Writing Prompts and Mini-lessons for June 1

Tomorrow is June 1st... and it is a Friday...

It seems nowadays there is some kind of holiday or celebration every day of the year. June starts the countdown to the end of the school-year (okay, so some started their countdown weeks ago) but as a TTOC it is nice to have some kind of writing prompt of mini-lesson handy, especially during the chaotic month of June.

To kick off June 1st, here are some ideas:

1. National Doughnut Day in the USA is June 1st:

National Doughnut Day is on the first Friday of June each year, succeeding the Doughnut Day event created by The Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I.

* Try: The Teachers Corner Writing Prompt to write about donuts as a breakfast food, or a favourite breakfast food. Or Cut out paper donuts and decorate them, or have them write a poem about donuts on the shape.

2. International Children's Day is celebrate June 1 in China, and some other countries:

Children's Day is celebrated on various days in many places around the world, in particular to honor children. Major global variants include a Universal Children's Day on November 20, by United Nations recommendation.^[1] Children's Day is often celebrated on other days as well.

*Try Reading: Barefoot Books: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush which looks at children around the world and their different ways to do their morning routines.
3. Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street celebrates his birthday:

June 1st is Oscar the Grouch's birthday - the day when he is at his absolute grouchiest. In episode 3866 of Sesame Street, after Oscar reads a birthday card from his mother, and after hearing Oscar tell the viewers that it was his birthday, Telly Monster tried to give Oscar a grouchy birthday party, something that Oscar thought he couldn't do. In the end, however, Oscar was proved wrong. He received many grouchy rotten gifts.

*Try: Writing about what makes you feel grumpy, or how you deal with a bad day.

Cursive Writing

Today I was in a Grade 2/3 class and one lesson I was asked to lead was "cursive writing"

I have come across this a few times this year with this grade level, and I have to remember to do the cursive writing the "correct way" not with my own personal style (which tends to be more of a loopy printing that somewhat resembles handwriting at times)

It makes me ponder... how important is cursive writing to learn?

My daughter is in grade 3 and thrilled to be learning how to write "pretty"

Last year as I taught Grade 6/7 I had a parent ask me why we didn't study cursive hand writing in middle school....

I remember when I was younger learned in about Grade 3 and practiced. In Junior High School some classes required you used cursive writing for assignments even.

Nowadays, it seems it is a lost art.

My personal opinion is that technology is taking over and typing skills, along with technological know-how is more important thatn cursive writing.

Yes, it is pretty, yes it is good to learn, but I am ok with it being used less in schools and in curriculum.

I find cursive writing to be a fun skill to learn, and perhaps useful when reading grandma's letters, but otherwise almost as useful as learning Calligraphy.... again... pretty, interesting, fun, maybe useful in some instances, but probably not a priority.

Many disagree with me, but I really would rather my daughter be able to type and communicate in other ways, even if she can't hand-write with cursive letters.

Some argue that learning cursive writing is more about learning proper penmanship, posture, and finding the joy in writing.

I understand the need to at least sign your name for legal documents... but really, our brains are programed to do things quickly and efficiently and so, much like my "writing", many people naturally begin to join letters together....

So... do we teach students how to do it correctly? or let them just "figure it out"?

I think the current system works just right. They learn young, and then can continue to use it as much or as little as they need as they grow.

Thoughts?