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Writing Assignment: At a Birthday Party (Solution)

Birthday Fun

1.    Where was this picture taken?
This picture was taken at a birthday party.

2.    What is on the table?
On the table is a tablecloth, along with paper plates, paper cups, napkins, party favors, noisemakers, candy, and a cake.

3.    How is the table decorated?
The table is decorated with a colorful tablecloth and festive paper plates and paper cups.

4.    How is the cake decorated?
The cake is decorated with pink and white frosting, sprinkles, and birthday candles.

5.    How would the room be decorated for a typical birthday party?
For a typical birthday party, the room would be decorated with balloons, streamers, and confetti.

6.    What is the girl at the end of the table doing?
The girl at the end of the table is blowing out the birthday candles.

7.    What song is usually sung before the birthday child blows out the candles?
Before the birthday child blows out the candles, the song “Happy Birthday” is typically sung to the birthday child.

8.    Which child is the birthday child?
The child at the end of the table blowing out the candles is the birthday child.

9.    What are the other children doing?
The other children are watching the birthday child blow out the candles, to see if she blows all the candles out in one breath.

10.    What do the children have on their heads?
The children are wearing party hats.

11.    What might children eat and drink at a birthday party?
Children might eat cake and ice cream at a birthday party, and they might have punch to drink.

12.    What else might children do at a birthday party, besides eating?
Other things that children typically do at a birthday party are singing, playing games, and opening presents, for the birthday child.

13.    What kind of games might children play at a birthday party?
There are many different kinds of games that children might play at a birthday party, but the most common ones are “pin the tail on the donkey,” “musical chairs,” and “clothespin drop.”

14.    What else might children play with at a birthday party?
The children might play with toys, balloons, or party favors at a birthday party.

15.    What do the children bring for the birthday child?
The children each bring a birthday present for the birthday child.

16.    What usually accompanies the birthday present?
A birthday card usually accompanies the birthday present.

17.    How is a birthday present typically decorated?
A birthday present is typically decorated with wrapping paper, and perhaps ribbons or a bow.

18.    What is the polite way for the birthday child to thank the other children for the birthday presents?
The birthday child can thank the other children in person for the presents, but it is considered polite to also send a written thank-you note acknowledging the present.

19.    How does the birthday child ask others to come to his birthday party?
The birthday child asks the other children to come to his birthday party by sending them an invitation.

20.    How does the birthday child know how many children are going to come to the party?
The birthday child knows how many children are coming to the party by requesting them to RSVP, or respond to the invitation to let the host of the party know whether or not they are coming.

Paragraph:  At a Birthday Party

At our house we had a birthday party.  There was much to do to prepare for the party.  My daughter thought about whom she wanted to invite to her party, and then we sent out invitations.  We bought some decorations, and decorated the room with streamers, balloons, and colorful paper cups and plates.  I baked a cake and decorated it with pink frosting, sprinkles, and seven colorful candles.  When it was party time, the children all came, ready for some birthday fun.  Each child got a party hat, party favors, and a noise maker.  We played pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, and drop the clothespin in the bottle.  After the games, it was time to eat.  The children sat down at the table, and I lit the candles.  The children all sang “Happy Birthday” to my daughter, and after making a wish, she blew out all the candles on her cake.  Everybody had cake and ice cream to eat, and punch to drink.  After everyone was done eating, it was time for the birthday child to open presents.  There were dolls and stuffed toys and crayons and art supplies, and all kinds of things that little girls enjoy.  The children all played with the various toys until the party was over.  Then their mothers came to pick them up and take them home.  Everybody had a wonderful time.

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Writing Assignment: At a Birthday Party

Birthday Party

Vocabulary

Happy Birthday
cake
frosting
ice cream
present
candle
punch
party favor
party hat
party game
pin the tail on the donkey
musical chairs
clothespin drop
make a wish
birthday spankings
decorations
balloon
streamer
paper plate
paper cup
napkin
plastic ware
confetti
invitation
RSVP
noisemaker
blow out the candles
wrap a present
bow
wrapping paper
birthday card
thank-you note

1.    Where was this picture taken?
2.    What is on the table?
3.    How is the table decorated?
4.    How is the cake decorated?
5.    How would the room be decorated for a typical birthday party?
6.    What is the girl at the end of the table doing?
7.    What song is usually sung before the birthday child blows out the candles?
8.    Which child is the birthday child?
9.    What are the other children doing?
10.    What do the children have on their heads?
11.    What might children eat and drink at a birthday party?
12.    What else might children do at a birthday party, besides eating?
13.    What kind of games might children play at a birthday party?
14.    What else might children play with at a birthday party?
15.    What do the children bring for the birthday child?
16.    What usually accompanies the birthday present?
17.    How is a birthday present typically decorated?
18.    What is the polite way for the birthday child to thank the other children for the birthday presents?
19.    How does the birthday child ask others to come to his birthday party?
20.    How does the birthday child know how many children are going to come to the party?

Paragraph:  At a Birthday Party

Do you celebrate birthdays, either your own, or someone else’s?  When was the last time you were at a birthday party?  How do you celebrate birthdays?  Write a brief paragraph describing a typical birthday party.

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Culture Focus: Birthdays

For our culture focus this week, I thought I’d take a look at how American children typically celebrate birthdays. A child’s first birthday is considered a significant milestone, so many families mark this event with a relatively big celebration, although it is not as big a celebration as in Korean households. The first birthday is largely attended by family and perhaps a few close friends, who bring gifts for the child and enjoy birthday cake and ice cream.

As the children get older, the birthday celebration focuses more on a party for the birthday child and his friends, which is generally separate from any private celebration the family may have. The birthday child invites his friends over for a party, where the emphasis is on fun and games. In addition to opening presents and having birthday cake and ice cream, the children may play party games like the following:

1. Pin the Tail on the Donkey

In this game, a poster of a tailless donkey is put on the wall at the children’s height. Each child is given a paper tail, and they take turns trying to put the tail on the proper spot. To make things more difficult, the child stands several feet away, is blindfolded and spun around several times before he is released to walk towards the donkey to put the tail on. From the spinning, the child is usually disoriented, so the child might end up putting the tail on the donkey’s head, stomach, or other place. The winner is the one who gets the tail closest to its proper spot.

2. Musical Chairs

In this game, chairs are placed in a long row, with the chairs facing alternate directions. There is one less chair than there are children. Someone begins playing music, and the children march around the chairs in a circle. As soon as the music stops, every child must take a chair and sit down. The child who is slowest doesn’t get a chair, and is out of the game. Then one more chair is removed, and the game repeats, until there is only one child left – the winner.

3. Drop the Clothespins in a Bottle

In this game, children stand over a bottle that is placed on the floor. The bottle has a narrow opening, and the child tries to put the clothespins in the bottle by dropping them from chest height. If he gets a clothespin in the bottle, he can continue until he misses. The child who gets the most clothespins in the bottle wins.

Older children (teenagers) generally do not play these types of games, and the party becomes more of an opportunity for the teenager to enjoy the company of his friends, eating, talking, and doing teen-type activity. Many teens regard the 16th birthday as a milestone, since this is the age at which teens are allowing to get a driver’s license. The 18th birthday is also significant, since at age 18 the teen is no longer considered a minor child, but an adult.

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