Tag Archives: K-12

Cool it: the good, the bad and what you can do about global warming

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Is there anything better than a warm, sunny day? All winter, we wait for the weather to warm up so we can throw off our sweaters and pull on our shorts. Warm days let us play in the parks and playgrounds, ride our bikes or head for the swimming pool.

But could our weather be getting too warm? Scientists think so. Environmental scientists and geoscientists study the Earth and its history. They measure and track all kinds of information so they can help us protect the environment. Scientists tell us what may happen in the future and give advice on taking care of our wonderful planet.

This NIE tab, Cool it: The Good, the Bad and What You Can Do About Global Warming was produced by KRP and distributed by the NIE Institute.

Download the tab by clicking here

Note: if you are going to print this pdf, you will need to adjust your print setting to fit on page. The pdf is bigger than 8.5 x 11 (normal print size.)

Presidents’ Day Activities

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Information and activities are from KRP’s The Ultimate Holiday Activity Guide and News Relief’s A Plan for All Seasons both from the NIE Institute.


Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday and is observed on the 3rd Monday in the month of February.

Presidents’ Day officially observes the birthdays of two famous American leaders: George Washington (Feb. 22) and Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12). However, many Americans take this day to honor all those who have served the United States as president.

The office of the U.S. president is the most powerful elective office in the world, partly because he is the leader of the world’s richest, most productive nation but also because he wears many hats. He serves as chief executive, commander-in-chief, chief diplomat, chief lawmaker, and chief of state. Find out more about each of these roles. Then write a Help Wanted ad for president of the United States. Check the classified section of the newspaper for examples of Help Wanted ads.

Newspaper ads often use a holiday or seasonal theme to sell products or services. Businesses often want to attract attention to those people who have some time off from work and might be deciding how to spend extra time and/or money.

Skim through the pages of the newspaper to find examples of ads that refer to Presidents’ Day, Abraham Lincoln or George Washington. Some ads may only use symbols or pictures that refer to this holiday. You may find other ads that use words or phrases to refer to the holiday. Other ads may use a combination of both.

Select two ads from the newspaper that refer to Presidents’ Day. One ad should be an example of what you think is an effective ad. The other ad should be one that you think is not so effective.  Answer the following questions about each.

THE EFFECTIVE AD 

1. What is the ad trying to sell?

2. What type of symbols or words are used to make a connection between the product/service and Presidents’ Day?

3. Explain why you think this ad is effective.

THE INEFFECTIVE AD

1. What is the ad trying to sell?

2. What type of symbols or words are used to make a connection between the product/service and Presidents’ Day?

3. Explain why you think this ad is not as effective as the first ad you selected.

Valentine’s Day

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Valentine’s Day is a cultural/religious holiday and is observed on February 14.

Valentine’s Day, one of the most widely observed unofficial holidays, is a day in which people exchange gifts and cards to express their affection for one another. There are several beliefs about how Valentine’s Day got started. Some people trace it to an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia. Others believe the day was set aside to honor one or more saints of the early Christian church. Still others believe it originated from the old. English belief that birds choose their mates on Feb.14. Most likely, it was a combination of all three beliefs.

Many customs are associated with Valentine’s Day, some that go as far back as the 1400s. Today, students throughout the country celebrate Valentine’s Day with parties and the exchanging of greeting cards called valentines. It’s also a day for couples to express their love to each other with gifts of flowers and candy.

Valentine’s Day is one of the most commercialized holidays in the United States today. To illustrate this, search the newspaper for ads with a Valentine’s Day theme. Make a list of items advertised, then talk about the businesses that benefit most from this special day.

Find a newspaper ad featuring Cupid, a symbol of Valentine’s Day. Cupid was the son of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Conduct further research on Cupid. Conclude the activity by writing a mock newspaper story about Cupid making an appearance in your town this Valentine’s Day.

St. Valentines Day Scavenger Hunt – see how many of the items listed below you can find in your newspaper.

1. Find something in the newspaper in the shape of a heart.

2. Find an activity in the newspaper that you would just “love” to do if you had the time & money.

3. Find something in the newspaper that could be classified as “out of this world”.

4. Find an unusual gift in the newspaper that you could give to someone to express “I Love You!”.

5. Find 5 items that come in pairs.

6. Find an example of something that would improve your “heartiness” or condition of being physically and mentally fit.

7. Find someone in the news who has “heart” or the quality of mind that would enable them to face danger or hardship resolutely.

8. Find someone in the news who is suffering from “heartache” caused by loss or despair. How could they be helped?

9. Find an article with “heartening” news that would inspire confidence or hope in the future.

10. Find an example of foods that would make a “hearty” or “heart healthy” meal.

11. Find an example of someone who was “heartless” or totally lacking in compassion or caring for his or her fellow man/woman.

12. Find an item in the newspaper that you would like to buy that would be a “sweetheart of a deal”.

Scavenger hunt was created by Audrey Eoff, NIE Coordinator, The Monitor, McAllen, TX.

Mardi Gras Activities

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Information and activities are from KRP’s The Ultimate Holiday Activity Guide and News Relief’s A Plan for All Seasons both from the NIE Institute.

Mardi Gras is a colorful celebration that takes place on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penitence in many Christian communities. In the United States, especially in New Orleans and other Southern cities, Mardi Gras has become a popular two-week festival of balls, parties, and parades leading up to Lent.

Mardi Gras means fat Tuesday in French. Do you know any other words that have French origins. Look through the newspaper for words you think might be French in origin. Look up the words in a dictionary or word origin book.

The custom of celebrating Mardi Gras was brought to the United States by French colonists. What other groups of people brought their holiday customs to this country, such as the Germans (Groundhog Day) and the Irish (St. Patrick’s Day)? Think of a holiday custom you and your family cherish. Then write an editorial that might persuade others to adopt that custom for their families. Check the editorial pages of the newspaper for examples of how editorials are written.

The newspaper serves as an excellent guide to entertainment in the local area.  Wherever you may travel, the local newspaper will usually contain the latest information on places to go and things to do.

Use your local newspaper as a guide to local attractions. Look for ads, news stories and pictures that refer to some of the things in your city that provide recreation.

See how many attractions and special events you can find in the newspaper. Then categorize them in the groups listed.

PLACES TO EAT

HISTORIC PLACES TO SEE

SPECIAL EVENTS

GREAT PLACES FOR RELAXATION

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT

Ground Hog Day

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Information and activities are from KRP’s Ultimate Holiday Activity Guide and Understanding Weather from the NIE Institute.

Does the groundhog seeing his shadow on Groundhog Day really mean anything? Legend has it that if he sees his shadow when he awakens from his winter sleep, six more weeks of winter will follow. But if it’s cloudy and the groundhog does not see his shadow, spring will arrive soon.

There is a grain of truth to the beliefs associated with the American tradition of Groundhog Day. Most of the time, mild, sunny weather in January and February will be followed by wintry weather in March. After bad weather in January and February, spring often comes early.

Although most people don’t take Groundhog Day seriously, the custom of predicting the arrival of spring on this day is based on a few traditional weather signs. For example, people have looked to the awakening of hibernating animals as one of the first signs of spring.

Here are some activities you can do with the newspaper.

Create a comic strip about Punxsutawney Phil (the famous groundhog) or other characters from weather folklore. Check the Herald comic strips to see how comic strips are written and drawn.

Make a prediction about the weather based on an aspect of weather folklore. Write your prediction in the style of a newspaper weather report.

Clip newspaper ads for businesses that are affected by weather. Based on the extended forecast in your newspaper, what kind of sales can these businesses expect in the coming days?

To learn more fun facts about groundhogs check out www.groundhog.org the official website of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

Help your teen stay safe on facebook

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Have you seen yet another story in the news about an adult using a computer to lure a minor?  This story was published on www.grandforksherald.com recently. “Grand Forks Police have arrested a paraeducator at several middle schools on a charge of luring a minor by computer, police said today.”  Click here to read the story.

You can help your teen use Facebook safely by explaining the importance of setting strict privacy controls, using smart judgement about what they choose to post, behaving appropriately and understanding that anything they put online can potentially be misused. Here are more tips on navigating this tricky territory.

1. Talk to your teens about controlling their information. Encourage them to be selective about what they share by customizing recipients of their posts. Activities on Facebook, including the applications teens use and games they play, can be viewed by others.

2. Use strict privacy settings. Review all of the options on your privacy settings page. Facebook’s default settings tend to keep information public until a user makes it private (although Facebook is a little stricter wiht minors’ accounts). “Friends Only” is a good choice for most items, but you can be more selective.

3. Pre-approve tags. Choose settings that allow you to see everything you’ve been tagged in (including photos) before the tag links to your page.

4. Use notification settings. You can tell Facebook that you want to be notified of any activity performed on your name, including photo tags.

5. Don’t post your location. Facebook lets users post their location on every post. Teens shouldn’t do this for safety and privacy reasons. Teens can also “tag” their friends’ location but you can prevent anyone from tagging your location in the How Tags Work section.

6. Set rules about what’s appropriate to post. No sexy photos, no drinking photos, no photos of them doing something that could hurt them in the future. Teens also need to be thoughtful about their status updates, wall posts and comments on friends’ posts. Remind them that once they post something, it’s out of their hands.

7. If in doubt, take it out. Use the “Remove Post” button to taken down risky posts.

8. Encourage teens to self-reflect before they self-reveal. Teens are very much in the moment and are likely to post something they didn’t really mean. Work with them on curbing the impulse. Teach them how to ask themselves why they’re posting something, who will be able to read is and whether it could be misunderstood or used against them later.

9. Watch out for the ads. There are tons of ads on Facebook and most major companies have profile pages. Marketers actively use Facebook to target advertising to your teen.

10. Create your own page. The best way to learn the in and out of Facebook is to create your own page. A great way to start talking to your teens about their Facebook experience is to ask them to help you create your own page.

11. “Friend” younger teens. If your kids are in middle school, it may be a sound policy to know what they’re reposting, since teens that age don’t necessarily understand that they’re creating a digital footprint. Keep in mind that kids can block you from seeing things, so chek in with them, too.

12. Talk to your high school-aged teens about whether they’re comfortable letting you “friend” them. Many will be. But if you are your teen’s friend, don’t fill his/her page with comments, and don’t friend his/her friends. Many parents say Facebook is the only way they know what’s going on in their teens’ life, so tread cautiously.

13. Choose your battles. You’ll see the good, the bad and the truly unfathomable. If you don’t want your teen to unfriend you, don’t ask them about every transgression. Keep it general.

14. Be a model friend. Remember that your teens can see what you post, too. Model good behavior for your teens and keep your own digital footprint clean.

15. Review Facebook’s Safety Center. Several FAQs, from general safety to safety for teens, provide detailed information on how to use Facebook safely.

To download a printable copy of these tips, click on the following link: http://bit.ly/SkUXd2

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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Information and activities are from KRP’s The Ultimate Holiday Activity Guide from the NIE Institute.

Since 1986, the United States has observed the birth of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as a legal public holiday. It is always celebrated on the third Monday in January. This day is set aside each year to honor King, the powerful black minister from Atlanta who was the main force behind the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. He was also a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (1964) for leading non-violent civil rights demonstrations.

Despite his belief in peaceful demonstrations, King himself was often the target of violence. It ended King’s life at the age of 39, when an assassin shot and killed him while he supported a strike by black garbage workers in Memphis, Tenn., in 1968.


1. Even though slavery was officially abolished in 1865, Martin Luther King Jr. talked often about his desire for freedom for African-Americans. Ask students to discuss what they think King meant by freedom. Then have them cut out words and pictures from the newspaper that illustrate freedom to use on a poster.

2. Martin Luther King Jr. was a hero to many people both when he was alive and after his death. Have students look through the newspaper for a present-day hero. Then have them make a list of the character traits that make that person a positive influence. Conclude by having them find a person featured in the newspaper who would not be a good role model. Allow them to discuss their thoughts.

3. Civil rights, such as the right to free speech, are the freedoms a person has because he or she is a member of a civilized society. Ask students to imagine what it would be like to lose their civil rights. What freedoms would they have to give up? Now, ask students to look through the newspaper for a story about someone who is denied his or her civil rights. Have them discuss their thoughts in small groups.

4. Provide students copies of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” along with examples of news stories and editorials from the newspaper (see the link below for the speech.) Ask each to assume the role of reporter and pretend they were present when King gave the speech. Conclude the activity by having them write either a newspaper story about the speech or an editorial expressing opinions about what was said.

Click on the following read or download Martin Luther King Jr.’s  “I Have a Dream Speech.” http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/I%20HAVE%20A%20DREAM%20PRINTABLE.pdf

One more resource:  http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/martin-luther-king-jr-and-power-nonviolence#sect-activities

Thanksgiving Newspaper Activities

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Here are some easy ways to integrate the newspaper into your curriculum (many of these ideas are cross-curricular):

1. ART: Look through the newspaper for advertising that catches your attention. Find at least four examples of ads you like. What are the reasons the ads are so enticing? Create a list of what made the ad stand out (for instance, was it the use of a border, the amount of white space, the colors, etc.).

Now look through the newspaper and find at least 10 items(words, phrases, photos or graphics can be used) for which you are thankful this season.

Create a Thanksgiving collage, employing some of the techniques you liked in your chosen advertisements; you may want to replicate the concept of the ad in your collage.

2. CAREER EDUCATION: Many employers hire seasonal help beginning this time of year to help with the holiday rush. Look through today’s classified help wanted ads and see how many opportunities you can find for seasonal jobs. Which of the jobs do you think you’d enjoy most? Least?

3. ENGLISH/ LANGUAGE ARTS: Thanksgiving is a holiday seeped in tradition. For instance, every November, a Presidential pardon is issued to save a turkey from becoming Thanksgiving dinner; the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is always televised that morning live from New York; etc.

Find examples of other Thanksgiving traditions mentioned in today’s newspaper. Write a persuasive essay (including an introduction, body and conclusion) about why one of these traditions should be kept or eliminated. Your essay should include your opinions but should also be backed up with facts and statistics (either found in your newspaper, online or in your library).

4. GEOGRAPHY: The college football season is winding down. Look at today’s sports section and find information about at least three college football teams that will be playing in ballgames during the Thanksgiving weekend.  If you wanted to visit all three cities where the games would be played, what would be the smartest route to take and in what order would you want to visit? (Assume you’ll be traveling by car.)

Using a United States map, calculate how many miles you’d travel. What geographical features would you cross on your path (i.e. rivers, mountain ranges, deserts, etc.)?

Find the latitude and longitude of each city in your list. What states are represented in your list? What regions?

Use the weather map in today’s newspaper to describe the probable weather in each of your chosen cities at this time of year.

5. HISTORY: Thanksgiving in America is traced back the pilgrims and Native Americans. Using today’s news stories as your guide, write a news article as if you participated in or observed the first Thanksgiving. Be sure to include possible quotes from some of the people who would have been present.

When your article is completed, look at today’s news to decide how to write a good headline. Now, write your own headline for your story. Remember – the goal of a headline is to briefly describe the article and to draw in the reader.

6. MATHEMATICS: You’ve been assigned to make the Thanksgiving feast at your house this year, using only $50.  Use the grocery ads and any published recipes to decide what you’ll make. Since this is your Thanksgiving feast, you’re welcomed to be creative in what you cook. Decide on a main course, at least two side dishes and a dessert. Use the grocery ads to determine the following:

-The total cost to purchase the ingredients needed, including the appropriate sales tax for your community (remember your $50 budget); and

-The percentage of your funds that will be spent on each item in your meal-the main course, both side dishes and the desert.

7. MUSIC: Christmas is known for a variety of music. Your assignment is to create a song that will establish Thanksgiving as a musical holiday.  Work with at least two classmates on this project. Clip out at least 10 headlines and divide them into their parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.). Your goal is to create a Thanksgiving song that incorporates only the words you’ve cut out (you do NOT have to use all the words you’ve clipped, but you cannot use any words you haven’t!). Use any familiar tune to set your words to music, and share with the class.

8. NEWSPAPER KNOWLEDGE: Write the word T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G down the left-hand portion of a plain piece of paper.  Look through the newspaper to find examples of articles, advertising and/or photos that begin with each letter. Write a phrase to describe the word’s significance to today’s news and identify where in the newspaper you found it. (EXAMPLE: T-echnology: this refers to section D of today’s newspaper, which is labeled Business and Technology and includes stories about new technological developments in music, computers, games and more.)

9. SCIENCE & HEALTH: Many fitness clubs and weight-loss programs encourage people not to overindulge during the holidays. But, because it always happens, those same organizations count on increasing their membership as soon as Christmas is over.  Develop a strategy to help your family avoid gaining weight this holiday season. Use grocery ads to design a healthier menu for your family’s holiday meals.  Also look in today’s newspaper for physical activities your family can enjoy together during your vacation.

10. SOCIAL STUDIES: Different people celebrate Thanksgiving in different ways.  Look through today’s newspaper to find ways that area groups and families are celebrating the holiday throughout our region and throughout America. Other countries also celebrate holidays similar to our Thanksgiving (obviously not started for the same reason). Find examples of such countries. Research in the news, the Internet and in your library to find out the major differences in how the holidays are celebrated outside of the United States.

 

Activities provided by: Emily R. Workman, NIE Program Director, The Benton County Daily Record & Northwest Arkansas Times, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Northwest Arkansas Edition and distributed by the NIE Institute.

Thanksgiving Newspaper Scavenger Hunt

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Check out this newspaper scavenger hunt. See how many of the following Thanksgiving-related items you can find in your newspaper:

1. A food that you’d like to eat for Thanksgiving

2. A place you’d like to visit during Thanksgiving

3. Something for which you’re thankful this year

4. Information about a Thanksgiving-related event in your area

5. Someone who has reason to be thankful this year

6. The word “thanks” or “Thanksgiving” in today’s newspaper

7. The word “turkey” or a photo or graphic of one

8. The thing in today’s news that you think the first Thanksgiving guests would be surprised by the most

Provided by Emily R. Workman, NiE Program Director, The Benton County Daily Record & Northwest Arkansas Times, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Northwest Arkansas Edition and distributed by the NIE Institute. 


Download the page by clicking on the following link:   

Thanksgiving Newspaper Scavenger Hunt

FREE Resource Our Veterans Sharing Their Stories

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Who are Veterans?

They are men and women who, for many reasons, donned the uniform of our country to stand between freedom and tyranny; to take up the sword of justice in defense of the liberties we hold dear; to preserve peace and to calm the winds of war.

Your mothers and fathers, your grandparents, your aunts and uncles, your neighbors, the shop owners in your community, your teachers, your favorite athlete, a Hollywood star, and your political leaders… each one could be a veteran.

But as much as they may differ by gender, race, age, national origin, or profession, they share a common love for our great nation; a love great enough to put their very lives on the line, if need be, to guarantee the way of life we enjoy today, and to secure that way of life for tomorrow’s generations.

The title of veteran must be earned. It is a title endowed by a grateful nation on citizens whose shoulders were broad enough to carry the weight of our common defense.

It is a title that speaks of courage and sacrifice in the face of mortal danger. It is a title that speaks of compassion and heartbreak in the wake of the terrible cost of war. And it is a title that speaks of love of country, and of a belief in America’s goodness, and our strength.

This supplement, distributed by the NIE Institute, focuses on veterans from all walks of life including bios on African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Women, and Japanese Nesei (2nd generation). It will also help schools, teachers and students conducting Take a Veteran to School Day and Thank a Veteran at Work Projects.

Click on the link below to download:

http://legacy.grandforksherald.com/pdfs/veterans_2010r.pdf

Note: if you are going to print this pdf, make sure to adjust your print setting to “fit on page”. The pdf is bigger than 8.5 x 11 (normal print size.)