Copy and paste into a Google Doc, which will turn it into a journaling activity. Requires some setup, for the document itself needs to be formatted with Header1 and Header2 in order to look good.

Gamified Journal.md

“Gamified Journal with Notifications" a learning tool for students. Public sample document is available here

• Turns a Google Document into a very simple Journal
• Reports how long students spend writing, how many words were written
• Formats each entry with a header with today's date
• Notify the teacher each time student adds an entry

Why:

• Self-paced "gamified" journal writing activity
• Authentic typing and writing practice
• Teacher can provide timely annotations, via notification feature

Making adjustments:

• You can change the format that the header, subheader, and body text are in by changing the font/size/style using the built-in Google Docs features of paragraph styles: See this page, heading “Customize titles, subtitles, headings and text style”.

Sample Output:

css.html

/* 

CSS.html

*/

<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.11.4/themes/smoothness/jquery-ui.css">
<style>

.noDisplay {
  display: none;
}

label, legend, input, div {
  font-family: Calibri;
  font-size: 14pt;
}

</style>

gamifiedjournal.html

/* 

JavaScript.html

*/


<!-- Different tags to ensure dependencies -->
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.4/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.11.4/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>

<!-- We can assume jquery/jqueryui is all good -->
<script>

<!-- Use jQuery's autocomplete to build possible list -->
<!-- https://jqueryui.com/autocomplete/ -->

$( "#emails" ).autocomplete({
  source: JSON.parse( $('#emailContainer').getData('contacts') )
});

</script>

main.gs

/*


Main.gs



*/




// We use a library here called "Moment"
// It's a dependency, so the below won't work until you have done this:
// Go to Resources -> Libraries and enter this product key: MHMchiX6c1bwSqGM1PZiW_PxhMjh3Sh48
var moment = Moment.load();

// Define the paragraph styles that will be used
// You access them via Google Apps Scripts through class objects such as these
// And then pass it to functions like Paragarph.setHeading

var HEADER1 = DocumentApp.ParagraphHeading.HEADING1;
var HEADER2 = DocumentApp.ParagraphHeading.HEADING2;
var NORMAL = DocumentApp.ParagraphHeading.NORMAL;
var TIMEKEY = 'timeStart';

// This include function is used in the Nofication.html file
// This allows me to include files easily, like importing

function include(filename) {
  return HtmlService.createHtmlOutputFromFile(filename)
      .setSandboxMode(HtmlService.SandboxMode.IFRAME)
      .getContent();
}

// showAlert is used sparingly in the main code and is useful for debugging

function showAlert(title, prompt, buttons) {
  var ui = DocumentApp.getUi(); 

  var result = ui.alert(
     title,
     prompt,
     buttons);

  // Process the user's response.
  if (result == ui.Button.YES) {
    // User clicked "Yes".
    return true;
  } else {
    // User clicked "No" or X in the title bar.
    return false;
  }
}

// showPrompt displays the prompt and processes the user's response

function showPrompt(title, prompt, buttons) {
  var ui = DocumentApp.getUi(); // Same variations.

  var result = ui.prompt(title, prompt, buttons);

  // Process the user's response.
  var button = result.getSelectedButton();
  var text = result.getResponseText();
  if (button == ui.Button.OK) {
    return text;
  } else if (button == ui.Button.CANCEL) {
    return null
  }
  return ""
}

// This function runs automatically when the file is opened

function onOpen() {
  var ui = DocumentApp.getUi();

  // TODO: Figure out how to get the owner (probably using File service)
  ui.createMenu('Learning Journal')
      .addItem('Start…', 'start')
      .addItem('Finished!', 'finish')
      .addSeparator()
      .addItem('Notifications', 'notify')
      .addToUi();

  if (showAlert(
      "Are you ready to start the timer?", 
      'After clicking "Yes", begin writing. When you are done writing, you can click on "Learning Journal" and "Finished" to get a report of how long you wrote, and how many words you have written.', 
      DocumentApp.getUi().ButtonSet.YES_NO)
      ) {
    start()
  }
}

function test_notify() {
  notify('hello', 'hi');
}

function notify() {

  var agent = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().getProperty('notify_email');
  if (!agent) {
    var prompt = "No one is currently notified. Add an email below.";
  } else {
    var prompt = "Right now " + agent + " receives an email. To change, type below";
  }

  var result = showPrompt(
    "Who to notify after clicking 'Finished'?", 
    prompt,
    DocumentApp.getUi().ButtonSet.OK_CANCEL)
  if (result) {
      //TODO: Validate
      var scriptProperties = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties();
      scriptProperties.setProperty('notify_email', result)
  }
}

// Not used:

function tryThis() {
  var file = DriveApp.getFileById(DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getId());
  Logger.log(file);
  Logger.log(file.getOwner().getEmail());
}

// 
// These functions are convenience functions that will allow us to
// to add text, very useful
//

function insertHROnTop() {
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var body = doc.getBody();
  body.insertParagraph(0, '\n');
  body.insertHorizontalRule(0);
  body.insertParagraph(0, '\n');
}

function insertTextOnTop(textToInsert, heading, select) {
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var text = doc.getBody();
  var par = text.insertParagraph(0, textToInsert);
  par.setHeading(heading);
  
  if (select) {
    var rangeBuilder = doc.newRange();
    rangeBuilder.addElement(par);
    doc.setSelection(rangeBuilder.build());
  }
}

// Calculates how much time has passed, using the moment library

function testCalcTimeElasped() {
  var userProperties = PropertiesService.getUserProperties();  
  var then = moment(userProperties.getProperty('timeStart'));
  var now = moment(moment().format());
  var result = calcTimeElapsed(then, now);
  Logger.log(result);
}

function calcTimeElapsed(now, then) {
  Logger.log(then.format("HH:mm:ss"));

  var duration = moment.duration(then.diff(now));
  return Math.round(duration.asMinutes());
}

// Count how many words are in s
// Kinda rudementary

function countWords(s){
    s = s.replace(/(^\s*)|(\s*$)/gi,"");//exclude  start and end white-space
    s = s.replace(/[ ]{2,}/gi," ");//2 or more space to 1
    s = s.replace(/\n /,"\n"); // exclude newline with a start spacing
    return s.split(' ').length; 
}

// Function that collects every typed word starting at the beginning of the document
// and loops until it reaches a horizontal rule
// Returns the count and the words themselves

function words() {
  var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
  var body = doc.getBody();
  
  var finished = false;
  var userEntered = "";

  for (var i = 0; i < body.getNumChildren(); i++) {
    var child = body.getChild(i);    

    if (!finished) {
      userEntered += " " + child.getText();      
    }

    if (child.getNumChildren() > 0) {
      for (var c = 0; c < child.getNumChildren(); c++) {
        var embeddedChild = child.getChild(c);
        if (embeddedChild.getType() == DocumentApp.ElementType.HORIZONTAL_RULE) {
          finished = true;
        }
      }
    }
  }
  
  return {count: countWords(userEntered), text: userEntered};

}

function test() {
  start();
  finish();
}

// Starts the timer and presents sample text

function start() {
  var userProperties = PropertiesService.getUserProperties();  
  userProperties.setProperties({'timeStart': moment().format() });  
  insertHROnTop();
  insertTextOnTop("Start writing!", NORMAL, true);
}

// Looks at the script property "notify_email"
// And sends email

function emailAgents(body) {
    var user = Session.getActiveUser();
    var doc = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument();
    var body = doc.getUrl() + '\n\n' + body;
    var subject = '[' + doc.getName() + '] New Entry by ' + user.getEmail()
    
    var agent = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().getProperty('notify_email');
    if (agent) {
      MailApp.sendEmail(agent, subject, body);
    }
    Logger.log(agent);
}

// This function gets called when user clicks finished
// It collects the script property timeStart and calls the other functions appropriately

function finish() {
  var userProperties = PropertiesService.getUserProperties();  
  var timeStart = userProperties.getProperty('timeStart'); 
  if (timeStart != "") {
    var now = moment(moment().format());
    var then = moment(timeStart);
    var result = calcTimeElapsed(then, now);
  
    var wds = words();
  
    var title = "(You spent " + result + " minutes to write " + wds.count + " words!)";
  
    insertTextOnTop(title, HEADER2, false);
    insertTextOnTop(moment().format('MMMM Do YYYY'), HEADER1, false);
    
    // clear it to indicate usage
    userProperties.setProperties({'timeStart': ""});
    
    emailAgents(wds.text);
    
  } else {
    showAlert("Oops!", "You have to click on 'Start' in the 'Learning Journal' menu first!", DocumentApp.getUi().ButtonSet.OK);
  }
}

notification.html

/*


Notification.html


*/


<!DOCTYPE html>

<?!= include('CSS'); ?>

<div class="title">Notify your teacher(s) every time you finish a new entry!</div>

<div id="emailContainer" data-contacts="" class="ui-widget">
  <label for="emails">Emails: </label>
  <input id="emails">
</div>

<?!= include('JavaScript'); ?>