Writing-Prompt-Once-In-A-Blue-Moon-I . . .

We're going to have a "blue moon" this week!  It's scheduled for Wednesday, August 21st.  The Earth's moon does not change to a blue color during the blue moon.  The term is used to describe the second full moon in a single solar calendar month.  This happens about once every two or three years making it a rare event.  Hence the idiom, "Once in a blue moon . . . " started to be used in the English language.

The coming of a blue moon gives teachers a chance to create a fun writing prompt for students.  I made a few FREE writing prompts that you are welcome to used within your classrooms.  Here are some sample student exemplars:

The black and white writing prompt has a solid black line for the headline and baseline.  There are broken lines at the mid-line.

There is a solid green line for the baseline and a solid blue line for the headline.  I used broken lines for the mid-line.  I refer to the baseline as the "floor" and the headline as the "ceiling" with lower elementary children.

The activity sheet shown above is for students that are preliterate with writing.  They can draw pictures and dictate words or dictate a sentence to an adult.  Having the children create a pictorial representation is helpful for vocabulary development with the words "often" and "rarely".  This can be done after a classroom discussion comparing every day activities with rare events.

Click on this link to get the free writing prompts:  WRITING PROMPT for ONCE IN A BLUE MOON.

If you wish to show the images above with your students on the SMART board, click on this link:  SMART NOTEBOOK WRITING PROMPT MODELS for ONCE IN A BLUE MOON.

Here is a fun food activity you can do in school this week with the blue moon event.  Check for students with food allergies before doing this!  Remember that nuts, dairy, wheat, etc. . . can be hidden in unlikely foods.  You will need the following ingredients that are shown below.  The blue food crystals are optional.  In addition to the ingredients, you will need to get paper plates and plastic knives.


1.  Banana Moon Pies
2.  Vanilla Frosting
3.  Blue Food Coloring

Optional:  Blue Food Crystals.

Open the frosting and the blue food coloring.

Drop some blue food coloring in the vanilla frosting.

Stir the food coloring into the frosting with a plastic knife.  Add more blue food coloring if you desire a darker shade of blue.

Once the desired shade of blue is achieved, you are ready to spread the frosting on the Moon Pies.

Open the Banana Moon Pies.

Begin spreading the frosting on the Moon Pies.  Older students can do this themselves with plastic knives.

Here are the frosted Banana Moon Pies.  We transformed our yellow moons into blue moons!

Can you incorporate a quick review of halves with your students?

Or a review of quarters?

Here's what one of the blue moons looks like with the blue food crystals.



Peek their curiosity about the moon's phases with this fun and yummy activitiy.

Here's my own sentence for the writing prompt:   

Once in a blue moon I take a ride on my spaceship!

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