Las Vegas Newspapers in Education

Mini Page Archive - September 2009: Issues 35 - 39

Sorting Through Recycling -- Issue 35 -- Aug. 29-Sept. 4

This week's standard:

Students understand the use of science and technology in local challenges. (Science: Personal and Social Perspectives)

Activities:

1. Make a recycling poster. Paste newspaper words and pictures for things your family recycles on a large piece of paper.

2. Divide a piece of paper into four squares. In the squares, paste newspaper words and pictures of things that can be recycled: metals, plastic, glass and paper.

3. Circle newspaper ads for things that claim they are made of recycled materials.

4. Which items, when they are recycled, (a) can be dangerous, (b) can pollute the environment, or (c) are made into totally different items?

5. Make a list of five different uses for your newspaper after you have read it. (standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)

Henry's Hudson -- Issue 36 -- Sept. 5-11

This week's standard:

Students understand how historical events, people, places and situations contribute to our understanding of the past. (Social Studies)

Activities:

1. Paste on a large piece of paper pictures of local fruits, vegetables and meats that you could trade with an explorer.

2. Find someone in today*s newspaper who would make a good explorer. Write several sentences telling why you chose this person.

3. Find in the newspaper five modern devices that would have helped Hudson in his exploration. Write a sentence for each telling how it would have helped.

4. Where did Hudson face difficulty because of (a) ice, (b) shallow waters and (c) a mutiny?

5. Pretend you are on one of Hudson's voyages. Write a short story telling of your adventures.

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

News You Can Use -- Issue 37 -- Sept. 12-18

This week's standard:

Students identify key ideals of the United States' democratic republican form of government. (Social Studies: Civic Ideals and Practices)

Activities:

1. Draw a newspaper with four headlines you'd like to see in the news.

2. In your newspaper, circle the names of local reporters who cover news, sports and entertainment sections.

3. Find a story about local or national government. Write a paragraph telling why we should know about that piece of news.

4. What would be a good news story for (a) a family member, (b) a friend, and (c) a teacher?

5. Read a major national news story. List the key facts from the story. Now find the same story on the Internet. Write a sentence comparing the stories.

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

Punctuation Matters -- Issue 38 -- Sept. 19-25

This week's standard:

Students apply knowledge of language conventions, e.g., punctuation. (Language Arts)

Activities:

1. Write a question mark at the top of a piece of paper. Turn five newspaper headlines into questions. Write them on the paper.

2. Race with a friend to find punctuation in news stories: period, comma, semicolon, question mark, exclamation mark.

3. Describe the action in a comic strip, but don't use punctuation. Ask a friend to put in punctuation.

4. Which punctuation mark (a) shows possession, (b) separates items in a series, and (c) links two thoughts?

5. Interview friends who text-message a lot. Discuss the punctuation they use in their messages. Have them compare their text punctuation with their school punctuation. Write a paragraph discussing what they say.

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

Firefighters Protect Our Lands -- Issue 39 -- Sept. 26-Oct. 2

This week's standards:

Students understand that safety and security are basic needs of humans. (Science: Personal Health)

Students understand the abilities of technological design. (Science: Science and Technology)

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of firefighters fighting a forest fire. Write three sentences telling what they are doing.

2. Look at the weather map for the U.S. Where is it hot and dry and dangerous for fires? Where is it rainy and cool?

3. Circle newspaper ads that show items that prevent or resist fire.

4. How do the following help firefighters: (a) helicopters, (b) bulldozers, and (c) fire shelters?

5. Use the Internet to identify five specialized pieces of equipment firefighters carry when they fight fires. Write a short paragraph describing each one and explaining what it does.

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