1. Winter

December 21 marks the winter solstice. Read about the winter solstice in the newspaper or online. In groups, design a page for an elementary school science textbook that explains the winter solstice to kids. Include a diagram or drawing.

Learning Standards: Describing, comparing and explaining the motions of planets, moons and comets in the solar system; representing creatively.

2. Other Peoples' Lives

Margaret Mead was a famous anthropologist (AN-throw-POL-o-jist). She was born on December 16, 1901. An anthropologist is a person who studies groups of people and their cultures. Imagine you are an anthropologist from another country and have never heard of America before. Use the newspaper to find out about Americans. List your findings in the chart below.

Learning Standard: Locating and describing diverse kinds of communities and explaining the reasons for their characteristics and locations.

A. What languages do Americans speak?

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B. What do Americans look like?

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C. What are some things Americans like to do?

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D. What do Americans think is funny?

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E. Are the answers you give using the newspaper different from those you would give on your own?

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F. If so, why do you think that is?

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3. Making the Grade

During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, President Obama said that looking back over his first year in office he'd give himself a B-plus for the way he has done his job. He said he wouldn't grade himself higher because many things he wanted to do aren't finished yet. Read in the newspaper about what President Obama has accomplished. Then think about how you'd rate yourself so far this school year. Come up with an overall grade based on how hard you've worked, how much you've learned and how you've treated other people, especially your classmates, teachers and family. Write a paragraph or two explaining the grade you gave yourself.

Learning Standard: Reflecting on students' developing literacy, setting learning goals and evaluating their progress; using laws and other ethical rules to evaluate students own conduct and the conduct of others.

4. Christmas

You can't miss Christmas in the United States. Thanks to TV, movies and malls, even people who don't celebrate the holiday know Christmas songs, symbols and traditions. Using the newspaper and online sources, read about how people celebrate Christmas in different countries, and about other winter holidays. Create a piece of art that represents one of the holidays or holiday traditions you read about. Share your artwork with the class.

Learning Standard: Identifying and using aspects of the craft of the speaker, writer and illustrator to formulate and express ideas artistically.

5. Potty-Trained Pigs

To avoid water pollution fines, farmers on the Asian island of Taiwan are potty-training their pigs. One farmer told the Taiwan News that almost all of his pigs are trained to use special toilets, rather than use the river. In groups, read articles about other ways people are working to curb pollution. Then come up with a list of things you can do individually or as a class to help fight pollution in your community.

Learning Standards: Engaging in activities intended to contribute to solving a national or international problem students have studied; describing ways in which humans alter the environment.