Las Vegas Newspapers in Education

Mini Page Archive - July 2007: Issue 27 - 30

Hot Dog! It's July Fourth -- Issue 27 -- June 30-July 6

This week's standards:

Know the nutritional value of different foods. (Health)

Know how food-preparation methods and food-handling practices affect the safety and nutrient quality of foods. (Health)

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of a picnic basket on a large piece of paper. Now cut out pictures and words for foods you like to take on a picnic. Paste them on the basket. Find words describing other supplies you might take on a picnic, such as paper napkins or cups.

Paste them around the basket.

2. Use 3-by-5-inch index cards to make a series of hot dog trading cards.

Draw a hot dog with lots of toppings on the front of each card. On the back of each card, write one fact about the history of hot dogs that you learned from today's Mini Page.

3. Create specialty hot dogs for three family members or friends. Draw a picture of three hot dogs. On each hot dog, add at least two different toppings. However, you can't use mustard, ketchup or relish. Be creative!

Write a sentence describing each hot dog.

4. Select three comic strip characters you would like to take on a picnic.

Paste them on a piece of paper. Write a sentence for each telling why you want that character with you.

5. Draw a picture of yourself with family members or friends enjoying a picnic at your favorite location. Now write an adventure story about your picnic. You can include imaginary characters in your story.

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)

National Parks Aplenty -- Issue 28 -- July 7-13

This week's standards:

Students understand the interaction of human beings and their physical environment. (Social

Studies: People, Places and Environments)

Students understand that history relates to events and people of other times and place by identifying examples of interesting Americans. (Social Studies: History)

Activities:

1. Select the park you would like to visit from those shown in this issue of The Mini Page. Draw a picture of yourself and some friends in the park.

Write a sentence telling about your hoped-for adventures in the park.

2. Cut out your three favorite comic strip characters and paste them on a piece of paper. Now decide which national park each one would like to visit. Write the name of the park next to each character, then write a sentence telling why you think each character would like that particular park.

3. Pretend you are going on a two-day hiking trip in a national park. Draw a backpack on a large piece of paper. Cut out newspaper pictures and words that show items you would take with you and paste them on your backpack.

Remember, all your items have to fit in the backpack!

4. Why are the national parks important to (a) historians, (b) botanists, (c) environmentalists and (d) hikers?

5. Use resource books or the Internet to learn about a national park near you. Use these questions to guide your research: Where did the national park get its name? When did it become a national park? What is its primary purpose? What are its educational benefits? Write a paragraph discussing your findings.

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)

The Life of a Cowboy -- Issue 29 -- July 14-20

This week's standards:

Students explore factors that contribute to one's personal identity, such as interests, capabilities and perceptions. (Social Studies: Individual development)

Students develop skills in identifying, evaluating, and using a variety of resources for exploring personal, educational and career choices. (Career development)

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of yourself doing a cowboy's work. Now cut out pictures and words from the newspaper that tell something about cowboys. Paste them around your picture.

2. Look in newspaper ads for modern equipment and technology that can help ranchers and cowboys do their work. Paste the items on a piece of paper. Next to each item, write a sentence telling how it could be used in ranching.

3. Draw a large circle on a piece of paper. Divide it into three parts. In one part list the special skills cowboys must have to do their work. In the second part, list the knowledge that cowboys must have. In the third part, list the personal qualities cowboys need.

4. Why would it be important for future cowboys to study these subjects in school: (a) zoology, (b) environmental studies, (c) math, (d) computer technology and (e) English?

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about work horses. Use these questions to guide your research: What different ways are horses used in ranching? Which breeds of horses are used most frequently? Why do cowboys or ranchers prefer specific breeds? What physical characteristics of horses make them good partners for cowboys? What behavioral qualities of horses make them good workers? Write a paragraph about your findings.

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)

Up, Up and Away! Issue 30 -- July 21-27

This week's standards:

Students understand science and technology.

Students understand the abilities of technological design.

Activities:

1. Use magic markers to decorate a balloon to look like a hot air balloon.

Write a story about you and your friends having an adventure in a hot air balloon.

Tape your balloon to your story. Share your story with your friends.

2. Pretend you can take three people with you on a hot air balloon ride.

What three comic strip characters would you take with you? Why?

3. Use newspaper ads to find pictures of foods you could take with you on a balloon ride. Draw a picture of a picnic basket on a piece of paper. Paste your foods in the basket.

4. Why is it important to learn about these school subjects if you want to be a hot air balloonist: (a) physics, (b) math, (c) meteorology, and (d) geography?

5. Pretend you have a hot air balloon business. Describe five different jobs you could do for people using your hot air balloon. Design a newspaper ad telling about your business.

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)