1. Who Inspires You?

On August 14, 1966, award-winning actress Halle Berry was born in Cleveland, Ohio. A one-time high school cheerleader, Berry went on to make history as the first African American to win an Oscar in the Best Actress category of the Academy Awards. When Berry won the Oscar, for her part in the movie "Monster's Ball," she became a role model and inspiration for African Americans and other children who were interested in movies or the arts. Who inspires you as a role model? Find a person who inspires you in some way in the stories and photos of the newspaper. Write out three questions you would like to ask this person if you could meet face to face. Then answer the questions as you think the person might.

Learning Standards: Generating questions about important issues that affect students or topics about which they are curious; identifying and explaining how individuals demonstrate good character and personal virtue.

2. Get Animated

Animated movies are always popular with summer audiences, and one of the most popular ever was seen for the first time on August 13, 1942. On that date the Disney movie "Bambi" opened in New York City, and audiences were excited. "Bambi," which tells the story of a baby deer growing up in the forest, was an early example of an animated animal adventure. Another example can be seen this summer with "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs." With family or friends, talk about things that make animated movies popular with audiences. Then talk about your favorite animated movie ever. Think like a moviemaker and design an ad for the newspaper, telling people about your favorite animated movie.

Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about topics of interest or importance; reading and writing fluently, speaking confidently, listening and interacting appropriately, viewing critically and representing creatively.

3. Run, Jesse, Run!

Track star Jesse Owens was one of the greatest athletes in American history. And on August 9, 1936, he did something that no American had ever done before. Competing in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany, Owens became the first American to win four first-place gold medals in one Olympic Games. Owens won the 100-meter race, the 200-meter race, the broad jump and the 400-meter relay race. He also set two new world records and tied another. In the newspaper today, read about an athlete doing great things or setting new records. Write a paragraph describing what this athlete has done and how important it is to the sport.

Learning Standards: Acquiring information from multiple sources and then evaluating, organizing and communicating it in various contexts; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

4. Great Museums

On August 10, 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was established in Washington, D.C., from funds left by a British scientist named James Smithson. The Smithsonian today is one of the great museum complexes in the world, with 19 individual museums, 144 affiliate museums and nine research centers connected to it around the world. With family or friends, talk about museums or historic attractions in your community. Then use the newspaper to find out what is going on at them this summer. Read about coming attractions and write a paragraph describing one you would like to attend, and why.

Learning Standards: Engaging peers in constructive conversation about topics of interest or importance; describing the human characteristics of places; locating and describing the cultures of communities; writing fluently for multiple purposes.

5. Plot Parts

A great reading skill to learn is identifying key parts of a plot or story. With your family or on your own, practice this using the newspaper. Find a news story in the local section and skim-read it. Circle two key plot elements and write them on a sheet of paper. Next to each, write why you think each is important to the news story being told.

Learning Standards: Identifying the qualities of written, visual and oral texts, including content, style and organizational devices; reading and writing critically.