1. Stonehenge

Stonehenge is one of the great mysteries in the world. For thousands of years, people have been asking why the man-made circle of rocks in the European country of Britain was built -- and how it was used. Now the first dig at Stonehenge in more than 40 years has found evidence that the stone circle attracted people who wanted to be healed of diseases or injuries. An unusual number of skeletons recovered from graves at Stonehenge showed signs of serious illness or disease, scientists report in a new TV special on the British BBC network. And many came from far away. People today are still very interested in healing and medicine. As a class, find a story about medicine or healing in the newspaper. Discuss what is making news and to whom it is most important. Learning Standards: Showing how common themes of science, mathematics and technology apply in real world contexts; engaging peers in constructive conversation about issues or topics of interest.

2. Oldest Man

The world's oldest man has just had a birthday. Tomoji Tanabe turned 113 at the home of his son in the Asian country of Japan. Tanabe, who was listed as the world's oldest male in the Guinness Book of World Recordds last year, drinks milk every day and eats mostly vegetables to stay healthy. He still records his thoughts in a journal, though he doesn't do it as often as he used to do. Older people today live long and active lives. With a partner, find a story in the newspaper about an older person who is active and achieving success. Write a short paragraph describing how being active helps this person, and how it helps the community. Learning Standards: Acquiring information from multiple sources; responding to visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to students' personal lives and the lives of others; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

3. Saturn's Rings

With its bright, shiny rings, the planet Saturn is one of the most amazing in the Earth's solar system. Because the rings appear so bright, some scientists felt they were much younger than the main part of the second-largest planet orbiting the sun. Now a study by scientists from the University of Colorado indicates the rings may be billions of years old, and may have been formed at the same time as the rest of the planet. Every day scientists are learning more about space and the planets circling the sun in our solar system. As a class, talk about why scientists want to learn more about space. Then find a story in the newspaper about a space mission. Draw a comic strip showing something that could be discovered in this space mission. Learning Standard: Comparing and contrasting our planet and sun to other planets and star systems; explaining how we learn about the universe; using the craft of the illustrator to express ideas artistically.

4. Baseball Playoffs

This week, the playoffs begin in Major League Baseball. Four teams in the American League and four teams in the National League will battle in the first round of the playoffs. Then the two winners from the first round in each league will battle for the League Championships and the right to play in the World Series. In the newspaper, find stories about the teams in the opening round of the playoffs. Read stories and collect pictures about the team you like the most. Use what you find to make a poster for your favorite team and explain to the class why you like that team. Learning Standard: Reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing critically and representing creatively.

5. A Jewel of a Month

September was a great month for jewels. Early in the month a restaurant cook in the Middle East country of Lebanon found 26 pearls in a single oyster. Then last week a mining company said it had found one of the largest diamonds ever in the African country of Lesotho. The 478-carat gem is the 20th largest untouched rough diamond ever found. Diamonds and pearls are made into jewelry that people buy when they want to do something special for themselves. What would you buy if you wanted to do something special for yourself or someone you love? Find an item you would buy for yourself in the ads in the newspaper and write a sentence or short paragraph explaining your choice. Then find an item you would buy for someone else and explain why. Learning Standard: Responding to a variety of oral, visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to students' personal lives and the lives of others.