1. A Wait for Harry Potter

Harry Potter is one of the most popular characters ever in books and movies. But fans will have to wait longer than expected to see the next Harry Potter movie. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" won't be in theaters as planned this November, but will open next summer on July 17. The movie is based on the sixth book in author J.K. Rowling's series on the famous boy wizard. Movies often are based on books, comic books or real-life stories in the news. Choose a book, comic book or a story from the newspaper that you think would make a good movie. Design a movie ad for the newspaper that would make people want to see your movie. Then write a paragraph explaining why you think this book or story would make a good movie.

Learning Standard: Reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing critically and representing creatively.

2. A Green Desert?

The Sahara Desert in northern Africa is one of the driest and hottest places on Earth. But when the world was younger, parts of it were green with plants and trees. Scientists exploring a graveyard in the country of Niger have found ancient skeletons of people and animals that only could have lived there if the area were wetter and greener than today. Looking for dinosaur fossils, the scientists found skeletons of two groups of people that lived in the area 4,500-9,000 years ago. In some regions of Earth, the weather and climate have changed a lot over the years. In the newspaper, find a photo of an outdoor scene in your region. Imagine the area in the photo got a great deal hotter or colder in the future. Write a paragraph explaining what it would be like after the change.

Learning Standards: Generating scientific questions about the world based on observation; explaining ecosystem concepts and processes; understanding the nature of scientific inquiry.

3. Voyagers Turn 31

Thirty-one years ago, in late August and early September, America's NASA space agency launched twin spaceships called Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. No one is on board these Voyagers, but their computers have sent back amazing pictures of Jupiter, Saturn and other planets. The spaceships have traveled farther into space than anything made by humans -- and they are still going. In case aliens find either craft, special CDs of life on Earth were packed on board. A golden disk on each features the sounds of a mother singing a lullaby to a baby, a kiss and a friendly hello in hundreds of languages. Imagine you were sending greetings to people in outer space to tell them what happened on Planet Earth yesterday. Look in the newspaper and draw a picture of one event you found. Give your picture a title.

Learning Standard: Identifying and using aspects of the craft of the speaker, writer and illustrator to formulate and express ideas artistically.

4. Fabulous Food Detectives Everyone knows that if you eat healthy foods you'll live healthier lives. But how do you know which foods are healthy? Children's book author Susan Ingebretson has written a story called "Fabulous Food Detectives" that helps kids learn what's inside processed foods, and have fun with a detective adventure. __In the book, sisters Kayley and Madison invent a robot dog for their Science Fair that can taste any food and announce its ingredients. Strangely, the robot dog doesn't work when presented with some foods, and the girls have to figure out why. With classmates, look through the stories, photos and ads in the newspaper for examples of healthy foods. Then look for examples of less healthy foods. Create a menu of foods to eat regularly and a list of foods to eat only in small amounts. Learning Standards: Comprehending what constitutes good health and nutrition; acquiring information from multiple sources and then evaluating, organizing and communicating it.

5. Get Writing!

There are lots of things to do when you get ready for school each fall. But did you ever think about practicing your handwriting? That can be a great way to get back in the swing of school, according to handwriting expert Dennis Williams of the Zaner-Bloser education company. First, talk with your family and friends about the ways good handwriting is important to students and to adults in their jobs. Then find headlines on stories that interest you in the newspaper. Practice your handwriting by rewriting these headlines on lined paper. Pay attention to forming the letters correctly and keeping your writing on the line. Finish by writing a note to a friend about your summer -- by hand!

Learning Standards: Demonstrating the skills and processes used to communicate through viewing, reading and writing; reading for multiple purposes.