October 13, 2008

On this day in 1860, the first aerial photo in the US was taken from a balloon in Boston. What are the advantages or disadvantages to aerial photography?

Yes! Finally the question I've been waiting for. Kids are always so busy talking about the advantages of aerial photography, but I've found they rarely stop to really think about the disadvantages.

October 1, 2008

On this day in 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T. Explain what you think a car of the future may look like.

Dude, the car of the future has already arrived. It's called the 2002 Nissan Sentra and it looks like this:

Jealous?

September 15, 2008

September 15th is “National Make a Hat Day.” Create your own hat and draw it on your paper. Describe your hat and explain who would be most likely to use your hat.

Here is my hat:
It's pretty good. Who would be most likely to use my hat? Oh, I don't know, maybe awesome bros who want to stop making hates for once?

Also, use a hat? No. Wear a hat, Daily Writing Prompts. Wear a hat. "Oh hey, can I use that hat?" "No, I'm using it right now. For wearing. The only thing you can really use a hat for. That and drawing names out of when you're trying to decide something fairly."

National Make A Hat Day, this goes without saying, but you are kind of stupid.

September 10, 2008

September 10th is “Swap Ideas Day.” Today or during the week, swap ideas with someone. This could be a friend, sibling, parent, teacher, neighbor, or anyone. And the idea can be about anything…just swap an idea!

NO WAY ARE YOU KIDDING I'M NOT LETTING ANYONE ANYWHERE NEAR MY IDEAS!

September 4, 2008

September is "National Library Card Sign-Up Month.” Do you have your own library card? (If you don’t, you should visit with your parents about getting a card.) Why do you think the public libraries are so important to our communities?

I totally DO have my own library card, so I can go gently touch books or awkwardly use my laptop in a confined space anytime I want.

p.s. "Visit with your parents"? Why do you talk like that, DWP?

p.s.s. Seriously, someone do the kid in this picture a solid and tell him libraries have study carrels and also tables.

August 26, 2008

On this day in 1920, the 19th Amendment - Women’s Equality was signed. Why do you think it was important for women to be able to vote?

C'mon, Daily Writing Prompts, stop beating around the bush. Ask the question you really want to ask: On this day in 1920, the 19th Amendment - Women's Equality was signed. Um, was this a good idea? Or did we fuck up?

August 25, 2008

Today is “National Banana Split Day.” Explain how to make a banana split.

At first I was all, what are you doing Daily Writing Prompts? This question is ridiculous. But then, while looking for banana split images (because I CARE about BLOGGING like a PROFESSIONAL), I found something that made me think that maybe being thoughtful about banana split making is not so crazy after all.

Otherwise, you might end up with this horrifying monstrosity:

I do not want to eat this.

August 15, 2008

On this day in 1869 the Transcontinental Railroad was completed. Describe how you think the men working on this railroad may have felt when they saw their goal achieved?

Yeah, I bet those predominantly Chinese and Irish laborers were really awestruck thinking about the big picture. They probably weren't thinking, "How the fuck did this end up being my life?" or "All this backbreaking and soulcrushing labor was worth it because now Brigham Young can increase emigration to the West," or "[something in Chinese]." They were probably just so proud they had been a part of something so monumental. Oh hey laborers guess what: just a century later we put a guy on the moon, but, no, your thing was really important, too, though.

Like all epic endeavors in the history of human accomplishment, it was the laborers who really came out on top on this one.

August 13, 2008

Annie Oakley was born on this date in 1860. Would you liked to have lived back in the Wild West days of cowboys, cowgirls, and stagecoaches? Why or why not?

Yeah, kids, the Wild West was super fun. It was all lasso tricks, and playing with horses, and Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better. You totally wish you were alive at that time.

But hey kids, one other thing: have you seen Deadwood? Because the thing is that if you had lived during the Wild West, you would have been either a murder victim or a prostitute (or both!). Or you would have gotten the smallpox. If you were lucky, you would have been kicked in the head by a horse and your body fed to a bunch of pigs, except for your brain which was taken by the doctor so he could do science on it.

On the upside, that doctor gave out laudanum like it was candy. Candy, kids!

July 29, 2008

Today is “National Lasagna Day.” Write a paragraph explaining how to make a dish of lasagna.

So, Daily Writing Prompts thinks kids aren't going to know anything about Amelia Earhart, but are going to be able to whip up a quick recipe for lasagna off the top of their heads. No. That is incorrect.

And a paragraph? Boiling and separating perfect lasagna noodles takes a paragraph to explain by itself. That's before we even get to the interesting variety of cheese possibilities! We get it. You like things having to do with Garfield. Get over it.

Also, you act as if there wasn't just an earthquake here today, Daily Writing Prompts. I'M FINE THANKS FOR ASKING.

July 28, 2008

On this day the first fingerprint was taken. Ed Emberley is known for his fingerprint drawings. Think of several characters you could include in a story and write the story. Using ink and your fingers, create your characters.

Whoa, you're all over the place with this one, Daily Writing Prompts. Don't you want me to use the resources in my classroom to learn five (5) facts about Ed Emberley or some shit?

My story is going to be a cop show. Except since the characters all have fingerprints for faces, when a criminal commits a crime, they have to take a print of his face. A cop show is also a good idea because this town must be really scary since every character is a terrifying faceless monster.

July 24, 2008

Today is “Amelia Earhart Day” in honor of her birthday in 1897. Earhart was the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean. Using resources in the classroom, learn five (5) facts about the Amelia Earhart and summarize them in your own words.

Ugh, really Daily Writing Prompts? As if elementary school kids don't already have to write, like, three reports every year on Amelia Earhart. Kids, the only important fact you need to know about Amelia Earhart is that she is never not wearing this goggles cap:


Never.

July 23, 2008

Robert Quackenbush, the author and illustrator of nearly two hundred books for young readers, was born on this day. When you grow up, would you like to be an author and/or illustrator? Why or why not?

Um, nice try “Daily Writing Prompts”, but I already AM grown up, so I can become an author and an illustrator any time I want.

But I can’t right now. I’m really busy.

July 22, 2008

July 22nd is the “Pied Piper of Hamelin Day.” The Brothers Grimm documented this legend. Using resources in the classroom, learn five (5) facts about the Pied Piper and summarize them in your own words.

Let's assume this classroom has Wikipedia, in which case you can learn about a million facts, mostly boring, about the Pied Piper (Did you know there’s an Opera based on this story? Try like seven Operas).

5 Facts:

1. The kids could have been “dancing” because they had Huntington’s disease. Like the guy from Law & Order: CI. In fact, most of the theories about what happened to these kids involved all the kids getting really sad diseases.

2. Another theory has to do with something called “Dancing Mania”, which sounds awesome. (Turns out it’s also a disease.)

3. Another theory is that the children left their parents on purpose to found cities of their own and colonize Europe. What? No.

4. A guy named James Finn Garner wrote a modern day version of the Pied Piper “that satirizes anti-capitalism.” Why would he do that?

5. “In an episode of Garfield and Friends, Garfield takes the role of the piper. Instead of children being taken away, Garfield takes away all the Italian chefs in the village.” Best fact.