1. What a Car!

Buying a new car can be expensive, but buying an old one can cost even more. Consider the rare Bugatti automobile found in a garage in the European country of Great Britain. The car was a 1937 Italian racer that could go up to 130 miles per hour at a time when most cars could barely go 50. Only 17 were ever built, and this one was discovered locked in the garage by the owner's family after he died two years ago. It hadn't been driven for nearly 50 years, but after it was cleaned up and dusted off, it was sold to a car collector -- for $4.5 million! As a class, talk about what things make cars special to owners or collectors. Then look through the car ads in the newspaper to see what cars have features that you like. Finish by using what you find to design a "dream car' you would like to own. Give it a name and explain why it would be special to the class.

Learning Standard: Reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing critically and representing creatively.

2. S-S-S-Super Snake

If you don't like snakes, you might want to skip this story. Scientists in the South American country of Colombia have found the fossil skeleton of what may have been the biggest snake that ever lived on Earth. This giant from 60 million years ago was longer than a city bus, weighed more than 2,500 pounds and could have eaten crocodiles or cows in a single gulp. It was so big the thickest part of its body would have come up to the waist of an adult human standing next to it! The fossil of this ancient snake was found at a coal mine, and its size indicates reptiles were able to live successfully in jungles hotter than those on Earth today, scientists said. As a class, talk about ways fossils can teach scientists how things have changed on Earth over long periods of time. Then draw a cartoon or comic strip showing what kind of ancient animal you would like to study if you were a fossil hunter.

Learning Standards: Explaining how fossils provide evidence about the nature of ancient life; comprehending the past; using the craft of the illustrator to convey ideas artistically.

3. A Meal Deal

As in the United States, many people are out of work in the European country of Great Britain. To help them out, and to attract business in a tough time, a restaurant has come up with an unusual offer on its all-you-can-eat lunch special. Customers can decide for themselves how much they want to pay after they have eaten. "It just seemed like the right thing to do with everyone ... feeling miserable," the owner said. In many communities, people and businesses look for new ways to help out when workers and families face tough times. As a class, look for news about things people are doing in your community to help workers who have lost jobs or families who may need assistance. Brainstorm a way students could help, either by raising money or reaching out to make families or individuals feel better.

Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about topics of interest or importance; evaluating possible resolutions of a public issue.

4. What a Swim!

People do some amazing things to challenge themselves. A 56-year-old woman from the state of Colorado likes to swim, so she decided she'd like to take a long swim and sail in the Atlantic Ocean. Jennifer Figge left the Cape Verde Islands off the continent of Africa on January 12, and on February 5 landed on a beach in Trinidad off the coast of South America. Figge slept on a sailboat at night during her journey across the Atlantic, and didn't swim for long periods on some days, but still had to battle against winds and 30-foot waves. As a class, talk about challenges people set for themselves, and why. Then look for people in the newspaper who are responding to challenges. Write a paragraph describing one person's actions. Learning Standards: Responding to a variety of oral, visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to students' personal lives and the lives of others; writing critically and analytically.

5. Malaria Fighter

Bill Gates made billions of dollars as the founder of the Microsoft computer company. Now he's putting money and energy into fighting malaria, a deadly disease spread by mosquitoes in Africa and other places. To call attention to the disease, he tried something unusual at a meeting of technology, entertainment and political leaders in California last week. He opened a jar of mosquitoes and let them fly through the crowd. They weren't carrying malaria, but Gates didn't tell the people that right away. Then he urged them to support efforts to provide mosquito nets to families in Africa and other places to protect them from mosquitoes that do carry disease. As a class, find stories in the newspaper about health issues in the United States and other countries. Use what you find to design a poster that could help families stay healthy.

Learning Standards: Comprehending what constitutes good health and nutrition; acquiring information from multiple sources and then evaluating, organizing and communicating it; representing creatively.