Journeys 2

nd
Grade
Daily Journal Prompts
High-level Thinking Questions
Unit 3
Developed by Mr. Rice, 2
nd
Grade Teacher, Pittsburgh, PA
Explanation
With the implementation of the rigorous Common
Core Standards, it is important that students learn
how to answer difficult questions in writing at an
early age. These daily journal prompt questions
correspond with the stories in the Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt Journeys series for 2
nd
grade. The
questions for each story are based on Blooms
Taxonomy, and are scaffolded by difficulty, starting
with a comprehension question on the first day of
the lesson, then moving to application, analyzing,
evaluating, and synthesizing. Enjoy!
Rules for Daily Writing
Always writing in paragraph form (indent).
Begin with a topic sentence that restates the question, and end
with a closing sentence.
Your journals should be at least 6 sentences long.
Be sure to proofread for spelling and punctuation, and make sure
it makes sense. You are not finished until you correct any
mistakes.
Use your neatest handwriting.
When sharing with the class, use a loud speaking voice.
When others are sharing, listen quietly.
Click Clack Moo
Cows That Type
Day 1- Understanding
In Click Clack Moo- Cows That Type,
the cows decide not to give milk until the
farmer gives them blankets. Can you
think of a time when someone wouldnt
give you something unless you did
something for them? Or the other way
around?
Click Clack Moo
Cows That Type
Day 2- Applying
If you were the farmer, how would you
solve the problem of the cows refusing
to give milk?
Click Clack Moo
Cows That Type
Day 3- Analyzing
How would the events in the story have
changed if Farmer Brown decided to
never give the cows and hens blankets?
Click Clack Moo
Cows That Type
Day 4- Evaluating
What judgment would you make about
Farmer Brown based on the details of the
text? What helps you to support this?
Click Clack Moo
Cows That Type
Day 5- Synthesizing
Do you believe that Farmer Brown made
the right decision by agreeing to the
cows ultimatum (exchanging blankets
for the typewriter)? Why or why not?
Violets Music
Day 1- Understanding
As you look through the text, you can
see that the author wrote the sounds
of the music in a special way. (Look
at page 360- Boom, Shake, Beat,
Shake). Why did the author write the
words this way?
Violets Music
Day 2- Applying
In Violets Music, Violet had trouble
finding other children who enjoyed
playing instruments. Can you think of
an instance when you had trouble
finding someone who enjoyed the
same things as you?
Violets Music
Day 3- Analyzing
What was the turning point in the story?
(when did things change for Violet) How
do you know this is the turning point?
Violets Music
Day 4- Evaluating
How could you prove that Violet is
perseverant? (she never gives up)
What facts in the story help to support
this?
Violets Music
Day 5- Synthesizing
What would have happened if Violet
never met friends in the park who
also played instruments? Write the
next part of the story if this were the
case.
Schools Around the World
Day 1- Understanding
Think about what you know
about your school. How do
you think it is different than a
school in another country?
Schools Around the World
Day 2- Applying
On page 389, the author says that
a man from Germany opened a
new school and called it
kindergarten which means
childrens garden in German.
Why do you think he chose this
name for a school?
Schools Around the World
Day 3- Analyzing
What evidence can you find that
supports this statement?: Schools
around the world are very different
from one another.
Schools Around the World
Day 4- Evaluating
What is the purpose or importance
of the headings in the story
Schools Around the World?
Schools Around the World
Day 5- Synthesizing
Create a short paragraph to go
under the heading Recess and
Field Trips.
Helen Keller
Day 1- Understanding
Helen Keller is a true story about a
girl who could not see, hear, or speak.
Describe how you would get ready for
school in the morning if you could not
see, hear, or speak.
Helen Keller
Day 2- Application
If Helen Keller were alive, what
questions would you want to ask her?
How would you ask these questions?
Helen Keller
Day 3- Analyzing
When Helen was a child, she would
often scream, kick, and cry. What was
her motive (or reason) for doing this.
What effect did this have on Helens
family?
Helen Keller
Day 4- Evaluating
Read page 425 in the text that describes
some of Annie Sullivans difficulties
when she first started teaching Helen.
What would you have done if you were
Annie?
Helen Keller
Day 5- Synthesizing
What might have happened if Annie
Sullivan had given up teaching Helen
when Helen fought with her?
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Day 1- Understanding
A major theme of Officer Buckle
and Gloria is the importance of
teamwork. Describe a time when
teamwork helped you to
accomplish a task.
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Day 2- Applying
What do you think is the
moral, or lesson or the story?
Tell why this lesson is
important.
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Day 3- Analyzing
Distinguish, or tell the difference,
between Napville School when
Officer Buckle and Gloria
worked as a team, and when
they did not work as a team.

Officer Buckle and Gloria
Day 4- Evaluating
What choice would you have
made if you were Officer Buckle,
and you found out that Gloria
was acting silly at your
assemblies? How would this
affect the outcome of the story?
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Day 5- Synthesizing
Create your own list of ten
safety tips to add to Officer
Buckles list.