Back on track

I've been super sick this last week. Instead of formatting the kid's month like I wanted to do, I had to sleep under the blankets the entire week.
So now this week is going to be charged. I think the kids will mostly have to post their responses to the articles they've read for the first few days, and by then I should have some pages of homework ready.

This month we are going to have them write something imaginative instead of writting a report. I think it might be a better fit for them to be able to understand how to write paragraphs and such. I have to come up with a subject though, that might be interesting.
I'm trying also to decide if they should write a shorter essay each week, or a longer one in three weeks. I think I'll go with shorter essays every week, otherwise they'll wait until the last minute to get started anyways.

Here are a few prompts that I'm thinking about:
-This is very important in our family. We encourage the kids to talk about everything that they are feeling, but we still have a few instances of the kids flying off the handle and stomping out of the room without listening, so this prompt might be very interesting to help us show how important communication is:
"People have disagreements. Sometimes the issues are small, such
as what to eat or where to spend time. Other times, the issue is bigger, like how
late you are allowed to stay out. No matter what the disagreement is about, you
can often settle the issue if you are willing to talk to the other person.
Think about a time when you had a disagreement with a friend,
teacher, or family member but settled it by talking with the other
person. Write a narrative paper telling what happened when you had
a disagreement with a friend, teacher, or family member but settled it
by talking with the other person. Include specific details,
descriptions, and reactions." (2 pages and up)

-Just for fun:
"There are many interesting characters in movies, books, and on
television. These characters can be brave, funny, or smart and it would be
interesting to meet them. Think about what makes a character in a movie, book, or
television program interesting.
Write an expository paper to describe one character from a movie,
book, or television program that you would like to meet. Explain
what you like about the character and what makes him or her
interesting." (2 pages and up)

-Again, just for fun:
"Imagine yourself as an animal. Which would you choose to be, and why?" (1 page+)

-This one is more to realize what the kids might or might not know yet about the world around us, politically, economically, etc...
"Describe three things that you would like to change about the world, and explain why you would change them and how changing them will affect everybody."

-This one is more for my own benefit, to know what they are interested in:
"Think about careers that you might want to do later on as an adult. Not just a job, something that you actually want to do, that you think will make you happy. Write about it/them and why you like the idea of that career and why you think it will make you happy."