1. Building

Architect Ieoh Ming Pei, known as I.M. Pei, was born in China on April 26, 1917. He moved to America to study architecture and went on to become one of the most influential building designers in the world. Look at examples of different types of buildings in photos and ads in the newspaper and online. Then design a house you'd like to live in. Draw a sketch of it. Describe the features of your house to the class and why they are important to you.

Learning Standards: Identifying and using aspects of the craft of the speaker, writer and illustrator to formulate and express ideas artistically; acquiring information from multiple print, visual and electronic sources.

2. Ashmun Institute

On April 29, 1854, the nation's first African American College was chartered in Pennsylvania. It was first called the Ashmun Institute, but in 1866 it was renamed Lincoln University. Today it remains a leading historically African American school. Read an article in this week's newspapers about an educational institution. In two paragraphs, sum up how the institution is making news, in your own words.

Learning Standard: Reading and comprehending general and technical material.

3. Quadruplets

A set of quadruplets -- four siblings born at the same time like twins -- are all headed to the same college. Grace, Erin, Bobby and Danny Mele of Setauket, New York, decided they didn't want to be apart, so they'll all attend Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York. Fortunately, the school gives scholarships and a "sibling discount." Find articles about young people with impressive accomplishments. The accomplishments can be academic, athletic, philanthropic or anything else. Then make a list of some of your accomplishments, talents and skills. Pretend you're getting ready to go to college, and use the list to write a letter asking for a scholarship.

Learning Standard: Writing fluently for multiple purposes to produce compositions, such as personal narratives, persuasive essays, lab reports and poetry.

4. Teachers

May 4 is National Teacher Day, a day to honor educators. You can find educators both in and out of the classroom. Look though the newspaper and find examples of different types of teachers. For example, you might find someone running a charity and teaching lessons of generosity. To get ready for National Teacher Day, write a thank you letter to someone who has taught you something. It can be a teacher at school, a parent, a big brother or sister or anyone else.

Learning Standards: Responding to a variety of oral, visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to students' personal lives and the lives of others; demonstrating the ability to write clear and grammatically correct sentences, paragraphs and compositions.

5. Mount Everest

A team of mountain climbers in the Asian country of Nepal are cleaning up Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. The climbers are hoping to remove years of accumulated garbage from the mountain's "death zone" -- the area above 26,246 feet. The debris includes such things as empty oxygen bottles and ropes left behind by other climbers, plus the bodies of at least two climbers who died on the mountain. The clean-up is being led by Namgyal Sherpa, who is making his eighth climb of Everest. How can you help clean up your neighborhood? Look through the newspaper for anti-litter or beautifying campaigns in your community. As a class, put together a plan for joining one of those efforts or creating your own. Then put your plan into action!

Learning Standard: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about matters of public concern by clarifying issues, considering opposing views, applying democratic values, anticipating consequences and working toward making decisions.