This lesson was part of a literature circle unit I taught to a Grade 6/7 class during my final practicum. Using double-entry journals, students selected quotes or excerpts from their novels and connected them to their own lives. This activity not only helped students build deeper connections to the text, but it also allowed me to learn more about them through their writing. This experience underscored the value of regular writing, inspiring me to integrate frequent free-writing activities into my future classroom.