1. Get Caught Reading

May is Get Caught Reading Month. So what are you going to do about it? Get Caught Reading is a nationwide effort to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read. Sponsored by the Association of American Publishers, Get Caught Reading Month is backed by people from First Lady Laura Bush to baseball star Derek Jeter to comedians Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams. It also has been backed by Clifford the Big Red Dog, Donald Duck, The Rugrats and Spider Man. Celebrate Get Caught Reading Month by reading a short story that interests you in the newspaper. Tell your classmates three things about the story that you found interesting, new or fun.

Learning Standard: Using reading for multiple purposes, such as enjoyment, gathering information, learning new procedures and increasing conceptual understanding.

2. The Old Ball Game ...

Speaking of reading, a new book is out about one of the most popular traditions in baseball. That would be the singing of the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," which you can hear at Major League Baseball stadiums all over the country now that the season has started. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is the third most frequently sung song in America, after "Happy Birthday"' and "The Star-Spangled Banner." The new book, "Baseball's Greatest Hit: The Story of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game,'" tells the history of how the song became so popular. If you were going to write a book about a favorite song, what would that song be? Design an ad for the newspaper telling people about your book and the song it celebrates.

Learning Standard: Reading and writing with developing fluency, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing strategically and representing creatively.

3. No Lying, Please

Everyone from George Washington to your mom has given the advice that you "should never tell a lie." Now researchers in Canada have announced that your face may prevent you from covering up a lie. When people lie, researchers found, they give hints of their true feelings by the looks on their face. Trained experts can see those looks and know that a person is lying. As a class, talk about the ways lying can hurt others and also hurt the person who lies. Then draw a comic strip for the newspaper showing the results of someone telling a lie.

Learning Standard: Identifying and explaining how individuals in history demonstrate good character and personal virtue; using the craft of the illustrator to formulate and express ideas artistically.

4. Wet and Warm

People do lots of things to help animals and birds, but has anyone heard of putting a wetsuit on a penguin? That's what scientists at the California Academy of Sciences did for an African penguin that lives there. The penguin named Pierre is 25 years old and had lost feathers that keep penguins warm in the water. He was unwilling to swim with the 19 other penguins at the academy and stood shivering on the sidelines. When he got a wetsuit like the kind surfers wear in cold water, he got back in the water and was his old self. Find a story or photo about animals or wildlife in the newspaper. Write a complete sentence describing one way people could help one animal.

Learning Standard: Describing positive and negative effects of humans on nature, wildlife and the environment; responding to written, visual and electronic texts.

5. May Day

May 1 is May Day. In ancient times, May Day was a festival that celebrated the abundance of flowers and warm weather at this time of the year. To celebrate the day, cut out pictures from today's newspaper that remind you of May and springtime. As a class, make an art collage, using everyone's pictures. Display your work in the classroom. Come up with a creative title for your collage.

Learning Standard: Reading and writing with developing fluency, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing strategically and representing creatively.