For Grades K-4 THE WEEK OF Sep. 26, 2016

1. Candidates’ Daughters Are Friends

Their parents are saying terrible things about each other, but it hasn’t affected the long friendship between Chelsea Clinton and Ivanka Trump. Clinton is the daughter of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and Trump is daughter of Republican Donald Trump. Despite their parents’ differences, Chelsea said on “The View” TV show that she and Ivanka “will be friends long after this election. [It] is not going to end because of politics.” Ivanka, 34, has confirmed the long-lasting friendship with Chelsea, 36, who has said, “We have much more in common than we have disagreement about.” Each is a “working mom,” involved in the presidential campaign of her parent. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off Monday, September 26 in the first debate of the general election for president. As a class, read stories about what each candidate said. Write a letter to either Chelsea Clinton or Ivanka Trump giving your view about one thing said by her candidate parent during the debate.

Common Core State Standards: Writing opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information; citing specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions.

2. A Fish for Obama

Scientists are naming a new fish after President Obama, as a way of thanking him for expanding a protected area of ocean off the Hawaiian coast. The fish was discovered 300 feet deep in the waters of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which the president increased in size by four times. That makes the area in the Pacific Ocean the largest protected marine sanctuary in the world, with more than a half million square miles of sea, reefs, atolls and islands. Those who discovered the fish say a circular red spot ringed with blue on its dorsal fin reminded them of Obama’s campaign logo when he first ran for president. While that is interesting, they say they already had decided to name the fish for him as a thank you for expanding the sanctuary. Protecting natural areas on land or in oceans is a concern for people all over the world. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about an effort to protect a natural area. Use what you read and additional resources to design a poster highlighting the features of this area and why they should be protected. Give your poster an eye-catching headline.

Common Core State Standards: Integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic; using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points.

3. From a Jet to a Met

Tim Tebow never quite made it in professional football as a quarterback with the New York Jets and other teams. So he has turned to baseball, as a New York Met. The former college football star has signed with the Mets and will start his pro baseball career this fall in a Florida instructional league. It has not been determined what position he will play. Tebow got $100,000 as a signing bonus, but the Mets general manager said the signing was not done for publicity. Tebow “has demonstrated … that he is a tremendous athlete, has got character [and] a competitive spirit,” the general manager said. At the University of Florida, Tebow won the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football in 2007. To be a top athlete, a person needs skills and the character to practice to succeed. In the newspaper, find and closely read a story about an athlete you admire. Use what you read to write a poem, rap or rhyme describing the skills and character of this athlete. Use active verbs and adjectives in your poems.

Common Core State Standards: Demonstrating understanding of figurative language; applying knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts; conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

4. Stroller Injuries

Every hour, two children 5 or younger in the United States are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to strollers or car carriers. That adds up to nearly 361,000 toddlers injured during a 21-year period that ended in 2010, researchers report in the medical journal Academic Pediatrics. Some children in the accidents have suffered concussions, which can harm development, learning and behavior. Falls and tip-overs have caused head injuries (nearly 62 percent), face injuries (nearly 25 percent) and a variety of other damage, the study discloses. “We expect strollers and carriers to be safe and provide a secure way to transport children,” said the study’s author, a mother of two young children. Issues involving the health or safety of children are often in the news because they affect so many families. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about one issue involving children. Use what you read to write a letter to the editor, detailing the most important things families should know about the issue.

Common Core State Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task; reading closely what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it.

5. Rocket Explodes

SpaceX is a satellite company leading the spread of Internet service through spacecraft orbiting the Earth. This summer, however, the company suffered a big setback, when a routine prelaunch engine test ended in an explosion. The explosion hurled a fireball over the Cape Canaveral launch pad in Florida, destroying both the rocket and the satellite it was carrying. Cause of the explosion is being investigated. The explosion was a setback for both SpaceX and America’s NASA space agency. SpaceX was trying to catch up with satellite launches following a launch accident last year, and NASA counts on the private company to keep the International Space Station stocked with supplies. Eventually, SpaceX craft may carry astronauts to the space station. Space satellites are an example of technology being used in new ways to help people. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read stories or ads involving another kind of technology that is being used in new ways. Use what you read to write a paragraph explaining how the technology is being used and how that helps people in new ways.

Common Core State Standards: Writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly; citing specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions.