I've been telling my students that they MUST use color on their Wednesday "Encyclopedia Day" journal entries, and some of the results have been lovely -- especially if I give them an extra minute or two. This brief exercise, which we usually perform each Wednesday during the few minutes of English class, has many benefits.
* The students are quiet and get to work immediately.
* They are using their brains in a different way which increases creativity, spacial awareness, and perspective.
* Their knowledge of science and history is broadened; just about everything in any encyclopedia is one of those two.
* It causes them to enjoy their journal time even more.
* Because of all of the above, it makes them better writers.
