1. Living

There are certain things that all living things on Earth need in order to survive. In teams or pairs, make lists of (A.) what a person needs to live, (B.) what a tree needs and (C.) what an animal that you like needs. Then go through this week's newspapers and find pictures and words that represent the needs of one of the living things on your lists. Use what you find to write a poem, rap or rhyme about the needs of that living thing. For added fun, try cutting the pictures out and creating an art mobile to share with the class. A mobile is a hanging artwork on which pictures and words hang in balance from a wide item like a ruler or clothes hanger.

Common Core/National Standards: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; describing the basic requirements for all living things to maintain their existence.

2. On the Move

At this time of year, birds and other animals migrate. That means that they go to warmer places to spend the winter. Listen as your teacher reads an article from this week's newspaper about animals or people making a trip. Or find and read one online. In small groups, find the starting place and final destination of the journey on a map. Measure the distance between the two. Use the map's scale of miles to figure out how far the people or animals traveled, if they went "as the crow flies" in a straight line.

Common Core/National Standard: Locating information using people, books, audio/video recordings, photos, simple maps, graphs and tables.

3. Picture Math

Use the pictures in today's newspaper to make a simple addition or subtraction problem. For instance, to make the problem 2 + 3, you could cut out a picture with two buildings and then cut out three pictures of apples. Paste your pictures on a sheet of paper, and write the appropriate +/- and = signs. Give your sheet to someone else. Have them show their answer using pictures, too. For the problem 2 buildings plus 3 apples, someone could paste down 5 pictures of babies as the answer.

Common Core/National Standard: Using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to solve problems.

4. 007 at 50

James Bond was a spy character created by a writer named Ian Fleming. For 50 years, Bond also has been a popular movie character. Twenty-two Bond movies have been made, and the 23rd, "Skyfall," will be released in U.S. theaters on November 9. The anniversary is being celebrated in a new TV movie called "Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of James Bond," and there has also been a charity auction of some of the spy gadgets made famous in the Bond films. Find a picture or a story in today's newspaper in which someone is doing a task. Use your imagination and draw a gadget that could help the person accomplish the task. Be sure to label the interesting parts of your invention, and to give it a creative name.

Common Core/National Standard: Reading and writing with developing fluency, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing strategically and representing creatively.

5. Birthday Honors

Pablo Picasso was one of the best and most famous artists of all time. He was born on October 25, 1881, and in his long life, he tried many new things as an artist. Some of his artworks looked like people and things you would see in real life. Many others were unusual artworks dreamed up in Picasso’s imagination. These works, which were called “modern art” or “abstract art,” were sometimes based on real things but many times were not. In honor of Picasso’s birthday, pick an adjective you like. Now use your imagination and cut out pictures and/or words from the newspaper that remind you of this adjective. Make an art poster or collage from your cutouts. Be sure to give your artwork a title. Share with the class and discuss. Finally, how old would Pablo Picasso be if he were alive on October 25 this year?

Common Core/National Standard: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points.