by Sharon Watson | Feb 8, 2015 | Middle School Prompts, Sharon's Blog, Writing Prompts
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
What?!
That’s the first verse of the poem “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll. You can read the whole crazy poem by clicking here.
Surprisingly, if you read the whole poem, you really can tell what is going on, despite all the new words.
Lewis Carroll, author of the Alice in Wonderland stories, enjoyed making up words, as you can tell by his poem. In fact, one of the words he concocted for this poem is a word we still use today: (more…)
by Sharon Watson | Jan 25, 2015 | Middle School Prompts, Sharon's Blog, Writing Prompts
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS
Have you ever read any books about Amelia Bedelia, the young housemaid who takes everything literally?
When Amelia Bedelia is instructed to pitch a tent, she throws the tent into the woods! When she bakes a sponge cake, she uses real sponges, according to publisher HarperCollins Children’s. (more…)
by Sharon Watson | Jan 18, 2015 | Middle School Prompts, Sharon's Blog, Writing Prompts
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS
Cities like Dubuque, Iowa, are banning sledding in their city parks.
Why? Is sledding dangerous?
Recently in the United States, more than 20,000 children were hurt while sledding, according to a report on NPR. But they also report that about 82,000 kids are hurt each year on trampolines, and over 275,000 children have accidents on bicycles. (more…)
by Sharon Watson | Jan 11, 2015 | High School Prompts, Middle School Prompts, Sharon's Blog, Writing Prompts
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let’s get to know King’s most famous speech a little better.
To hear the audio and read the transcript of “I Have a Dream,” click here. To view the speech on YouTube, click here.
This moving speech was originally given August 28, 1963, in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C. As Martin Luther King spoke of freedom for all Americans, regardless of their color, the statue of the Great Emancipator Abraham Lincoln was seated behind him. This gave even more meaning to King’s powerful speech.
What was King’s dream? (more…)
by Sharon Watson | Dec 14, 2014 | Middle School Prompts, Sharon's Blog, Writing Prompts
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS
Which part of the Christmas account do you like the best?
Is it the Annunciation where an angel announces to Mary that she will have a child?
Is it the long journey to Bethlehem with no inn available when Mary and Joseph arrive?
Could it be when the angels burst into the night sky and sing to shepherds? Or perhaps when those exotic kings find the real King as a baby and then fool Herod to make their get-away?
Many of our Christmas carols highlight one part of the Christmas story. For instance, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” focuses on the night Jesus was born. (more…)
by Sharon Watson | Dec 8, 2014 | Middle School Prompts, Sharon's Blog, Writing Prompts
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS
That first Christmas.
It’s easy to forget all the noise, confusion, exhaustion, rejection, and fear Mary and Joseph experienced. Though our nativity sets look peaceful and serene, I imagine things would have looked very different had we been there to observe those world-changing events.
Whom do you most identify with when you read the Christmas accounts in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2:40? That is, when you read the Bible accounts, which person do you feel closest to? Which one has some similarities to your life? Or think of this: Which person do you wish you could have been? (more…)
