“September 2012 Activities” by Linda Martin Andersen
“A Writer’s Playground”
A place to find word play, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.
Think: What does the word “September” bring to mind? Labor Day.
What exactly is Labor Day? Research it. Is it a time to labor (work), not labor, remember something patriotic? Do you know?
What else happens in September? Choose one of the conversation starters below and leave a comment.
Special Days in September:
- National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day: 1 What does this mean?
- Labor Day: 3
- Newspaper Carrier Day: 4 Do you know a newspaper carrier? Ask your parent if you can interview him/her about the job.
- Be Late for Something Day: 5 Create a list of events you wish you could be late for. Create a pass giving permission to be late and a reason for it.
- “Neither Snow nor Rain” Day: 7 Who is known to work even in inclement weather? Do you know someone with this career? What job does he/she do?
- International Literacy Day: 8 What does literacy mean? Why is it important?
- National Grandparent’s Day: 9 (First Sunday after Labor Day) How will you celebrate? Will you call? Send a card? Visit? Write a poem about your best memory with your grandparent(s).
- Swap Ideas Day: 10 Brainstorming is one way of swapping ideas. What is another way? **Check back here on Sept. 10, 2012 for a special post about an educator who encourages creativity.**
- Video Games Day: 12 Do you and your friends trade videos? Do you checkout game books from your public library or attend gaming sessions? What is your favorite game? Have you taught friends to play?
- Kids Take Over The Kitchen Day: 13 What would you like to learn to cook? Ask someone to teach you and then prepare the dish yourself on this special day. If you have brothers or sisters, consider dividing the menu and prepare the entire meal.
- Big Whopper Liar Day: 15 (3rd Saturday) What is a whopper? What are some things people often tell whoppers about? Write a whopper tale or tell one.
- International Dot Day: 15 http://fablevisionlearning.com/dotday/ Read The Dot by Peter Reynolds and try activities listed here to encourage creativity.
- Mayflower Day: 16 What is the Mayflower? Why is it remembered? What could you do to celebrate?
- Stepfamily Day: 16 What is a stepfamily? Are you part of a stepfamily? What are some books you have read with characters from stepfamilies?
- Citizenship Day: 17 What do you have to do to become a United States citizen? Do you know anyone who has applied for citizenship? Do you know anyone who has become a US citizen?
- National Respect Day: 18 What is your definition of respect? Make a list of people you respect. Do you need to like a person to respect them? Why or why not?
- Talk Like a Pirate Day: 19 What does it mean to imitate someone? Can you imitate pirate talk? Who else can you imitate? Take turns imitating others with your friends.
- Dear Diary Day: 22 Do you have a diary? Who do you let others read it? Why do you think this day is called “Dear Diary Day?” Name books about diaries. Have you read any about worms, vampires, a wimpy kid, Anne Frank, etc.? Read or write in a diary today.
- R.E.A.D in America Day: 22 (4th Saturday) What does R.E.A.D stand for? When, where, and why did this begin?
- Punctuation Day: 24 Complete a grammar exercise with end punctuation. Try one with commas. Write a paragraph with no punctuation. Mark where you pause. What punctuation goes there, if any? Do you have a grammar handbook? What online sources do you use?
- Google’s Birthday: 27 How old is Google? What does “Google It” mean? What does someone mean when they say to use the Google Box?
- World Tourism Day: 27 What are signs that someone may be a tourist? What is a tourist trap? Have you ever had someone ask, “Are you from around here?” Why did they ask? Where have you traveled as a tourist?
- Ask a Stupid Question Day: 28 (Last School Day of the Month) When you say, “I have a stupid question,” how do most people respond? “There’s no …” Tell about a time you were embarrassed by your own question.
- National Museum Day: 29 Choose five states or countries. Research museums in each location. How many have you visited? Which one would you most like to visit and why?
Special Weeks in September:
- International Enthusiasm Week: 1-8 What topics or school subjects get you excited and bursting with enthusiasm? Find books or events you can attend. Don’t forget to check the public library’s programming.
- Suicide Prevention Week: 9-15 Ask your parents for materials they’d recommend you read on this topic. Do you know some of the warning signs? Do you know anyone who commited suicide? What should you do if you see any signs of potential suicide?
- Line Dance Week: 10-15 (Starts 2nd Mon. thru Sat.) Name some line dances. How many of these dances can you do? Watch a movie with line dancing such as Footloose (2011). Look for DVDs using the Dewey Decimal System at the public library. Line dancing (793s) and exercise with line dancing (613s). Some library interfile nonfiction DVDs with books on the subject. See how your public library organizes nonfiction DVDs.
- Pollution Prevention Week: 15-22 (Third Full Week) What is a pollution prevention program your family can adopt? Your classroom? Your school? Is there a “street adoption” program in your area for groups to clean area roadsides? Create a poster for pollution prevention. Do you know any pollution prevention campaign poster slogans? See if you can finish this one: “Give a hoot…”
- National Keep Kids Creative Week: 23-30 (Last Week) What creative things can you plan for this week? Challenge yourself even if you have to design your own program. That gives you an opportunity to be all the more creative.
September is…
- Apple Month. Set a timer. Race a friend who see who can name the most varieties of apples. Spelling counts.
- Backpack Safety America Month. research and discover these answers. What is the pound limit recommended for filled backpacks? What are the backpacks restrictions at your school? For example, some schools require see-through backpacks.
- Children’s Good Manners Month. Challenge a friend to a Good Manners Contest. Print out a blank September calendar template for each player. List good manners words or actions. One per day. Set a timer or declare as the first person to write something in each square the winner, if no answer is repeated.
- International or National Guide Dogs Month. Read a book about a guide dog. Watch a movie on the topic. Research the topic. What ways are guide dogs and service dogs different?
- International People Skills Month. What are people skills? Which is your strength? Which would you like to improve? How?
- Library Card Sign-up Month. Do you have a library card? How often do you use it? What do you check out? Do you use online data bases for research? Do you attend programming? What would you participate in more often? Why?
Hibiscus from my house. Copyright Linda Andersen.
- National Prosper Where You Are Planted Month. If you were a plant, what type plant would you like to be? Why? What does prosper mean? How would you prosper when compared with the type plant you selected? What does it mean to prosper where you are planted, as a person? How do you prosper where you’re planted?
- One-on-One Month. What do you think of when you hear one-on-one? What are other uses of the expression? Can you create a one-on- one expression of your own? What would it mean?
*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for September celebration information. For more September observances check out http://www.brownielocks.com/september.html
Let’s talk: Choose one or more of the conversation starters above and leave a comment. Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.” Please come again soon. Bring a friend.
*Resources: http//vertex42.com (calendar) and http://www.brownielocks.com/september.html (calendar observances)
Coming Sept.10: Laura Reeves, An Art
Teacher Who Encourages Creativity
Copyright © 2012 Linda Martin Andersen
A Writer's Playground 