Dream Big, Read is the theme for summer reading, chosen by the Collaborate Summer Library Program (CSLP). The N.C. Press Foundation has developed some newspaper features to tie in with this summer’s theme. The first one is called Play with New Words.
To download,click on the following link: http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/DreamBig1.pdf
Check out the May 2012 Kids Connections – an 11-page guide packed with summer activities for kids published by Grand Forks Public Schools. There’s also summer safety and bicycle safety tips from Safe Kids Grand Forks.
Download Kids Connections by clicking on the following link http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/Kids%20Connection%20summer.pdf
We are pleased to announce that Vicki Whiting, the creator of Kid Scoop, is offering a free page to help celebrate Memorial Day. Thanks Vicki!
To download a printable copy, click on the following link: http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/KidScoopMemDay.pdf
Tuesday, May 22 the 7th and 8th grade students from Valley Edinburg, Crystal and Hoople School visited the Grand Forks Herald, along with their teacher Maren Olson. The students have been learning about the newspaper this past year in the classroom. They especially enjoyed following the Marilyn Hagerty Mania.
Memorial Day (Last Monday, federal)
To many people, especially children, Memorial Day is a three-day weekend heralding the arrival of summer and the end of school. They often overlook the true meaning of the holiday.
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who died in service to our country. It was originally called Decoration Day because of the tradition of decorating the graves of the fallen men and women.
To learn more about Memorial Day visit: www1.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/memday.pdf
ACTIVITIES
1. Have students work in small groups to research a war in which American soldiers were killed. They should find out what caused the war and why the United States was involved. Have them draw conclusions about U.S. involvement and conclude by asking each student to write a newspaper opinion piece about whether the loss of lives was justified.
2. Ask students to search the newspaper for news about U.S. servicemen and women on duty in other countries. Have them read the stories to find out if conflict is involved and whether those servicemen and women are at risk. What measures are being taken to minimize the risks? Again, have students draw conclusions about whether the risks are justified.
3. Instruct students to create an acrostic using the word patriotism. Have them cut letters out of the newspaper to spell “patriotism” and come up with a patriotic word for each letter.
At 5:41 p.m. on May 22, 2011, an EF-5 tornado devastated the community of Joplin, Missouri. The Missouri Press Foundation has produced the following feature designed to remind, inspire and teach.
The feature is written to help young readers understand what happened a year ago, appreciate the efforts to rescue and help rebuild the community, and to teach important safety information from lessons practiced and learned in Joplin. Thank you to Missouri Press for sharing!
Also be sure to check out the article in today’s Herald http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/apArticle/id/D9UTN3L80/
Did you know Victoria Day (sometimes called Firecracker Day) is observed in Canada on the Monday before May 25 each year. This holiday celebrates Queen Victoria’s birthday (She was born on May 24, 1819). This year’s Victoria Day is May 21, 2012.
To find out more about Canadian holidays, visit www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/jfa-ha/victoria-eng.cfm
What does a teacher do when a lesson runs short and there is no time to start another activity? In the past these activities have been called fillers, but today they have become Sponge Activities: Activities that reinforce standards-based skills in a short period of time. The guide was written by Dr. Darla Shaw and distributed by the NIE Institute.
Download the 28-page guide by clicking on the following link: http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/Sponge.pdf
Tuesday, May 15, 2012, the graphic design/advanced art students in grades 9-12 from Warren-Alvarado-Oslo School visited the Grand Forks Herald downtown office. The students learned how graphic design is used in the newspaper business. The students and their teacher Trista Lund also planned on visiting the ND Museum of Art.
May 19 is Armed Forces Day. What is it and how did it originate?
President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.
On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department the Department of Defense. This year Armed Forces Day is May 19, 2012.
Information is from http://www.defense.gov/afd/
ACTIVITIES
Here are some activities you can use with the newspaper from the NIE Institute.
1. Look through the newspaper for mentions of either active military officials or veterans of war. Why are they mentioned? Create a bulletin board or scrapbook with related articles and photographs. You may want to use an entire week’s worth of papers.
2. Do a newspaper scavenger hunt for at least 15 words that could refer to Armed Forces Day (example: war; holiday; military; etc.). When the 15 words are found, write your own short story using at least 10 of the words you’ve chosen. Give your story a military theme.
3. Many military personnel are on active duty. Find an article that deals with one of our current military operations. Work with two or three fellow students to write an article in favor of or against our current military action. Schedule a classroom debate to discuss the pros and cons.
4. Invite local military personnel to visit your classroom. Have students write feature stories about the visitors, discussing their lives to share with other students.
