Monday, March 2, 2009

Writing Prompt For All Ages

March 2, 2009



The March Lion is roaring around the house this morning. Back when I was in second grade, I remember learning for the first time about March being like a lamb or a lion. How extraordinary it was to think of weather or a month as an animal. How delightful. If Easter falls in March, the Easter Rabbit and chicks get added into the menagerie as well. If I could, I would change the March animals to birds--the red-winged blackbird and the robin, those beloved harbingers of spring here in the Northeast.

As I listened to the roaring lion outside this morning, I wondered why other months don't have animal names. How fun it would be to give them all a suitable animal name. So your writing prompt for the day is to give all the months an animal name or just your birthday month. Really you can choose any animals you want--animals that seem to fit the weather, your favorite animals, or animals that live in your area of the world. Then write about why you picked that animal or reptile or insect.

My son lives in Arizona, so he might pick a rattlesnake for July or August, since he often sees them during the rainy months. I think I would like a songbird for my birthday month of May, a Baltimore Oriole or Orchard Oriole, because that's when they first show up. I love to catch sight of the bright orange flickering through the maples or twittering in the apple tree outside my bedroom window. I think of orange as the color of creativity, so it's exciting when Orioles nest nearby. If you have youngsters, have fun coming up with animal names with them. For even more fun, get your pencils and crayons, paints or markers and make pictures. I can think of several kids who would have a great time doing this.

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