1. Children's Books

April 2 is International Children's Book Day. As a class, talk about your favorite books or stories. Then talk about how newspapers review books to tell people about them. Finish by writing a short book review of your favorite book or story. In a few sentences, explain why you like that story or book so much.

Common Core/National Standards: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

2. April Fools Day Picture

April 1 is April Fools Day. Study a picture in Monday's newspaper. Keeping your eyes on the newspaper picture, try to redraw it — but don’t look at your drawing paper! When you have finished, take a look at your drawing and write a silly caption that explains what's happening in it. For added fun, color your drawings and put them up on a bulletin board.

Common Core/National Standards: Integrating information presented in different media or formats; using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; reading and writing with developing fluency, viewing strategically and representing creatively.

3. Miss Liberty Is Reopening

The Statue of Liberty has been closed to visitors since Hurricane Sandy struck in October, but it is set to reopen by the Fourth of July. The statue in New York Harbor was unharmed by the storm, but several structures on the island where it is located were ruined. Unfortunately, one of those was the dock where ferry boats arrive with visitors from New York City and Jersey City. Since the storm, all of Liberty and Ellis Islands have been off limits to visitors while repairs have been under way. The Statue of Liberty is one of the nation’s great tourist attractions. Find another place tourists like to visit in the stories, ads and photos in today’s newspaper. Write a paragraph explaining why people like to go there.

Common Core/National Standard: Integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

4. Exercise Now, Benefit Later

Exercise is good for your health — you knew that already — but new research indicates that physical activity in childhood may decrease the risk of broken bones in old age. Researchers from the European nation of Sweden have concluded that the increase in bone density resulting from exercise carries over from childhood through life, providing “another reason why kids need to get regular daily exercise.” The increase in bone mass in growing children who are exercising regularly “lower[s] fracture risks as people age,” the researchers said. On the flip side, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that inactivity in youth may predict bone problems later. There are many ways to get exercise outside gym class. Find an example in the photos, stories and listings in the newspaper. Draw a comic strip showing how the activity is good for you

Common Core/National Standards: Conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic; using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points.

5. Historic Saplings

During the 25 months she and her family hid from the Nazis during World War II, Anne Frank found comfort and hope in a chestnut tree outside the window. She mentioning it often in her diary, which was later adapted into a classic book “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Now 11 sites in the United States have been chosen from 34 applicants to receive saplings grown from that tree’s seeds in a project aiming to preserve the Jewish teenager’s legacy and promote tolerance. The saplings will be planted starting in April by recipients selected by the Anne Frank Center USA. As a class, talk about different ways to honor people. Then use the newspaper to find a person you think deserves to be honored. Write a paragraph describing a way the person could be honored in a special way. Illustrate it if you like.

Common Core/National Standards: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.