Teachers and homeschool parents, please share this with your classes. Using this guide will make your subjects more relevant and interesting to your students and encourage creative thought. If you or your students have any suggestions or ideas for these teacher guides please email Sarah Nachin – [email protected] This guide is based on the newest Florida Standards for grade school through high school. Anyone not signed up for our Newspapers in Education program may do so at hernandosun.com/forms-nie
Activities and Questions based on the Oct. 18, 2024 – Oct. 24, 2024 issue
Civics activity for High School: (SS.912.CG.2) Evaluate the roles, rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens and determine methods of active participation in society, government and the political system.
Read the reviews of the local candidates on pages A-1, A-4, A-8 and A-9. Focus on one of those candidates and do research on their personal and political background, their positions on various issues and their platform. Then, as if you were their campaign manager, write an essay of 500 words or more stating why you believe that person is a better candidate than the other person running for that same seat. (Hint: You’ll need to do research on their opponent so you can compare the two people.)
Composition activity for High School: (ELA.12.C.4.1) Conduct research on a topical issue to answer a question and synthesize information from a variety of sources.
Read the article on page A-7 entitled “Hurricane Milton Lessons Learned.” Then write an essay of 500 words or more stating what measures were taken in Hernando County to prepare for the storm and what measures (in hindsight) could have been done better or could have been taken that weren’t. Be sure and cite your sources. Give the title of the article, the author and the URL, if taken from the internet, or the name of the newspaper/magazine, author and the date, if taken from a printed publication.
Composition activity for Middle School: (ELA.6.C.3.1) Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.
Read the article on pg. B-1, B-4 & B-5 about Boyett’s Grove. Write an essay comparing this attraction to another local attraction, such as Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, the May-Stringer House (Hernando Historical Museum), or the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens. Discuss how they are similar and how they are different. (Extra Credit) Include photos with your essay.
Composition activity for Elementary School: (ELA.10.C.3.1) Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.
Read the editorial on page B-9 entitled “The Dying Art of Handwritten Letters.” Then write a letter to a friend or relative telling them about something you did recently, perhaps going on a trip or even what you did over the weekend. Remember to start your letter with “Dear, _____ (their name) and end it by signing your name with a closing appropriate to the person you’re writing to, such as “Love,”_____ (your name) if it’s a relative or close friend, or “Sincerely,” _____ (your name) if it’s a teacher or someone you don’t know very well.
Extra Credit: Ask your mom or dad or a grandparent if they have a copy of a letter that they received from someone and see if they’ll let you read it. Have them tell you when they received the letter and the circumstances in which it was written.
Social Studies Activity for Elementary School: (SS.5.A.5.3) Explain the significance of historical documents, including key political concepts, origins of these concepts, and their role in American independence.
Read the editorial on page B-9 about the United States Constitution. Then, write an essay of at least 350 words describing how and why the Constitution was established. Be sure to mention some of the important men involved in writing the Constitution and a little about the long process in getting them to agree on the final form of the Constitution.
Extra Credit: Write an essay of at least 300 words explaining one of the ten amendments included in the Bill of Rights.
Anyone wishing to submit any of your compositions from this week to the newspaper for us to consider publishing, please email to [email protected]. Be sure and include your name, age, grade level and school that you attend. Submission is not a guarantee that your work will be published. Submissions may be edited due to space restrictions.