1. 'Me Love Cookie!'

Jim Henson was born on September 24, 1936. You may not know who Jim Henson is, but you probably know some of the creatures he created. They include Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Grover. With the Muppets, Henson had an amazing talent for creating characters who seem like people -- loving cookies, being really smart and wanting to get along with others. His characters also are fuzzy and lovable. In teams or as a class, read a short story about an interesting person in today's newspaper. Then draw a picture of a "muppet" that has some of the same traits as the person in the article. Finish by filling out the form below for your "muppet."

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

Your muppet's name:

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What he/she likes to do:

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Where he/she is from:

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What she/he would do with a plate of cookies:

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Which character was famous for saying "Me Love Cookie"?

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2. Learn About China

The Asian nation of China is a growing power in the world of business and manufacturing. Now the nation of 1.3 billion people wants to become a world power in the exploration of space. Last week, China started building its fourth space center, just six years after it sent its first astronaut into orbit around the Earth. The center on the southern island of Hainan will have both a launch site and a control center for rockets carrying satellites into space. As a class, look for stories about space or space missions in the newspaper. Or find examples online. Pick one and write a short paragraph describing why it is interesting or important. Learning Standards: Explaining how we learn about the universe; explaining how scientists decide what constitutes scientific knowledge; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

3. National Good Neighbor Day

Sunday, September 27 will be National Good Neighbor Day, a day when we are reminded that part of being a good person is being nice to those around us. As a class, read a story about a person or a group of people who have done something kind for people in their community. A community can be a street, a neighborhood, a club, a town, a state, or even a whole country. Then, as a class, make a list of things you could do to make yourself a better neighbor.

Learning Standards: Identifying and explaining how people demonstrate good character and personal virtue; acquiring information from multiple sources and then organizing and analyzing it.

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4. Harry Potter World

The Harry Potter books and movies have attracted millions of fans to the "Wizarding World" created by author J.K. Rowling. Next spring, fans can make a high-tech visit to that world at a new amusement park at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. The "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" will feature a ride called "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey," which will shoot visitors through a 700-foot-tall version of the Hogwarts Castle where Harry goes to school in the books and movies. There also will be rides called "Dragon Challenge," "Triwizard Tournament" and "Flight of the Hippogriff" at the new park, which was announced last week. With friends and classmates talk about books and movies you have seen that could be turned into interesting theme parks. Brainstorm ideas for rides and attractions that would be at one park. Then design an ad for the newspaper telling people about your park.

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; representing creatively.

5. Pool Safety

Chlorine is a chemical put into swimming pools to kill germs. But for some children, it can cause other problems. Scientists from the European country of Belgium reported last week that swimming in pools that have chlorine may increase the risk of kids getting the breathing condition known as asthma or allergies like hay fever. In a study of teenagers, researchers found that teens who spent more than 100 hours swimming in chlorinated pools were up to six times more at risk of having asthma than other teens and three to six times more likely to have hay fever. As a class, talk about health issues that affect kids your age most. Then find and read a health story in the newspaper as a class. Use what you read and images from the newspaper to design a poster explaining the issue to others.

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; comprehending what constitutes good health and nutrition; showing how science concepts can be interpreted through creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.