1. A New Self

Self magazine is remaking itself. It is broadening its focus from exercise and wellness to become more of a lifestyle publication, including more beauty and fashion content. “Being fit and fashionable is really one,” says Laura McEwen, publisher of the magazine. The target readership is women 18 to 30 who are interested in social media. More than content will be changed — the new Self will feature chatty headlines, bolder images and subsections, including fashion, trends and a column called “Just Shoot Me Now” offering advice on how to deal with embarrassing situations. Magazines that appeal to women are highly competitive. Use the newspaper and Internet to make a list of them, comparing circulation and approaches. Then write a short essay addressing what you think are the features that make a women’s interest magazine successful.

Common Core/National Standards: Using technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish and update individual or shared writing projects; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

2. Joy Luck

On February 19, 1952, writer Amy Tan was born. Her most famous book, “The Joy Luck Club,” is about a group of four friends from China and their daughters, who have grown up in America. Read a story about a group of two or more friends in this week's newspaper. Based on the details in the story, create a chapter for a graphic novel, showing the friends doing something together. A graphic novel uses illustrated panels to tell the story, as a comic book or comic strip does.

Common Core/National Standard: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; exploring and reflecting on universal themes and substantive issues from oral, visual and written texts.

3. It’s Cookie Time Again

At the start of each new year, America starts thinking about some of its favorite sweets — Girl Scout cookies. Did you know that in the beginning, the Girl Scouts baked the cookies themselves to earn merit badges for baking? Eventually, the cookies became so popular, and the fund-raising possibilities so high, that the annual Girl Scout cookie sale became a nationwide event. Not everyone likes the cookie sale, which is now under way. Some health and community leaders question whether the Girl Scouts should rely so heavily on selling sugary products to raise money for scouting, while some parents dislike the pressure it puts on girls to deliver and to compete. What do you think? As a class, discuss the pros and cons of the Girl Scout cookie sale. Do some research online and write a short editorial about the cookie sale for the newspaper.

Common Core/National Standards: Responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

4. Smoking and Mental Illness

Researchers have found that people with mental illness are 70 percent more likely to smoke cigarettes than other people. A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the nation’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration concluded that one of three persons with mental illness smokes, compared to one in five without mental illness. As a result, people with mental illness are at greater risk of dying early because of their smoking than because of their mental condition, the CDC director observed. The perils of smoking are well substantiated. Research statistics on smoking and health risks in the newspaper or online and use what you find to create a public service ad on smoking for the newspaper. Give your ad an eye-catching headline.

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

5. Moose on the Loose

Are there too many moose or too few? It may depend on what U.S. state the moose are in. In Maine, an effort was made to take a moose census by flying over the Maine woods in a helicopter. The tally was higher than expected — 76,000 — leading to calls for more moose-hunting licenses. In Minnesota, however, the state canceled its moose hunting season because an aerial survey revealed that its moose population had dropped to only 2,670. As a class, discuss different rules that states set to protect or deal with wild animals. Then find a photo or story involving a wild animal in the newspaper or online. Write a paragraph describing rules that would be appropriate for dealing with this wild animal.

Common Core/National Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.