways, too. I am not necessarily a person who has a green thumb, but I do think that journaling can be used as a tool for tending to what is going on in our minds each day. The idea of a thought garden is not new. Below are some of the inspirations for this journaling prompt, including one of my favorites from Morgan Harper Nichols.

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention never fails to inspire, and the 2024 theme—Heart, Hope, and Humanity—beautifully underscored every session I attended. From practical classroom strategies to profound reflections on identity and storytelling, the convention offered a wealth of insight and inspiration. There is something powerful about bringing together people who love learning, who love working with students, and who love teaching—it creates an undeniable sense of belonging.

My goal for 2025 is to ground myself in the meaningful work of teaching, even though I am no longer in the classroom. I seek direction, passion, and a renewed spirit for doing what I love. This post highlights key takeaways from the 2024 convention and includes personal reflections on what I hope to find in 2025—a deeper connection to heart, hope, and humanity in my work.

Whether or not school was in session, I always found that the lessons embedded in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches were invaluable mentor texts for teaching writing and inspiring young people. My last year in the classroom, I was particularly moved by a tweet from Julia E. Torres, a librarian, educator, and activist, in which she shared a conversation she overheard:

“Just overheard a child in the hallway on the phone, ‘We are watching MLK videos again because you know they can neeeeever teach us anything new.’ This was a middle school student. Let’s think about that…”

That gave me pause. How often did I see my colleagues relying on MLK videos, or worse, skipping over this day entirely? How often had I felt like I couldn’t carve out the time to honor his legacy? I knew I needed to take the lesson of teaching dreams to a new level. I wanted my students to see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. not just as a figure in history, but as an author to imitate and admire. His speeches made people listen to the issues that mattered. And no matter how pressured we feel to move through the curriculum, some lessons are simply more important.

On that day, it mattered. I reflected on how I could integrate Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech into our mentor text work. The lesson wouldn’t take the entire hour, but my goal was clear: I wanted my students to notice the craft of his writing—specifically his use of repetition, metaphors, and the cadence of his voice—and then have them write about their own dreams in a similar way.

This post outlines the three-step process I used to teach his speech as a mentor text and offers further activities to extend the lesson.

Have you ever come across a quote, idea, or piece of wisdom that you wished you could save for later? A commonplace journal might be your new favorite tool for gathering inspiration and organizing your thoughts. If, at the beginning of the year, you felt reluctant to create a vision board because you worried you wouldn't use it, this project could be just what you're looking for. Let’s dive into what a commonplace journal is, how it’s been used throughout history, and how you can start one tailored to your life—whether you're a teacher, a parent, or simply someone who loves to collect sparks of inspiration.

Fall sometimes makes me want to feel renewed with all of the change that is taking place. My Daily Journal system consisted of setting up all of my layouts at the beginning of the notebook and then using the rest of the notebook for my daily pages, journaling, and notes for meetings. The main problem I kept running into was that I was spending all of this time creating the notebook I wanted, and then I only had about 75 pages or so to last for journaling and note-taking.

Does anyone else get nervous when their notebook runs out of pages?

I do. As someone who values a planner that doubles as a notebook, the Sterling Ink B6 Undated Common Planner has become a staple in my planning routine. I have always been a person that has been a fan of a few brands that have truly amazing products, but for this, I wanted to try something new. This includes also trying the Moterm B6+ Planner Cover.

Here's a closer look at what makes each of these products work for me.

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago is a heartwarming story of bravery, friendship, and self-expression—making it a rich mentor text for writing exercises across various disciplines. With its themes of shyness, the supernatural, and the courage to be seen, Gustavo’s journey offers endless opportunities for deep reflection and creativity in classrooms. Let’s explore how you can use this story as a springboard for disciplinary writing in all subject areas!