1. Texting

A Greek tourist who got lost on a mountain in New Zealand was saved by a text. Marios Symeonidis couldn't find his way back and didn't have warm clothing or equipment to stay on the mountain, so he texted his family in Greece to tell them what had happened. His family contacted the New Zealand police, who sent in a rescue team. Using the newspaper for ideas, make a list of ways technology benefits people. Then write down five ways technology can be harmful. Discuss what you came up with as a class.

Learning Standard: Showing how common themes of science, mathematics and technology apply in real world contexts; applying knowledge, ideas, and issues drawn from texts to their lives and the lives of others.

2. States of Matter

Matter comes in three basic states--liquid, solid and gas. Water is an interesting substance, because we commonly see it in all three forms of matter: as ice, as a liquid and as steam or vapor. Using a newspaper article as a guide, write a brief account, in the style of a news story, about water that changed from one state to another.

Learning Standard: Describing how water exists on Earth in three states; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

3. Inventor

On February 14, 1859, George Ferris was born in Galesburg, Illinois. When Ferris grew up, he became an engineer. He designed an amusement park ride that became known as the Ferris wheel. In groups, look through the newspaper and find inventions named after their inventor, or locations and streets named after someone. See how many you can come up with. If you were going to have something named after you, what would you like it to be? Discuss your ideas with your group.

Learning Standard: Using reading for multiple purposes, such as enjoyment, clarifying information, and learning complex procedures; acquiring information from multiple sources.

4. Let's Move

Last week First Lady Michelle Obama launched a campaign against childhood obesity called "Let's Move." As part of the campaign, the American Beverage Association has promised to put clearer calorie labels on the front of cans, bottles and vending machines, and some companies that supply food to school cafeterias have pledged to reduce the amounts of sugar, fat and salt in their products. Pair off with a classmate and use the newspaper and online sources to come up with another idea for how kids can be healthier. It can be something a kid, a family, a school or a company can do. Put together a presentation explaining your idea to the class.

Learning Standards: Communicating information accurately and effectively and demonstrating expressive abilities by creating oral, written and visual texts that enlighten and engage an audience; comprehending what constitutes good health and nutrition.

5. Suffrage

Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820. Anthony spent her life fighting for women's rights, including the right to vote. She also fought to end slavery. Find a woman in the newspaper making news by fighting for a cause or being successful in her position or field. Write a short biography of her to present to the class and come up with a creative way to illustrate the life of the woman you chose.

Learning Standards: Writing fluently for multiple purposes to produce compositions, such as personal narratives, persuasive essays, lab reports and poetry; representing creatively.