Wrap up the Year with December Activities

“Wrap up the Year with December Activities” by Linda Martin Andersen

December 1, 2013

  Before we get started, I’d like to announce the winner of the “Mother Goose on the Loose” contest.  Thanks to all who participated.  And the winner is….Tracy Campbell.  Congratulations!  Your song book should arrive soon.

And now for December activities at “A Writer’s Playground”–A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.

Think:  What does the word “December” bring to mind?

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. What else?  Check the list here and choose an activity that wraps up the year and keeps the kids busy while out for the holidays.  

 Special Days in December:

• Civil Air Patrol Day:  1  Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was founded in 1941 to spot enemy submarines in WWII.  It is a volunteer patrol auxiliary for the US Air Force.  Today it provides inland search and rescue missions and promotes aerospace education for youth.  Where can you learn more?

• Rosa Parks Day:  1  Read a short biography about Rosa Parks.  Think of five or more trivia questions based on your reading.  Ask your parent/teacher/friend your trivia questions.  
  

• National Mutt Day:  2  Do you love dog books?  What’s a favorite story or book about a mutt?  Do you know this song?  “How Much is That Doggie in the Window?” by Patti Page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AkLE4X-bbU

• Special Education Day:  2  Do you know any students in special education classes?  How can you show them respect?  
  

• National Cookie Day:  4  What’s your favorite cookie?  Can you bake some?  Have you ever doubled a batch?  Have you ever been out of an ingredient and made a substitution? What are some common substitutions?  Can you find a list of substitutions in a cookbook or online?

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• World Wildlife Conservation Day:  4  What comes to mind when you hear wildlife conservation?  In what ways can you make a positive difference for wildlife?

• Bathtub Party Day:  5  Explain to each family member what day it is.  Do you have a rubber ducky at your house?  If so, use it in a bath.  Pass the rubber ducky along to other family members, even the adults.  After their baths, ask if anyone sang or played with the duck. Why do you think this might happen? 

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• Miners’ Day:  6  Ask your parents if they ever had a relative who worked in a coal mine?  Where?  Do they know any stories about working there?  If not, research coal mining.
  

• National Pawnbrokers Day:  6  Look in the yellow pages of a phone book.  How many pawn shops are listed?  Ask your parents if the number of pawn shops is on the rise or decline in your area.  Why do you think this could be true?  Discuss it with your parents.
  

• National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day:  7  Why is Pearl Harbor Day remembered?  What makes it different from other war battles?  
  

• National Cotton Candy Day:  7  What color cotton candy have you seen and eaten?  Would color would you order?  Why?  What does cotton candy cost in your area?  Where can you buy it?  What are the ingredients?  Is it a health food?  Why or why not?
  

• Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day:  8  Name a movie where a character traveled in time. Which way would you like to travel in time–to the past or future?  Why?  What would you want to do when you arrived?  Which of your favorite foods do you think might be available?  Why?
  

• Dewey Decimal System Day:  10  What is the Dewey Decimal System?  Tell how things are different in libraries today than when there was a card catalog?  If you do not know, ask your parents.
  

• Human Rights Day:  10  Name a group of people who had their human rights taken from them.  Did they get them back?  If they did, how?  
  

• Gingerbread House Day:  12  Have you ever eaten gingerbread?  Was it cake, cookies, or a house?  Name things that might decorate a gingerbread house.  See how many items you can list in one minute.  

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• Monkey Day:  14  Pretend to have a pet monkey today.  What would you feed it?  How would you keep it safe?  Where would it sleep, etc.  Describe your day to someone.  

• Bill of Rights Day:  15  What is the Bill of Rights?  Name three places where you can read about it.  
  

• National Chocolate-covered Anything Day:  16  If you could spread chocolate on one thing that’s not normally chocolate, what would it be?  Who would you share it with?

• Wright Brothers Day:  17  If you were writing a book about the Wright Brothers, what title would you choose?  Research the Wright Brothers and create two more titles.  Now, which is your favorite?  Why?  
  

• International Migrants Day:  18  Ask your parents if anyone in your family has ever been a migrant worker.  What is a migrant worker?  

• Crossword Puzzle Day:  21  Do you like crossword puzzles?  Do you buy books to complete?  Create your own crossword puzzle about December or a special day this month.  Use www.puzzlemaker.com or other sites for your creation. 

• Humbug Day:  21  What does it mean to say, “Humbug?”  What book or movie character have you heard use this expression?  When have you been a humbug?  Why? 

• World Peace Day:  21 Research the reason for this day.  How is it remembered?  With ribbons? Candles in the window?

• National Haiku Poetry Day:  22  What is a haiku poem?  What is the formula?  Where can you find this information?  Now that you know how write a haiku, pick a winter topic and write one of your own.

• Christmas:  25  Why is this day celebrated by Christians?  What traditions, if any, do you participate in at this holiday? Do you exchange gifts?  Do you attend church services? 

• National Thank-you Note Day:  26  If you received gifts this holiday season,  will you send thank-you notes?  Will you design them yourself?  Will you email or send it through the postal service?

• Pledge of Allegiance Day:  28  Where do you hear this recited?  Who leads it?  What books have you read that mention the flag of a country?  What are ways countries honor their flags?

• Tick Tock Day:  29  What does this remind you of?  What songs, rhymes, animals, and things come to mind?  How do you think this day should be celebrated?  Name two words that rhyme and go along with this theme.  

• Make Up Your Mind Day:  31  What does it mean to be “sitting on the fence or straddling the fence?”  What can you do when you can’t make up your mind?

• New Years Eve:  31  Have you set any New Year’s resolutions?  Is there something you’d like to learn to do or an improvement you’d like to make?  Tell about it.

• No Interruptions Day:  31  Name one or more interruptions you could avoid today.  How will you do it?  At the end of the day, share with someone what you hoped to do and tell if it worked or not.  Explain why.
  

• Universal Hour of Peace Day:  31 Celebrated from 11:30 p.m. on December 31, 2013 to–12:30 a.m. January 1, 2014.  The goal is to create peace throughout the planet though peaceful thoughts and actions.  http://www.peacedome.org/UniversalPeaceCovenant/UniversalHourPeace/UHPStory.html
  

• World Peace Meditation Day: 31 What is mediation?  How is it different from prayer?  

Special Weeks in December:

• Cookie Cutter week:  1-7  Do you have a favorite cookie cutter?  Tie it to your Christmas tree. Consider making cookies to hang from your tree or simple paper designs such as stars and hearts.  

• Tolerance Week:  1-7 What does it mean to be tolerant?  What words come to mind when you hear this spoken?  Name positive examples of tolerance in your town, school, and home.  What improvements could be made?  What could you do?

• National Hand washing Awareness Week:  1-7  During cold and flu season, it is especially important to follow good hand washing.  How do you do that?  What steps do you need to improve?  Where can you learn more about this?

• Human Rights Week:  10-17  See the post below for Universal Human Rights Month. 

• Kwanzaa:  26–1/1  This holiday celebrates African-American and Pan-African communities.  The official website is here:  http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

December is…

• Bingo’s Birthday Month  What is the history of this game?  What types of Bingo have you played?  Alphabet, multiplication, rhyming words?  Others?

• National Tie Month  Have you ever bought your father a tie for a gift?  Did he wear it?  Tell a tie story.  I have one:  Once a neighbor came to our front door and asked if my husband was home.  The neighbor was wearing a necktie around his neck.  He was going to a wedding later that day and did not know how to tie a necktie.  He had noticed that my husband wore ties to work.  My husband tied the man’s necktie so he could go to the wedding well dressed.

• Universal Human Rights Month  What are universal human rights?  How can you learn more about this? Please visit the United Nations website below to view the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted in 1948 following WWII.   

• http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr

*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for December celebration information.  For more December observances check out:  http://www.brownielocks.com/DECEMBER2013.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.

I appreciate any children who visit this site, but if you are 14 or under, you must not leave a comment. It’s against the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. (COPPA)  See:  http://www.coppa.org/coppa.htm  Perhaps an adult would comment for you.

Copyright © 2013 Linda Martin Andersen

December 2012 Activities

“December 2012 Activities” by Linda Martin Andersen

“A Writer’s Playground”

A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.

Think:  What does the word “December” bring to mind?

Pearl Harbor Day, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. What else happens in December?  Choose one of the conversation starters below and leave a comment.

 Special Days in December:

• Civil Air Patrol Day:  1  Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was founded in 1941 to spot enemy submarines in WWII.  It is a volunteer patrol auxillary for the US Air Force.  Today it provides inland search and rescue missions and promotes aerospace education for youth.  Where can you learn more?

• Rosa Parks Day:  1  How can you celebrate this day?  What can you do for someone else today?  Research facts about Rosa Parks.  Consider reading a biography about her. 

• National Mutt Day:  2  What kind of animal is sometimes called a mutt?  What does it mean to be a mutt?  Some people claim mutts make the best pets. What do you think?

• Special Education Day:  2  Do you know any students in special education classes?  If so, do any of them attend your school?  Are they mainstreamed?  What does that mean?

• Bathtub Party Day:  5  Before planning Bathtub Party Day, get permission from your parent(s).   Would you fill the tub with water?  Would you sit in the tub?   Who would be invited?  What activities would you do at the party?  Would you have a rubber ducky race?

• Miners’ Day:  6  What natural resource(s) is mined?  Why is it used? Research the location of coal mines.  Find photographs.  Read about the dangers of working in mines. 

• National Pawnbrokers Day:  6  What is a pawnbroker?  What does it mean to pawn something?  Have you  ever been to a pawn shop? 

• National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day:  7  What happened at Pearl Harbor?  Where is Pearl Harbor?  Which war was this?  Why was the attack a surprise?

• National Cotton Candy Day:  7  Have you  ever watched cotton candy being made?  What ingredients are used?  What color cotton candy have you seen?  If you got a choice between cotton candy and a candied apple, which would you choose?  Where can you usually find both of these treats?  Where else have you seen cotton candy?

• Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day:  8  If you could travel to another time, what year would you visit?  Why?  Where would you like to visit?  Why?  Draw a picture of you visiting this time and place.

• Dewey Decimal System Day:  10  What is the Dewey Decimal System ?  How is it used and where?  What is the card catalog?  What is used now instead?

• Human Rights Day:  10  What are human rights?  Name one.  Why is this day celebrated?  Name two or more people who have helped guarantee human rights.  How?  Where can you learn more about these people?

• Gingerbread House Day:  12  Cities often have contests for gingerbread houses in December.  Some may be in craft shops, art displays, public libraries, or schools.  Have you ever been to a gingerbread house contest?  Have you ever entered one yourself?  Name two decorating techniques you would use if you were decorating.

• Monkey Day:  14  Use Survey Monkey on the computer or conduct a survey by hand.  Ask your friends if they ever had a stuffed monkey.  What was the monkey’s name?  Was the monkey a sock monkey, Curious George, a monkey given a name, or not given one?

  Finish these expressions about monkeys:  (Stop) monkeying _______.  Monkey see, monkey _______.  Stop all that monkey _______(opposite of pleasure).  Playground equipment:  monkey _______.

• National Salesperson Day:  14 (always 2nd Friday)  Years ago, there were many door-to-door salesmen.  What were some of the items these individuals sold?  Why are there less door-to-door salespersons today?  What other ways are company products sold?  Have you ever sold items?  What method did you use?  How did you keep safe?

• Bill of Rights Day:  15  For videos and even activities for a smartboard, check out this site:  http://billofrightsinstitute.org/resources/educator-resources/bill-of-rights-day/

• National Chocolate-covered Anything Day:  16  If you could spread chocolate on one thing that’s not normally chocolate, what would it be?  Who would you share it with?

• Wright Brothers Day:  17  What two states claim the Wright Brothers?  What state were the Wright Brothers from?  Where was their first flight made?  Have you ever read a book about the Wright Brothers?  Have you read other books about early flight?  Were they fiction or nonfiction?

• Crossword Puzzle Day:  21  Do you like crossword puzzles?  Do you buy books to complete?  Create your own crossword puzzle about December or a special day this month.  Use www.puzzlemaker.com or other sites for your creation. 

• Humbug Day:  21  What does it mean to say, “Humbug?”  What book or movie character have you heard use this expression?  When have you been a humbug?  Why? 

• Underdog Day:  21 (3rd Friday)  Underdog!  TV Program.  Have you ever seen it?  What is an “underdog?”  Do you ever cheer for one?  Give an example.

• World Peace Day:  21 Research the reason for this day.  How is it remembered?  With ribbons? Candles in the window?

• Christmas:  25  Why is this day celebrated by Christians?  What traditions do you participate in at this holiday? Do you exchange gifts with anyone?  Do you make some of your gifts?  Where do you get your ideas?

• National Thank-you Note Day:  26  Who do you want to send a thank you note?  Could you make one yourself?  Will you email or send it through the post office?

• National Whiner’s Day:  26  Define a whiner.  Make a list of things a small child, a teenager, and an adult  might whine about during a day.  For example:  I didn’t get _______(list a popular toy that might have been requested).  How would you suggest that a whiner get over it?

• National Chocolate Day:  28 &29  Check out this website  www.thestoryofchocolate.com.  Learn facts like this…”Did you know?  It takes two-four days to make a single-serving chocolate bar?”

• Pledge of Allegiance Day:  28  Where do you hear this recited?  Who leads it?  What books have you read which mention the flag of a country?  What are ways countries honor their flag?

• Make Up Your Mind Day:  31  What does it mean to be “sitting on the fence or straddling the fence?”  What does decisive mean?  Explain pro, con, neutral.  What are goals you have set?  What can you do when you can’t make up your mind?

• No Interruptions Day:  31  List things that interrupt you when you are trying to concentrate.  What can you do to lessen these interruptions?  List your ideas.  Ask others for suggestions, if needed.  Try your strategies.  Are you able to complete more in less time? 

• Universal Hour of Peace Day:  31 Celebrated from 11:30 p.m. on December 31, 2012 to–12:30 a.m. January 1, 2013.  The goal is to create peace throughout the planet though peaceful thoughts and actions.  http://www.answers.com/topic/universal-hour-of-peace

• World Peace Meditation Day: 31 What is mediation?  How is it different from prayer?  How is it different from devotions?  Where is meditations used?  By whom?  Name a way to connect the Univeral Hour of Peace Day with this observation. 

Special Weeks in December:

• Cookie Cutter week:  1-7  What personal memories do you have that include a cookie cutter?  What books?  What can you create using this theme?  Cookie cutters make special sandwich cut-outs, provide a chance to bake and share your treats, become ornaments for your Christmas tree, create a special holiday display (see mine below), and provide writing prompts about a baking experience.  What creativity will it stir in you?  Here’s a twist–sometimes the expression “cookie cutter” is used to suggest that something is not creative.  Have you ever heard someone use it like this?  See here: 

• http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cookie-cutter.html

  

  Cookie Press, biscuit cutters, cookie cutters. Copyright 2012 Linda Andersen

• Tolerance Week:  1-7 What does it mean to be tolerant?  What words come to mind when you hear this spoken?  Name positive examples of tolerance in your town, school, and home.  What improvements could be made?  What could you do?

• Recipe Greetings For the Holidays Week:  2-8  Share a treat and its recipe with someone.  Create a recipe for friendship, love, the Christmas season or other topic. 

• National Handwashing Awareness Week:  2-8  During cold and flu season, it is especially important to follow good handwashing.  How do you do that?  What steps do you need to improve?  Where can you learn more about this?

• Human Rights Week:  10-17  See the post below for Universal Human Rights Month. 

• Kwanzaa:  26–1/1  This holiday celebrates African-American and Pan-African communities.  The official website is here:  http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml

December is…

• Universal Human Rights Month  What are universal human rights?  How can you learn more about this?  How do you honor the rights of others?  How do others honor your rights? 

• Please visit the United Nations website below to view the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted in 1948 following WWII.   http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

• An explanation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been created for children.  See here:  http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/what-are-human-rights/universal-declaration-of-human-rights/articles-1-15.html

• A list of books on this topic are provided here:  http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/2012/01/universal-human-rights-month/

*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for December celebration information.  For more December observances check out:

http://www.brownielocks.com/DECEMBER2012.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/DECEMBER2012.html (observances)

Copyright © 2012 Linda Martin Andersen

July 2012 Activities

“July 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 “July” bring to mind?

• Fourth of July, fireworks, picnics, and family reunions.
• Swims in the pool, lake or ocean. 
• And no school. 
• Time to read whatever you like.  If you are interested in nonfiction, David L. Harrison and Cheryl Nathan’s book is sure to spark attention.  It compares volcanoes to fireworks.  Visit David L. Harrison at  http://www.davidlharrison.com/.  Check out his blog too.  There’s a page for kids to publish their poems.  See the illustrator’s site at http://www.cherylnathan.com/books.html .

Vocanoes–Nature’s Incredible Fireworks by David L. Harrison51gTrbuepXL__SS500_

What else happens in July?  Choose one of the conversation starters below and leave a comment.

Special Days in July:

• I Forgot Day: 2 (Name a time you forgot something.  What did you do about it?)
• Made in USA Day: 2 (Divide the room in half.  Check labels on one side of the room and have a friend check the other side.  Set a timer for three minutes.  The winner is the one who locates the most USA products.)
• World UFO Day: 2 (Watch old movies about UFOs.  Share titles you liked with a friend.)
• Fourth of July or Independence Day: 4  (Read books that mention the Fourth of July or Independence Day.  Suggested Middle Grade title:  Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood.  See http://augustascattergood.com/books/bk_glory.html)  Historical fiction centered around segregation of a public pool in Mississippi in 1964.  Apple Pie Fourth of July (Chinese American girl) and Declaration of Interdependence (poems) by Janet S. Wong.  See http://www.janetwong.com/books/index.cfm
• Global Forgiveness Day: 7 (Who do you need to forgive?  Send them a card.  Who do you need to ask to forgive you?  Send them a card.)
• Tell the Truth Day: 7 (What is that promise made on the witness stand at a trial?  Watch a movie about a court trial.)
• Chocolate Day: 7 (Plan a menu for the day.  Serve chocolate at each meal.  Help prepare the chocolate dishes.  Be sure to eat some.  Share with a friend.)
• Gummi Worm Day: 15 (Eat gummi worms while reading books about worms such as Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin at http://www.doreencronin.com/www.doreencronin.com/Home.html  and illustrated by Harry Bliss.  See http://www.harrybliss.com/main_content.html  Write a diary entry pretending you’re a gummi worm.  Look for Wiggle and Waggle (chapter book)by Caroline Arnold.  See www.carolinearnold.com  It is illustrated by Mary Peterson.  See http://www.marypeterson.com/  Check out the worm facts in the back of the book.)
• National Lollipop Day: 20 (List as many lollipop flavors as you can.  Assign a flavor to each friend and tell why you chose that one.)
• Toss Away the “Could Haves” and “Should Haves” Day: 21 (When have you used these words in a sentence?  Write down what you said and then toss the paper away.  Example:  I could have made a home run, if I hadn’t stopped at third.)
• Paperback Book Day: 30.  (Fill your backpack with paperback books.  Pull one out and reread it.  What’s your favorite paperback?  Recommend it to someone.  Swap  with a friend)
• Tell an Old Joke Day: 24 (Here’s one for you:  What are 3 good reasons to be a teacher?Answer:  June, July, and August.  Ask a friend to join you in  reading and sharing old jokes. Favorite first words of your conversation:  “Here’s one for you.” or “Do you know this one?”  Make up jokes or riddles of your own.) 

Special Weeks in July:

• Dog Days (3-11): (Do you know why this week got this name?  What does it mean?  Name three things you do to stay cool during Dog Days.  Ask friends for their ideas.)
• National Zoo Keepers Week (15-21): (When was the last time you visited a zoo?  What was your favorite animal doing when you visited his area?  What would you like to ask a zookeeper?  Be sure to visit “A Writer’s Playground” during National Zoo Keepers Week for your chance to ask a zookeeper a question.)
• National Ventriloquism Week: (18-21) (Find a ventriloquism act to watch in person or see one on television or a movie.)
• World Lumberjack Championship: 27-29.  (Research.  Can you name a real lumberjack and one from a folktale? What was his/her record?)

July is…

• Cell Phone Courtesy Month (Describe a sign you’ve seen in a public place reminding customers to use cell phone courtesy)
• Family Reunion Month (Do you know all your cousins, aunts, uncles?  Could you help plan a reunion?  What about a skype reunion?)
• National Grilling Month (What is your favorite grilled food?  Does your family grill inside, outside, with gas, charcoal,  or wood?  Who does the grilling at your house?)
• National Ice Cream Month (Have you ever churned ice cream?  What flavor of homemade ice cream is your favorite?)

*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for July celebration information.  For more July observances check out: http://www.brownielocks.com/july.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/july.html (calendar observances)

Coming next:  Meet Melissa Barr,a zookeeper from the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro.  Celebrate National Zookeeper Week (July 15-21)

Copyright © 2012 Linda Martin Andersen