Las Vegas Newspapers in Education

Mini Page Archive - July 2008: Issue 27 - 30

Farming in the City -- Issue 27 -- July 5-11

This week's standards:

Students understand optimal nutrition and wellness across the life span. (Family and Consumer Science)

Students understand the characteristics and life cycles of organisms. (Science: Life Science)

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of a dinner plate. Cut out pictures of your favorite fruits and vegetables from the newspaper and paste them on your plate. Write a sentence about your favorite fresh foods.

2. Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper to create two columns. Label one column "Fresh Fruits" and the second "Fresh Vegetables." Now look through grocery ads to find fruits and vegetables. List them in the correct column.

3.With a friend, look through the newspaper ads for fresh fruits and vegetables. Circle with a green marker the foods that could be grown in your community. Circle the foods that could not be grown in your community with a red marker. Did you have more green or red circles?

4. Look through newspaper ads to find equipment you could use to (a) prepare land for an urban garden, (b) water and fertilize plants in the garden, (c) harvest and collect the plants, and (d) carry your fruits/vegetables to market.

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about the food crops that are grown in your community or state. Use these questions to guide your research: Which crops * fruits, vegetables or grains * are grown in your state? How many crops are produced each year? To what other regions or countries are the products exported? How do geography and weather determine which food crops are easy to grow in your state? Write a paragraph describing your findings.

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

Yesterday's Games -- Issue 28 -- July 12-18

This week*s standards:

Students understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and social interaction. (Physical Education)

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of you and your friends playing an outdoor game. Write a sentence telling about your picture.

2. Collect newspaper photos and comic strips that show people playing games or having fun in outdoor activities. Paste the photos and comics on pieces of paper. Write a sentence telling how you feel about each of the activities next to the pictures.

3. Draw a large circle on a piece of paper. Divide it into two halves. On one half, paste newspaper pictures or words for items you can use in the pool or ocean. On the other half, paste pictures and words for items you use outdoors, but not in the water.

4. Which of the activities in today's Mini Page require (a) physical endurance, (b) coordination and balance, (c) strategic thinking, and (d) no special equipment?

5. Interview several older family members and friends to find out how they spent their summer vacations when they were kids. What games and activities did they share with friends? Collect the stories and put them together in a "Summer Fun" book. Share your book with family and friends.

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

Landmarks of China -- Issue 29 -- July 19-25

This week's standards:

Students understand the physical and human characteristics of places. (Geography: Places and Regions)

Students understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and social interaction. (Physical Education)

Activities:

1. Make a community visitors' poster. Find newspaper photos or words that show interesting places to visit in your community. Cut out the pictures and words and paste them on a large piece of paper.Write a sentence next to each one telling why visitors should visit there.

2. Divide a piece of paper into two columns. In the first column, paste newspaper pictures of people showing their artistic ability. In the second column, paste newspaper pictures of people showing their athletic ability.Write several sentences describing each picture.

3. Look in newspaper ads and the classified section to find three places where you could learn to improve your artistic movement skills. Look for schools or professionals who teach dance or gymnastics. Circle the ads. Put a star by your favorite one.

4. Where would you go to visit in China if you were interested in (a) statues, (b) natural water phenomena, (c) elaborate buildings, and (d) gardens?

5. Make a list of the three places you would most like to visit in China. Then write a personal journal describing your travels.

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

Zoos Plan for Disasters -- Issue 30 -- July 26-Aug. 1

This week's standards:

Students understand the interactions of animals and their environments. (Science: Life Science)

Students understand how groups and institutions meet individual needs and promote the common good. (Social Studies: Individuals, Groups and Institutions)

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of a family pet or a pet you would like to have. List three things you would do to keep the pet happy and safe.

2. Make a plan for a family pet. Suppose your family had to leave your house quickly. What would you need for the pet? Find equipment, food and other items in newspaper ads that would help move your animal safely. List on a piece of paper the steps you would take. Paste your newspaper items at the bottom of the list.

3. Make a plan for a pet's health. Circle ads or information about veterinarians or animal hospitals in the newspaper. Which veterinarian or hospital is closest to your house? Put a star next to that information.

4. Make a "Disaster Helper" notebook. Find at least five people in newspaper stories or ads who would be able to help a zoo and its animals in a time of stress. Paste the individual's name or picture on a page in the book and write a sentence explaining why you would recommend that person.

5. Prepare to be a zoo animal actor! Use resource books and the Internet to learn about the behaviors of your favorite zoo animal. Make a list of the ways the animal acts in different situations. Now write a story about yourself acting as that animal in a zoo disaster drill. Share your story with family members and friends.

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