Types of Student Response Journals

  • Reflective Journals – (What was your reaction?)

I find that ...

I think that ...

I like (don’t) like ...

The most confusing part is when ...

My favourite part is when ...

I would change ...

I agree that ... because ...

  • Speculative Journals – (What might happen because of this?)

I predict that ...

It is likely that ...

As a result, ...

  • Dialectic Journals – (What is significant about what happened here?)

This is similar to ...

This event is important because it...

Without this individual, the ...

This was a turning point because it ...

When I read this (heard this), I was reminded when ...

This helps me to understand why….

  • Metacognitive Journals – (What did you experience as you were learning this?)

I was surprised ...

I don’t understand ...

I wonder why ...

I found it funny that ...

I think I have a handle on this because ...

This helps me to understand why...

Document Analysis

  • What does the source tell us? (Consider the 5 W’s)
  • What is the event or action being depicted?
  • What people are described or shown?
  • Why is it happening?
  • Where do the events take place?
  • When is it happening? What clues lead you to this conclusion?
  • What kind of document is it?
  • What type of medium is the source? (letter, diary, newspaper, photograph etc.)
  • What type of source is it? (primary or secondary)
  • Is it public or private?
  • Why was it written?
  • Who wrote/created it?
  • Was it prepared for a specific audience?
  • What is the author’s background?
  • What is the message?
  • What is obvious?
  • What is implicit (read between the lines)?
  • Is bias present?
  • Is there any reason to suspect bias?
  • Is the vocabulary “slanted’?
  • Are opinions presented as facts?
  • Are there any false statements?
  • Are there any omissions?
  • Is or was there an agenda/aim/purpose?
  • Would the intended audience have perceived bias?
  • Is the document authentic (ie genuine)?
  • Can names, events, dates, be verified?
  • Is the language appropriate to the time?
  • Are materials (paper, ink etc.) genuine?
  • Is it consistent with other information?
  • What other questions does it raise?

Sample Checklist

  • Militaristic society
  • New political leadership
  • Increase in pageantry/public displays
  • State takes on bigger role in citizen’s everyday lives
  • Enemies of or within the state become more prominent
  • Scapegoating
  • Youth indoctrination through re-education and youth programs
  • Economic turmoil/reform
  • Change in the role of religion within society
  • Governmental control of the media
  • Public unrest/repression
  • Collective thinking/group mentality
  • Change in legal system

Sample Resource Dossier


Women walking from Africville towards Halifax, on Campbell Road near Hanover Street, 1917 or 1918

Courtesy of halifax/exhibit.asp?ID=54

Man from Africville, Nova Scotia, 1965

Courtesy of

Africville Relocation Meeting, Seaview Baptist Church, Halifax, ca. 1962

Courtesy of halifax/exhibit.asp?ID=150

Black Railway Porters - Africville Geneological Society

Courtesy of m144146/minonoires.htm

AFRICVILLE SEA-SIDES Colored hockey team of the Maritimes 1895-1925

Courtesy of

Courtesy of www.archives.cbc.ca/.../ africville/clip5