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Mini Page Archive - December 2006: Issue 49 - 52
Dinosaur Discoveries -- Issue 49 -- Dec. 2-8
This week's standards: Students understand the characteristics of organisms. (Science: Life Science)
Students understand the relationship between organisms and the environment. (Science: Life Science)
Activities:
- Draw several of your favorite dinosaurs on a large piece of paper. Then cut words from the newspaper that describe the dinosaurs. Paste them around your drawings. Write a sentence telling what you like about these dinosaurs.
- Make a "dinosaur digging" shopping list. Cut out newspaper words and pictures showing items that would help you if you went on a dig. Paste the words and pictures down the left side of a piece of paper. Next to each word or picture, write a sentence telling why you want that item with you.
- Interview several family members or friends. Ask them to tell you what they know about dinosaurs. How many facts did they mention? How many myths do people still have about dinosaurs?
- What makes scientists think that dinosaurs (a) cared for their young, (b) lived in groups, and(c) are not extinct?
- Use the resource books and the Internet to research the new technologies that paleontologists use to help them in their search for dinosaur skeletons. Use these questions to guide your research:
What equipment and technology are used to help scientists locate and excavate dinosaur remains?
What equipment/technology do they use to determine the age and species of dinosaur remains?
What equipment/technology do they use to record, store and transmit data about their findings?
Use your research to write a paragraph discussing how technology helps paleontologists.
(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)
New York's Federal Hall -- Issue 50 -- Dec. 9-15
This week's standards: Students understand the purpose of government. (Social Studies: Power, Authority and Governance)
Students identify key ideals of the United States' democratic republican form of government. (Social Studies: Civic Ideals and Practice)
Activities:
- Draw your own picture of Federal Hall or cut out a picture from The Mini Page and paste it in the middle of a piece of paper. Draw four lines from Federal Hall toward the corners of your paper. At the end of each line, write down something about Federal Hall or something that happened in Federal Hall.
- Show the Bill of Rights section in The Mini Page to different family members and friends. Ask them to name the amendment they think is most important. Which amendments were selected most often? What different reasons did people give for their answers?
- Look at the amendments in the Bill of Rights. Find newspaper stories that relate to three of the rights in the amendments. Write the headline of each story on a piece of paper. Under each headline, explain how the story relates to the amendment.
- Find a story about a government official or a government official in the newspaper. Write several sentences explaining why that information is important for citizens and voters.
- Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about the origins of the Bill of Rights. Use these questions to guide your research: Why weren't the rights included in the original Constitution?
Where did James Madison get his ideas about what those rights should be? Why were some people against the Bill of Rights? What compromises were made in Congress so the Bill of Rights would be accepted? Write a paragraph explaining the early history of the Bill of Rights.
(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)
SEASON'S GREETINGS -- Issue 51 -- Dec. 16-22
This week's standards: Students understand the ways in which language, stories, folktales, music and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence the behavior of people living in a particular culture.(Social Studies: Culture)
Students use different media, techniques and processes to communicate ideas, experiences and stories. (Visual Arts)
Activities:
- Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. Then draw a line across the center of the paper. In each of the four squares you've just created, design a different stamp. In the first square, draw a holiday scene. In the second, draw a holiday food. In the third, draw a holiday decoration. In the fourth, draw people enjoying the holiday. Share your stamp designs with family members and friends.
- Cut out holiday symbols, such as Christmas trees or candy canes, from the newspaper. Use your symbols to make your own Christmas card.
- Look through the entertainment or community calendar section of your newspaper. Find three different special holiday events you would like to attend. Write the events on a piece of paper and explain why you chose those events.
- Cut out newspaper comic strips that show people engaged in holiday activities. Paste the strips on a piece of paper. Write about each strip, explaining how the activities are similar to or different from those of your family.
- Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about a holiday symbol, such as a wreath, Santa Claus, a dreidel or a Kwanzaa candle. Use these questions to guide your research: What does the item symbolize now? What did the item symbolize before it was connected with the holiday? When did the item first become connected to the holiday? Write a paragraph discussing what you found in your research.
(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)
Winter Weather -- Issue 52 -- Dec. 23-29
This week's standards: Students understand changes in the Earth and sky. (Earth and Space Science)
Activities:
- "Winter" weather is not the same in all parts of the United States. You may live in a place that gets very cold and has a lot of snow in winter. Or you might live somewhere that stays warm all year-round, even in the winter. Draw a picture of yourself and your friends enjoying winter in your community. Write a sentence telling about winter weather where you live.
- Use newspaper ads to find three pieces of clothing you would need if your winter were very cold. Find three different items, other than clothing, that would be helpful in a cold winter. Explain your choices.
- Look at the U.S. map in today's Mini Page. Which three cities receive the most snow? Which three receive the least? Look at the location of these cities. Can you explain why some cities get a lot of snow and other cities get only a little? Which city on the list would you like to live in? Why?
- Read about the great blizzards of the past in today's Mini Page. Make a list of at least three problems the blizzards created for people living in those times. Now use the newspaper to find three pieces of equipment or electronics that people can use today to make sure they don't have the same problems, even in bad weather.
- Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about winter weather where you live. Use these questions to guide your research: Is your city near mountains, plains or the ocean? How does the geographical location of your city affect your winter weather? What type(s) of precipitation does your city receive? What problems are created by the precipitation? Write a paragraph discussing the causes of winter weather in your city.
(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)
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