Summer School Journals

This summer I am having the kids keep a journal.  I should say journal rather loosely because I really don't care what they write about - I just want them to write.  My13 yr old asked if she could write a story - not exactly a journal - but that's fine.  We've been a bit inconsistent but are finally getting into a rhythm (probably didn't help that this normally very scheduled momma didn't make a summer school schedule...until now :) )

This is what we are doing:

1. Kids journal T, W, TH, F
1. Length is determined loosely by grade/age.  By the end of summer everyone will be writing at least a paragraph.  Older kids are already doing that.
2. Corrections
1. They get to choose which entry I will correct.  I don't want them holding back on length because they know they will be required to rewrite one.  I don't care if they choose the shortest.  It's all about punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, etc.
2. They hand their books in to me to peruse/correct over the weekend.  I will make note of spelling errors to be addressed on a separate list.
3. On Monday they rewrite the chosen entry with all the corrections.
3. Most of the kids include pictures.  I enjoy looking at them.  I love seeing what is important to them.  I've seen drawings of our new (used) lawn tractor, chickens, and Menards!

We're also working on reading and math....but that's a different story.