1. Crash on Jupiter

Jupiter is the biggest planet in the Earths solar system, which makes it a pretty big target. This summer, something hit Jupiter, leaving a huge scar on the surface near its south pole. The collision, probably with a comet or an asteroid, was first discovered last month by an amateur space-watcher from Australia. Now Americas Hubble Space Telescope has confirmed the crash by taking photos of the material kicked up into Jupiters atmosphere by the collision. With family or friends, follow news about events or missions in space in the newspaper. Pick one that interests you and design a poster to show its most important points. Make your poster colorful and eye-catching to interest viewers.

Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about topics of interest or importance; showing how science concepts can be interpreted through creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.

2. Teachers Friend

On August 8, 1876, inventor Thomas Edison became a future friend to teachers across America. On that day, he registered a legal patent for his invention of the mimeograph machine. The mimeograph allowed people to easily make copies of a single document without writing or typing it out over and over again. This made it easier for teachers to produce homework sheets for students before there were photocopy machines or computers. With a friend, find a new product or invention in the ads and stories of the newspaper. Write a paragraph describing how this product is changing the way people to do things.

Learning Standards: Showing how common themes of science, mathematics and technology apply in real world-contexts; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

3. The View from Above

All over the world, scientists are worried about ways global warming is changing the Earth. Now a Canadian astronaut on the International Space Station is offering a new point of view. Bob Thirsk, who is spending six months on the station, says that Earths ice caps appear to have melted and shrunk in size since he was last in orbit 12 years ago. That saddens me, Thirsk said in an interview from space. With family or friends, talk about how life in your area would be different if the Earth got significantly warmer. Then find a photo of an outdoor scene in the newspaper. Write out five ways that the scene could change if temperatures in your area went up a lot.

Learning Standards: Explaining ecosystem concepts and processes; describing positive and negative effects of humans on nature and wildlife; acquiring information from multiple sources.

4. Color It

Color coding is a helpful way for students to mark information to remember as they read a book, or review their notes later. Schools do not allow students to mark in textbooks, but you can use paper color tabs that stick but also come off easily. Read stories in the newspaper this week, taking note of important information by color coding. Use tabs or different colored markers and come up with your own color codes. Examples: red = date or blue = important person.

Learning Standards: Performing the daily functions of a literate individual; acquiring information from multiple sources and then evaluating, organizing and communicating it in various contexts.

5. Thoughts for a Penny

On August 2, 1909, the first Lincoln penny was issued by the United States. The penny honored the nations 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, in the year marking the 100th anniversary of his birth. Before the Lincoln penny, the nations one-cent coin had featured the head of an American Indian in full, feathered head-dress. Many people today think the nation should stop using the penny, because very few things cost as little as one cent and pennies are hard to carry around. What do you think? How often do you or your family use pennies? Write a short letter to the editor of the newspaper, talking about whether the United States should stop using pennies.

Learning Standards: Responding to a variety of visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to students' personal lives and the lives of others; writing fluently for multiple purposes.