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Activities for Week 1

READING: The elections will soon be over. However, the newspapers will still have items about election results and the changes expected in the future. Read one news item about the election from the front page and one from the opinion/editorial page. What information does each give about the election? Which one seems to give more facts? Which one seems to be more emotional? In your journal, explain your answers.

WRITING: You have been following the election campaign of several candidates. Choose one of the candidates and pretend to be that candidate. Write an acceptance speech in your journal.

MATH: According to the 1990 census, 12,937,926 people live in Florida. If 36% of the people were to vote, how many votes would be cast?

CAREER CONNECTION: Many people make the military a career. Write to a branch of the armed forces to find out what kinds of careers are available. Which ones do you think match your interests and skills?

Activities for Week 2

READING: On Veterans Day, we remember the men and women who fought for America. Find articles in the newspaper about these American heroes. As you read the articles, determine their main ideas and patterns of organization.

WRITING: Some people believe that war books and movies glorify the battlefield and make war seem appealing. Others, however, believe that it is necessary to depict the realities of war to discourage it. Do a search in the library to find reviews of Saving Private Ryan in back issues of the newspaper. Make up your mind about whether war should be depicted. In your journal, write a persuasive paragraph that illustrates your thoughts.

MATH: Veterans Day is November 11. It was originally known as Armistice Day. Read the newspaper to find out about wars the United States has been involved in since 1918. Chart these wars by date on a graph.

CAREER CONNECTION: Careers in the future will require you to be a problem-solver. Think about a time you solved a problem. What was the problem? How did you solve it? List the steps in your thinking process.

Activities for Week 3

READING: Thanksgiving is almost here. Look through the newspaper for articles about people celebrating Thanksgiving. As you look at the headlines, try to predict what type of information the articles will contain. Then read the articles to see if you are correct. How are these celebrations like yours? How are they different?

WRITING: Read the newspaper to see what kinds of events are taking place in other parts of the world. In your journal, write a story that describes what you are most thankful for. Decorate your story and give it to someone special.

MATH: This is a Thanksgiving recipe for Candied Orange Walnuts. Measure all the ingredients accurately. Ask your parents to help you with the boiling liquid. You´ll need 2 cups of sugar, 1 teaspoon of orange extract, ½ cup of orange juice, and 4 cups of walnut halves. Boil the sugar and the juice for one minute. Add the other ingredients. Stir the mixture and pour it onto wax paper to dry. Enjoy.

CAREER CONNECTION: Many jobs exist for people interested in food preparation. Visit the Florida Restaurant Association´s Web site to find out what jobs are available at www.fra-stc.org/txtemploy.html or www.fra-stc.org/information.html

Activities for Week 4

READING: In Florida, the November air is filled with footballs. Major university teams play each other and professional teams such as the Jaquars, Buccaneers, and the Dolphins are trying to make the playoffs. Read articles about the football teams in the state and decide if the writers have any biases for or against any particular team.

WRITING: Basketball season is beginning. Look at the statistics in the newspaper for a local high school team. In your journal, write a sports story about the game based on the players´ statistics.

MATH: Look in the newspaper for the scores of football games that were played over the weekend. Try to figure out how many different ways the points could have been scored. Remember, a touchdown is 6 points, the extra point is 1 point if kicked and 2 points if run or passed, a field goal is 3 points, and a safety is 2 points. For example, if a team scored 24 points, they may have scored 2 touchdowns, 1 kick point, 1 pass point, and 3 field goals. However, there are many other scoring combinations that could add up to the 24 points.

CAREER CONNECTION: There are many careers available in athletics such as sports trainers, lawyers, or nutritionists. As you read the sports page, note the different professions. Then, write to the athletic department of a state university and ask what kinds of training are needed for these jobs.

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