nieworld.com

Teachers

Students

Families

Projects

Email NIE

Activities for Week 1

READING: Memorial Day comes at the end of May. Read articles in the newspaper about Memorial Day. Also, look through the newspaper for Memorial Day sales. What do the sales tell you about how Americans celebrate this holiday? Which products would you want to buy? Make a list of them in your journal. What does your list say about your interests?

WRITING: "Cinco de Mayo" is a holiday in Mexico. What do you think Cinco de Mayo means? Look through the newspaper to read about this holiday. Then write a story in which you compare Cinco de Mayo to an American holiday.

MATH: You want to buy a new bicycle for the upcoming summer. Look at the ads in the paper for bicycles and write down how much a new bicycle costs. Then look through the classified ads to find a used bicycle and write down that price. How much money can you save by buying a used bicycle?

CAREER CONNECTION: Find out about lifeguards. What are the requirements for being a lifeguard? What is the salary? Look for ads in today´s newspaper that show clothing and gear a lifeguard uses. Explain why lifeguards need this special gear.

Activities for Week 2

READING: It´s Kentucky Derby time! Read articles in the newspaper and find names of previous winners. What kinds of information can you learn about the horses or their owners by looking at the names of horses?

WRITING: Look for the articles in the newspaper about how different countries celebrate May Day. For instance, the Russians parade weapons through the streets to show off their military power. In England, May Day is a celebration of spring. In your journal, write a story that would illustrate something unique about the month of May in your community.

MATH: Many people put their houses up for sale in May. Look in the newspaper for pictures of houses for sale in your area. Find one you like and jot down the price. Assuming you have $5,000 for a down payment, figure out how much your monthly payment would be if the interest rate on your mortgage is 7.5 percent and you are getting a 30-year mortgage.

CAREER CONNECTION: Call the public library to find out what type of education you must have to become an attorney. Review today´s local section of the newspaper to find stories related to law or requiring an attorney´s services.

Activities for Week 3

READING: There are many influential women today in all walks of life, including politics, journalism and sports. Read articles in the newspaper that describe women who have made a difference. As you read the articles, determine the point of view of the author.

WRITING: Mother´s Day is this month. Read through the newspaper to find inspirational stories about mothers. Then write a story about your own mother, "mother figure" or grandmother and give it to her for Mother´s Day.

MATH: Count the number of articles in the business section of the newspaper. How many of those articles were written by women? Convert that number into a percentage. Predict which section of the newspaper will have the highest percentage of articles written by women. Then check out your prediction.

CAREER CONNECTION: Write your newspaper to get information on becoming a journalist. Examine various types of writing in today´s newspaper such as news articles, columns and feature articles. Then list three different types of journalists.

Activities for Week 4

READING: You will soon be hearing a lot about hurricane season, which begins in June. Read the newspaper to find out what you can do to protect yourself during a hurricane. Then summarize the essential points by explaining the article to your parents.

WRITING: Newspapers provide a wide variety of information on weather around the world. Keep an eye out for extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes, fires, floods, droughts or tornadoes. Write a story in your journal about a time when you were frightened by weather conditions.

MATH: Access a Florida newspaper on the Internet. Do a search on the path of Hurricane Andrew or another large storm. Then plot that path on a hurricane tracking chart.

CAREER CONNECTION: Contact the Red Cross to find out what qualifications you would need to work for them. Review today´s newspaper and find an article that shows people helping others in need.

Copyright © 2009 NIE WORLD (www.nieworld.com). All content copyrighted and may not be republished without permission. The News-Journal has no control over and is not responsible for content on other Web sites. Privacy Policy.