Pollution, development and changes in habitats are causing problems for wildlife, around the world. But every once in a while new discoveries give wildlife experts some good news. That was the case last month when scientists announced that the worldis largest nesting site of leatherback sea turtles had been found on the shore of the African nation of Gabon. As many as 40,000 leatherbacks are nesting on beaches of Gabonis coast, many in protected areas that had not been closely studied before. Leatherbacks are the worldis largest sea turtle and had been considered endangered worldwide before the discovery. As a class, talk about things that threaten the habitats of wild animals. Then find a wild animal in the photos, stories or ads in the newspaper. Write a paragraph describing things that could threaten the habitat of this animal.

Learning Standards: Explaining ecosystem concepts and processes; describing positive and negative effects of humans on nature and wildlife; acquiring information from multiple sources.

2. Tell Me a Story

TV and video games are fun, but good, old-fashioned bedtime stories are still popular with kids. In fact, a study conducted with children three to eight years old in the European country of England found that almost two-thirds of children wanted their parents to read to them more before bed. Eight out of 10 kids in the study said reading a story at bedtime helped them sleep better, and more than half said storytelling was their favorite thing to do with parents. The most popular storytellers were moms who used different voices and sound effects (sorry dads). As a class, talk about stories you like to read aloud, and how reading them aloud adds to the fun. Then pick a book you like and design an ad for the newspaper urging parents to read to kids at bedtime. Share ads as a class.

Learning Standards: Responding to a variety of oral, visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to studentsi personal lives and the lives of others; reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing critically and representing creatively.

3. Army Woman

Caroline Miller comes from an Army family. In fact, her family has been attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for 173 years! That seven-generation record gives her family the longest connection to West Point, which trains officers for the U.S. Army. Members of her family have fought in U.S. wars going back to the Civil War, and the first attended West Point when Andrew Jackson was the nationis seventh president. As a class, talk about the different jobs people have in the U.S. Army. Collect photos and images from the newspaper and design a poster showing Army jobs and the careers they could lead to.

Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about topics of interest or importance; reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing critically and representing creatively.

4. Amazing New Species

Scientists have been studying the worldis plants and animals for hundreds of years, but there is still a lot to be learned. Thousands of new species are discovered each year, including more than 18,000 that were new to science in the year 2007 alone, according to a new world report on the State of Observed Species on Earth. Last year, new discoveries included a seahorse just one-half inch long, an insect 14 inches long, a snake less than four inches long and a snail whose shell twists in all directions. As a class, talk about all the different kinds of plants and animals that live in natural areas. With a partner, find a picture of an outdoor scene in the newspaper. Make a list of all the plants and animals that could live in the place in the picture.

Learning Standards: Responding to a variety of visual, written and electronic texts; explaining ecosystem concepts and processes; acquiring information from multiple sources.

5. Apple Camps

The Apple computer company is always looking for ways to make kids interested in computers. And this summer Apple stores are offering free Apple Camp workshops for kids who want to explore their talents in new ways. The three-hour workshops use computers to explore movie-making, music, digital photography and multi-media presentations. Apple stores will supply computers, digital cameras and camcorders for participants, who must be accompanied by a parent for each workshop. As a class, talk about all the different things computers can be used for. Then create a comic strip for the newspaper showing kids having fun or learning with computers.

Learning Standards: Understanding and explaining how science and technology affect society; showing how common themes of science, mathematics and technology apply in real world-contexts; showing how science concepts can be interpreted through creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.