1. Those Were Big Feet!

The great thing about dinosaurs is that scientists are always discovering new things about them. In the European country of France, dinosaur hunters reported this month that they have found fossils of the biggest dinosaur footprints ever discovered. The giant prints measured more than four-and-one-half feet from side to side! Scientists believe they were made 150 million years ago by long-necked plant-eaters known as sauropods, which were more than 80 feet long and could weigh more than 65,000 pounds! As a class, or in teams, find stories or photos about big things in today's newspaper. Make a list and arrange them in order from largest to smallest as they would be in real life (not their size in the newspaper). Make a poster from your list.

Learning Standards: Comparing attributes of objects; collecting and exploring data through observation, measurement and surveys; organizing data into a useful form and developing skill in representing and reading data displayed in different formats.

2. Good Advice

On October 15, 1860, 11-year-old Grace Bedell of Westfield, New York, wrote a letter to Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was running for president for the first time, and Grace had an idea that she thought could help him. She told him that she thought he could improve his appearance by growing a beard! Lincoln did eventually grow a beard, won two elections for president of the United States and is now considered one of America's greatest leaders. As a class, talk about how appearances affect how people feel about others. Is it fair that people make judgments based on looks? Are there jobs in which appearance is important in some way?. With a partner, look for jobs in the newspaper for which appearance is important. Then find jobs for which appearance is not important, only ability. Present your findings to the class.

Learning Standards: Responding to a variety of oral, visual, written and electronic texts by making connections to students' personal lives and the lives of others; developing and applying critical standards for individual use.

3. A 'Green' Step by President

All over the world, scientists are worried that the air in the Earth's atmosphere is getting warmer. As a result, "global warming" has become a top concern for government leaders. "Greenhouse gases" produced when people burn fuels like oil, gasoline and coal in homes and offices are a particular worry, because they trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere. This month, President Obama made a move to reduce the greenhouse gases produced in the United States by ordering every agency of the federal government to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they produce. The President also ordered government agencies to conserve water, use less energy, reduce waste and buy more "green" products that are environmentally sound. With classmates, talk about ways families can make "green" choices or use less fuel that creates greenhouse gases. Find stories about people "going green." Then draw a comic strip for the newspaper showing a family "going green."

Learning Standards: Describing positive and negative effects of humans on nature and wildlife; explaining ecosystem concepts and processes; acquiring information from multiple sources and then organizing, presenting and analyzing it.

4. Living to Be 100

Would you like to live to the age of 100? Once upon a time, it was very unusual for someone to live that long, but better health care and medicines are making it more and more common. In fact, a new study by scientists from the European country of Denmark, predicts that half of all babies born today in richer countries like the United States will live to be 100. On top of that, those that do live to be 100 will be healthier and more active than elders who lived in the past. The study by the Danish Aging Research Center looked at the lives of elders in more than 30 of the world's richest, most developed nations. As a class, talk about ways elder Americans remain active as they get older. Then find a story or photo in the newspaper about an elder doing something positive in the community. Write a sentence or two describing how this elder's activities help the person and others.

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

5. Eat Right with 'The Simpsons'

The TV show "The Simpsons" is popular all over the world. And now health leaders in the European country of Great Britain are hoping that popularity can get people to eat healthier foods. The British Department of Health is spending more than $1 million to sponsor episodes of the cartoon series on British TV as part of its healthy living Change4Life Campaign. Before each show, cartoon characters pretending to be the Simpsons will give viewers tips on ways to replace unhealthy foods and snacks with healthier choices. The decision to sponsor "The Simpsons" surprised some viewers, because Homer Simpson is known for loving unhealthy treats like doughnuts. But British health leaders say that while some Simpsons characters may make "questionable choices" in their lives, they provide "a popular and engaging way" to get people's attention about healthier living. As a class, talk about foods that are healthy for snacks and meals. Then use the food ads in the newspaper to make a menu for healthy meals and snacks for you and your family. Share with the class, or present your ideas on a poster.

Learning Standards: Acquiring information from multiple sources; comprehending what constitutes good health and nutrition; showing how science concepts can be interpreted through creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.