Oct. 8, 2008: Animal Stars Shine

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Create a movie poster about a family pet in an exciting film. Paste words from the newspaper on your poster.

2. Look in newspaper ads for items that would make a pet happy or items you could use to train a pet. Paste the items on a piece of paper. Add any classified ads for animal training services. Next to each item, write a sentence telling why it would be good for the pet.

3. Look at theater ads and TV listings in the newspaper for movies and shows about animals. Count the number of different animals represented in your list: how many dogs, cats, farm animals, etc., did you find?

4. Explain why each of these qualities is important in using animals in movies or TV shows:
(a) time and patience, (b) animal treats, (c) special props and sets, and
(d) special camera tricks.

5. Look in the classified section of your newspaper to find three unusual animals for sale. Use the animals in a story that could be made into a movie. Be sure to give the animals unusual and exciting things to do. Give your movie a title.

This week's standards:

• Students understand the characteristics and life cycles of organisms. (Science: Life Science)
• Students understand the interactions of animals and their environments. (Science: Life Science)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)