1. Time to Stop

Japanese runner Keizo Yamada has been running long-distance races for more than half a century. Now, 57 years after he competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics, Yamada says he's going to stop running marathons. At age 81, he says it's time to "scale back" and stop participating in the 26-mile marathon competitions. He still may try half-marathons, however, and will run to "stay in shape." Around the world, more and more senior citizens are staying active later in life, not just in sports but in other activities as well. In the newspaper, find an example of a senior citizen being active and making news. Write a short letter to the editor of the newspaper praising this person for setting an example for the value of an active life.

Learning Standards: Reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately; identifying and explaining how individuals demonstrate good character and personal virtue.

2. Learn from the Setting

The setting of a story -- where it takes place -- can often be important to understanding the action that takes place. This is true in real-life stories as well as fiction stories that are made up. Scan the newspaper for a news story that interests you. On a sheet of paper, write out where the story takes place. Then write three ways the place affects what goes on in the story -- or how it could affect future events. Share ideas with family or friends.

Learning Standards: Setting appropriate strategies to construct meaning while reading, listening to, viewing or creating texts; recognizing how authors use information to convey meaning; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

3. Treasure Find

There's a famous saying that one person's trash is another person's treasure. What that means is that something one person may not want may be considered valuable by another person. In New York City this summer, a man discovered that trash he was hired to collect from a dead artist's house five years ago was a lot more valuable than he ever dreamed. Inside a barrel put out as trash, Nick Dimola recently found historic items from Mexico that go back more than 2,000 years -- and are worth more than $16,000! In the stories and photos of the newspaper, find an item that some people might not want but others might find valuable. Write a paragraph describing why this item would not be liked by some people. Write a second paragraph explaining why it would be liked by others.

Learning Standards: Acquiring information from multiple sources and then evaluating, organizing and communicating it in various contexts; developing and applying critical standards for individual use.

4. Next Stop, Mars

Last week the nation celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first walk by humans on the Earth's moon. And men who flew on that historic Apollo 11 mission don't want the United States to stop there. Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins are urging President Obama to send American astronauts on a mission to the planet Mars. "I'd like to see Mars become the focus," said Collins, just before he, Aldrin and moonwalker Neil Armstrong met with President Obama last week. With family or friends, talk about the idea of sending humans to Mars, which is the next planet out from Earth in the solar system. Write a paragraph explaining why you think this would be a good or bad idea.

Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about topics of interest or importance; explaining how we learn about the universe; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

5. Solar Eclipse

Last week people in parts of the continent of Asia experienced a complete solar eclipse. When that happens, the moon comes between the Earth and the sun and blocks the light. Last week's event was the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, but could be seen only in a narrow area of the countries of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China. In some countries, people worry that bad things will happen during an eclipse and stay at home. Others look for ways to get the best view of an eclipse. With family or friends, talk about what it would be like to see a solar eclipse. Then draw a comic strip for the newspaper showing how a favorite comic character might respond.

Learning Standards: Responding to a variety of visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to students' personal lives and the lives of others; showing how science concepts can be interpreted through creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.