Las Vegas Newspapers in Education

Mini Page Archive - June 2009: Issues 22 - 26

Rat Tales -- Issue 22 -- May 30-June 5

This week's standards:

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

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

Activities:

1. Create a "Wanted" poster. Print "Wanted" at the top of a piece of paper. Draw a rat under the word. Then paste newspaper words and pictures to show problems rats can cause under your picture.

2.With a friend, go through the newspaper using two different-colored markers. Circle plants and food that rats might eat with one color. Circle non-food things they might chew on with another color. What is the softest thing you circled? What is the hardest?

3. Compare rats and humans with a Venn diagram. Draw two circles that overlap in the middle. In the center section, write the ways humans and rats are similar. In the left circle, write the ways humans are different from rats. In the right circle, write the ways rats are different from humans.

4. How does each of these items relate to rats: (a) ships, (b) laboratories, (c) diseases, (d) telephone poles and (e) burrows?

5. Use a library book or the Internet to read the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. He had an unusual way of getting rats out of a town. Now write a story with your own creative way of getting rid of rats from a town. However, you are not allowed to harm or kill the rats in your story. You must just get them out of town. Share your story with family members and friends.

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

Rediscovering Pompeii -- Issue 23 -- June 6-12

This week's standards:

Students understand changes in the Earth and sky. (Science: Earth Sciences)

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

Activities:

1. Draw a dramatic picture of a volcano erupting. Show people running away from it.

2. Create an album of our civilization. Cut out newspaper photos of everyday items that show what people use in their homes, at work and for fun and paste them in three different sections of a notebook.

3. Suppose you had to help re

build your town after it was destroyed. Look through the newspaper for tools and equipment that would help you rebuild. Make a list of the items on a piece of paper.

4. How were each of these important to Pompeii: (a) aqueduct, (b) volcanic soil, (c) archaeologists, and (d) temples?

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about a volcano in this country. Use these questions to guide your research: Where is the volcano? How large is it? When has it erupted? What is the land like around the volcano? Write a paragraph discussing what you have found in your research.

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

The Fathers of ... -- Issue 24 -- June 13-19

This week's standards:

Students use biographies and stories to understand the individuals who are honored by the nation.

(Social Studies: History)

Students understand the deeds for which our nation honors leaders from the past, including political, scientific, social and military leaders. (History)

Activities:

1. Draw a picture of your father or another important man in your life. Make a title for him, as the "father" of something. Paste newspaper words that describe your person around the edges of your picture.

2. Select five of the famous "fathers" in today's Mini Page. Write their names on a piece of paper.

Next to each name, write the headline of a news story that you think each man would like.

3. Find five news stories about different men in the newspaper. What could you make them "father" of? Write their titles "Father of ____" at the top of each news story.

4. Which of the famous fathers in today's Mini Page would you say were (a) brave, (b) creative, (c) intelligent and (d) forward-thinking?

5. Use resource books or the Internet to learn about another famous father -- the father of a country or topic you're interested in. Use these questions to guide your research: Who is the man? What did he do that people connected him so closely with a place, profession or field? Write a paragraph discussing your new famous "father."

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

Mastering the Martial Arts -- Issue 25 -- June 20-26

This week's standards:

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

Activities:

1. Write the words "Martial Arts" in the middle of a piece of paper. Now paste newspaper words that describe martial arts around the words. Be sure to include words that show what you learn from martial arts.

2. Look through your newspaper's ads to find places where you could learn about martial arts. Circle every ad you find. Now list the types of martial arts shown in the ads: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and others. Which would you like to learn?

3. Which of the martial arts shown in today's Mini Page uses (a) high jumps and kicks, (b) open hands, and (c) a long style and a short style?

4. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about how martial arts are part of the Olympics. Use these questions to guide your research: What types of martial arts were part of the historical Olympics? Which types are part of the modern Olympics today? What martial arts are demonstrated at the Olympics but are not yet official sports? Write a paragraph discussing your research.

5. Write a story about yourself and some friends. Pretend you are studying one of the martial arts. Tell about a situation where you used your defense skills. Include a situation where you are able to use your strength of character to walk away from a possible fight. Share your story with your friends.

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

Safe Fun With Fireworks -- Issue 26 -- June 27-July 3

This week's standards:

Students understand people and events honored in commemorative holidays. (History)

Students understand science and technology. (Science: Science and Technology)

Students compare behaviors that are safe to those that are risky or harmful. (Health: Reducing Health Risks)

Activities:

1. Make a poster inviting people to a fireworks display in your neighborhood. Use newspaper words that describe your event and patriotic pictures from the newspaper to decorate your poster.

2. Look at the pictures of the fireworks at the inauguration of Grover Cleveland and the second inauguration of George W. Bush in today's Mini Page. How do the fireworks look different? Which fireworks look the most exciting? Why do you think there is a difference in the fireworks at the two different inaugurations?

3. Look in the community calendar section of your newspaper to find places where you can see fireworks over the July 4th holiday. How many places are there? Which location will probably have the biggest show? Which location is closest to where you live?

4. Use the fireworks safety page in today's Mini Page to talk about safety with your family members and friends. Put a check mark if they say they follow the safety rule and a zero if they say they do not. Share the list with them so they know all the good safety rules.

5. There are many words related to fireworks that have different meanings in other settings. Use the Mini Page and your own knowledge or a dictionary to give two different meanings for each of these words: (a) shell, (b) battery, (c) mortar, (d) magazine, (e) salute, and (f) break. Write several sentences using the fireworks words to describe fireworks. See if family members and friends can understand the sentences.

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