1. Super Commercials

In addition to football fans, Sunday's Super Bowl promises to draw viewers who want to see the commercials that advertisers have come up with for one of the most-watched TV events of the year. Pick a product mentioned in the newspaper, in an article or advertisement. In groups, design a commercial promoting the product. Write a script for your commercial, and include where it would take place and what props you would use. Share it with the class and explain why you think it would be effective.

Learning Standards: Using strategies to regulate the effects of variables on the communication process; designing a communication environment for maximum impact on the receiver; representing creatively.

2. Lesson Plan

February is Black History Month, and kids in classrooms across the country are learning about the contributions African Americans have made, and are making, in America. In groups, use the newspaper for ideas to design a Black History Month lesson for elementary or middle school students. It can focus on a specific person or group, a historical event or anything else. Present your lesson to the rest of the class. Then ask for their feedback.

Learning Standard: Integrating listening, viewing, speaking, reading and writing skills for multiple purposes and in varied contexts.

3. Speechifying

Last week President Obama gave his State of the Union address, an annual speech in which the President discusses how things are going in the country and outlines plans for the future. Read news articles about Obama's speech. Then write your own speech about the state of your school or your community. Include positive aspects of your school or community, as well as things you'd like to see improved. Outline ideas for how things can be improved.

Learning Standard: Reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing critically and representing creatively. Examples include speaking publicly, demonstrating teamwork skills, debating formally, performing literature, and interviewing for employment.

4. Healthy Heart

February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. High blood pressure is sometimes called "the silent killer," because it has no symptoms, but can lead to heart disease. Doctors recommend adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle when you're young, before problems start.

Find articles about heart disease and what causes it in the newspaper and online. Create a poster or pamphlet designed to convince teens to make heart-healthy choices now.

Learning Standard: Communicating information accurately and effectively and demonstrating expressive abilities by creating oral, written and visual texts that enlighten and engage an audience.

5. Lizards

Last week a German reptile collector was stopped at the Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand with 44 lizards in his pants. Hans Kurt Kubus gathered the geckos and skinks illegally and was attempting to transport them illegally - and possibly to sell them illegally, as well. The lizards are protected in New Zealand under the nation's Wildlife Act and the Trade in Endangered Species Act. Using the newspaper and online sources, gather information about an animal protected by the Unitred States' Endangered Species Act. Write a short report on how the animal came to be listed as endangered, what its current status is and what predictions are for the animal's future.

Learning Standards: Describing the environmental consequences of major world processes and events; explaining how parts of an ecosystem are related and how they interact; analyzing how humans and the environment interact.