Journal writing is a great way to increase communication, build relationships, improve writing skills and gain a perspective on what my youth had learned from our activities and lesson plans. There are, 11 Easy Tips for Incorporating Journal Writing into Your Class or Group, that can help you do just that!
On many occasions, I’ve been faced with the challenge of lacking supplies for participants or students. So, I’ve learned to make do with the materials that I’ve had. This is where I decided to find a way to make my own journals using recycled materials. Hopefully this can be a fun and useful project for you and your participants or students to do.
Preparation for creating the journal:
Gather the materials listed below. Make sure that the scrap paper does not have any confidential information or names on it.
Optional * Preprint the labels with the names of participants/ students.
Materials Needed:
- Scrap paper
- Old folders
- Hole puncher
- Pencil
- Scissors or paper-cutter
- Blank Labels
- Binder Rings
- Markers
Follow the steps below to create your own recyclable journal. The pictures to the right illustrate each of the steps…
- Gather a pile of scrap paper about one inch high, and cut the scrap paper in half along the width of the paper, for each journal.
- Lay the paper on top of a folder along the closed edge of the folder and trace a little wider than the paper.
- Cut along the traced lines.
- Place the small end of the cut outs on top, by holding the paper vertically. Punch two holes at the top of the folder cut outs.
- Match the holes on the folder to where you want the holes in the scrap paper. I suggest taking smaller piles of the paper, instead of trying to hole punch all the paper at the same time. Place the scrap paper face down between the two cut outs, and attach the binder rings threw the paper.
- Attach the label to the to the front of the book. (This is optional). Participants can now decorate the journal in a way that represents who they are. Allowing the participants to decorate the
journals will also give you insight of who they are; their interests, creativity, and hobbies.
That’s all there is to it. A quick and easy way to create a journal out of recycled materials. I hope you enjoyed this project and learned something new to make with your students or participants.
[…] If you are more on the creative side, make your own. Check out this earlier blog post on how to make a DIY journal! If you are an educator or a parent (trying your best to assist your children with distance […]