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A student does homework in Bratislava, Slovakia, on March 27. Schools have been shut down across the world, and many children have been receiving their lessons online. Source: Vladimir Simicek/AFP via Getty Images

Italy singing Country Roads by John Denver from Balcony During Coronavirus Quarantine: TikTok by @victoriablickenstaff

People clap from balconies to show their appreciation for health care workers in Mumbai, India. Source: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

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Your story matters! Historians read and listen to the stories of everyday people to find out what life was like in earlier times. Remember Lewis & Clark? The only reason we know as much as we do about them is because they kept journals. They wrote their thoughts, drew pictures, drew maps, and took down anything they found interesting. 

We are living through an historic time. One day we will want to remember what it was like. One of the best ways to do that is to be like Lewis & Clark and start our own journals!

1 encourage you to start recording your experience daily (or whenever you see something interesting) in some way. You can write your thoughts in a notebook, in a computer document, or in a collage. 

I started recording my experience last week as a project for one of my classes. I started writing in a google document every day. I gathered images that meant something to me and wrote about events that happened during the day. I will be glad to have these in a few years. 

Here are some writing prompts that can help you get started on a journal. It doesn't have to be writing! You could draw, or take pictures, or take videos! Most importantly, write this FOR YOU, not anyone else!

1. Write about one thing that you did today that was "normal" (something you would have done a month ago that you are still doing). 
2. Write down one thing you did today that is part of your "new normal". Why did you do it?
3. What have your parents been doing today? Is anything different than "normal"?
4. Interview your parents or siblings and ask them to tell them about something interesting that has happened in the last few weeks. 
5. What are some new words that you are using or hearing more often? What do they make you think of? Examples: Social Distancing, Quarantine, Online Learning. 
6. Tell your journal a story about what it is like for school to change so suddenly. What would a regular day in school be like before coronavirus and what is a regular day like now?
7. Take a picture of something that is different, or something that stood out to you today. Jot down a note explaining the reason you took that picture. 
8. Tell your journal about your pet. Do you think they are happy or sad you are home more often?
9. Was there a news story or something you saw on social media that made you think? If so, write about the story and how you felt about it. 
10. Respond to one of the images and videos to the left and below. Think about what they mean to you. Do they remind you of anything that has happened to you in the past few weeks?
11. Watch a CNN10 video and respond to one of the news stories. How does it make you feel?https://www.cnn.com/cnn10 
12. Write or draw about whatever you're thinking about. 

Extra Learning: 

• You can check out Lewis & Clark's journals at this website. You can even listen to some passages being read out loud!
• https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/ 
  

Flatten the curve: Source: Shutterstock, Svetlana Shamshurina