For Grades 5-8 THE WEEK OF Mar. 11, 2013

1. A New Science Award

A new award for medicine and biology has been established by four Internet innovators, and it offers prizes worth more than twice as much as the famous Nobel Prize. It’s called the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, and each of the first 11 recipients will receive $3 million. The purpose of the award is to give scientists who have furthered human knowledge the kind of attention normally bestowed on sports and entertainment celebrities, according to a consultant to the committee that made the choices, Apple chairman Arthur D. Levinson. Among those putting up money for the prize is Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. It is meant to reward scientists “who think big, take risks and have had a significant impact on our lives.” In the newspaper or online, find and read a story about a scientific breakthrough. Then write a short letter to the editor, commenting on the breakthrough and why it is important to others or to research in its field.

Common Core/National Standards: Integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

2. Tax Unhealthy Foods?

The European nation of Hungary has been imposing taxes on salt, sugar and the ingredients in energy drinks, not just to raise revenue but to force those who eat unhealthy foods to pay more toward the country’s underfinanced health system. Nearly two-thirds of Hungarians are overweight or obese, according to statistics, and Hungary has the highest per capita salt consumption in Europe. A typical breakfast, for example, may include sweet pastries, fatty sausages and items fried in lard. Several European countries have been taxing items like sugary sodas, fatty cheeses and salty chips, and others are considering it — among them, France, Finland, Denmark, Britain, Ireland and Romania. In the United States, although Mayor Michel R. Bloomberg has tried to ban 32-ounce sodas in New York City, there has been no movement to promote healthier eating through taxation. As a class, talk about the efforts that have been made to promote healthier diet in this country, including Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign. Use information in the newspaper and points raised in discussion, to write a short newspaper editorial expressing your views on using taxes to encourage better eating behaviors.

Common Core/National Standard: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

3. ‘Can’t Catch Me?’ They Could

When the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office asked for the public’s help in locating a drug dealer in eastern Pennsylvania, a suspect couldn’t resist taunting the law enforcement authorities. He went online and posted a bad rendition of an old children’s rhyme: “Run run as fast as u can u cant catch me im da ginger bread man …” It turned out, however, that he was way too cocky. The police could indeed catch him, and within days they had arrested Mark Gross Jr. when he was spotted in a parking lot. The arrest was based on a bench warrant for drug sales, but now other charges have been added — avoiding apprehension, possession of a controlled substance and of drug paraphernalia. No charges for writing bad rhymes (though Gross’s was nearly criminal), and none for picking a bad rhyme source. The Gingerbread Man, if Gross had looked it up, was indeed caught — and fatally! Alone or with a partner, read a story in the newspaper that interests you. Rewrite the story in the form of a familiar nursery rhyme or a song you like. Share with the class.

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

4. The Earth Opened Up

The Earth opened and swallowed a bedroom in Florida this month — with a man inside. What a Hillsborough County official described as “a very unusual sinkhole” caused Jeff Bush’s disappearance and death, while five others in the house escaped unharmed. The 20-foot sinkhole is almost completely covered by the four-bedroom house in Seffner, near Tampa, ruling out any rescue effort. In fact, crews have begun demolishing the house, while two neighboring houses have been evacuated as the ground under them is tested. Sinkholes are not uncommon in Florida because the state sits on limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water. They are unpredictable, experts say, but most are small and involve little damage. Use the newspaper and online resources to find other news about sinkholes or other natural disasters. Pick one and write an explanation of why it occurs and what the risks are.

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

5. ‘Oz’ Is Back, but Different

Don’t expect “Oz the Great and Powerful,” which opens in theaters this month, to be a revised version of the “The Wizard of Oz” you and your family may remember. For starters, it’s a Disney-made “prequel” movie (which takes place before the original story). And though it is based on L. Frank Baum’s “Oz” books, it’s much different. For one thing, Dorothy isn’t in it; for another, it had to avoid infringing on the 1939 MGM film’s copyrights, now held by Warner Bros. The yellow brick road is back, but nobody skips on it (the new movie is not a musical). The Munchkins are ethnically diverse (some are African American and Asian). The winged monkeys are sharp-toothed baboons, and one of them is friendly — Finley, the wizard’s sidekick, wearing a bellhop uniform. New movies often are based on books or older movies. Pick a movie you have seen or a movie in the ads and listings in the newspaper. Brainstorm a plot idea for a “prequel” or “sequel” movie. Write a summary of your movie in the style of a movie review.