1. Hot, Hot, Hot

It's been such a hot summer that newspapers have been offering advice on how to keep cool. Find a picture of a person who is being affected by the weather in today's newspaper. Now help that person out by redrawing him or her, this time with objects or clothing that can help her/him keep cool and dry.

Common Core/National Standard: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points.

2. The Greatest Generation

They fought in World War II. They built huge companies that still run today. They paved the way for women in the workplace. They are members of what television reporter Tom Brokaw called “The Greatest Generation.” With many now in their 80s, there are fewer and fewer of these brave people who helped save the country and the continent of Europe from the hands of Adolf Hitler. August 21 is National Senior Citizens Day. Find a newspaper article about a senior citizen who has made an impact on the community or the world. Write a summary of the newspaper story and share it with your friends and family.

Common Core/National Standard: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

3. A Giving Boy

Who says a 9-year-old boy can’t make a difference in the lives of others? If Joshua Smith had believed that, he never would have been able to raise $2,832.64 to help the City of Detroit, Michigan. Detroit has been hit hard by the downturn in our nation’s economy, so Joshua decided to lend a hand. He opened up a lemonade stand, hoping to raise $3,600 for the city’s the Parks and Recreation Department. Having topped $2,800, he’s not there yet, but he says he will continue to raise money until he reaches his $3,600 goal. Joshua was presented with a “Spirit of Detroit” award by city council member JoAnn Watson. His mother said his effort is not just about the money, but about her son’s giving spirit. “It’s about changing hearts and minds,” she told the Detroit Free Press. With family or friends, find a newspaper story about a child making a difference. Or find one online. Draw a comic strip showing what the child is doing.

Common Core/National Standard: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; knowing the different visual characteristics and purposes of art to convey ideas.

4. Whopper of a Fish Tale

You may not be aware of this, but August is National Catfish Month. Kirstin Hole of the European country of Great Britain even got in on the fun. Standing just 5-feet, 2-inches, the 20-year-old Hole caught and landed a 120-pound catfish that measured seven feet long! She was sleeping when an alarm on her fishing rod went off at 5:15 a.m. at a lake in the village of Thetford. She hopped up, ran to her pole and began fighting to reel in the fish. It turned out to be the biggest fish ever caught by a woman in Great Britain and the United Kingdom — by 50 pounds! After taking photos, she released the fish alive back into the lake. Local lakes can provide some great water fun in the summer. Search your newspaper and the Internet for stories and photos involving lakes in your community or state. With help from your parents, find the lakes mentioned on a map. Pick one you would like to visit and write a paragraph explaining why.

Common Core/National Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience; using maps to acquire, process and report information from a spatial aspect.

5. I Love My Job!

“Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” That is a quote from Confucius, a Chinese teacher and philosopher. Jack Miller of Glendale, Arizona, lives by that quote and is living his dream. Miller got his first model train set in 1946, and was hooked model trains as a hobby. Then, after managing a model train store back in 1980, he told himself that someday he would own his own model train business. He opened his own store in Glendale in April 2011 and has been going strong ever since. Look in your newspaper’s business section for a story about a business that interests you. Write a paragraph or short essay describing the kind of business you would like to own some day.

Common Core/National Standard: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.