This is a unique service of the Deseret News to help teachers use the newspaper as a current textbook. It can be printed and copied or used as a starting point for discussions and classwork as desired. These activities help students to learn about a variety of subjects and current events by using the Deseret News.
Inside the newspaper
CHRISTMAS ADVERTISING IN THE DESERET MORNING NEWS
Many businesses and services use newspaper advertising to sell their product or service to the public. Look through the Deseret Morning News during the month of December for Christmas advertising. Clip out the most interesting ads you find and paste each one on a piece of paper that you can make into an advertising booklet.
Beside each ad, list the following information:
(1)The reason you thought that particular advertisement had appeal for you.
(2) What people you think that ad will attract, such as men, women, boys, girls, certain age groups, etc.
Complete the following activities about the ads:
(1) How many ads that you found were in color? How many ads were in black and white?
(2) Which ads do you think were the most expensive? Why?
(3) Which ads were the most eye-appealing? Why?
(4) Pretend you own a business that is selling a certain product for Christmas. Draw an advertisement that could be used in the Deseret Morning News as a promotion for your product.
Holidays, celebrations and other events in DECEMBER
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Name some Christmas gifts that would be appropriate for you to play with that a younger child shouldn't have for Christmas. Why did you select the toys that you did? Do you think manufacturers have a responsibility to inform the public about toy safety? Why or why not? Name some toys that would not be appropriate for you but might be for someone older than you. Why did you select those certain toys? Choose one of the ads you gathered in the preceding activity about Christmas advertising in the Deseret Morning News. Add whatever information you think is necessary to alert buyers of safety with that particular product.
Universal Human Rights Month
Name some basic human rights that we are entitled to as citizens of the United States of America. Look through the Deseret Morning News to find examples of how those same human rights aren't part of the culture in other countries. Tell why you are glad to live in America. Send in your thoughts to the monthly Connect 1-2-3 educational section of the Deseret Morning News for possible publication. Mail to: Connect 1-2-3, Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1257, SLC, UT 84110. Be sure to include your name, grade and school. Or you may send in your thoughts by e-mail to: nie@desnews.com
December
1-7
Cookie Cutter Week
Why do you think December is a good month to celebrate Cookie Cutters Week? What other holidays might make good Cookie Cutter Weeks? Why? Have you ever made cookies with cookie cutters? What shapes did you cut out? Look through the Deseret Morning News to find pictures of three Christmas things that could make good shapes for cookie cutters. Draw each one large enough that it could be an actual cookie cutter. Choose your favorite and color it, showing how it would look with icing on it, if you had really made a cookie with that shape cutter. Ask your teacher if you and your classmates could make a December cookie cutter bulletin board with all your drawings. Then see if your teacher would let your class bring ingredients to school to bake Christmas cookies for yourself and your classmates.
December
7
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Where is Pearl Harbor? What happened there on December 7, 1941? Search the Deseret Morning News archives at: deseretnews.com/archives to locate any articles you can find about Pearl Harbor and what happened there. Watch the newspaper on December 7 for remembrances that will be included in the Deseret Morning News about Pearl Harbor. Choose one article or editorial that is of special significance to you and report about it to your classmates.
December
10
Human Rights Day
In the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights it says that "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression." Find some articles in the Deseret Morning News that show how someone has taken away someone else's human rights by bad acts they have performed. What do you think should happen to the person who took away another person's basic human rights? Why? Write about your thoughts concerning the quote taken from the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Share with your classmates.
December
13
The Country of New Zealand Discovered
The country of New Zealand was named by Abel Tasman of the Netherlands. Where is New Zealand? How many years ago was it discovered? Search the Deseret Morning News archives at: deseretnews.com/archives for articles about New Zealand. Use other reference sources to determine how far away New Zealand is from America, what nationalities of people live there, what special cultural events are sponsored there, what the climate is like, what tourist attractions are present, how large the country is and what products are exported and imported. If you had an opportunity to go there, would you go? Why or why not? What would you expect to see and hear and do do in New Zealand?
December
15
Sitting Bull, Sioux Indian Chief, Killed
Sitting Bull, a Sioux Indian Chief, was shot and killed on December 15, 1890 in a dispute with federal troops of the United States. How many years ago was that? Do some research on Chief Sitting Bull. Pretend you are a reporter for the Deseret Morning News who has been asked to write a feature story about this famous man. Write your article as though it will be published in the newspaper. Be sure to include the 5 Ws and 1 H: who, what, where, when, why and how.
December
17
Wright Brothers Day
Wright Brothers Day celebrates the first successful airplane flight at Kittyhawk, North Carolina in 1903 by brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Look through the Deseret Morning News for advertisements about airline companies and flights to world destinations. Choose a country (or a state in the United States) that you would like to visit. See if you can locate an ad from an airline that would take you there. When would you go? What would you pack to take with you? What would you expect to do there once you arrived? How long would you stay? How much might the flight cost?
December
19
The United States Launced the 19th Explorer Satellite
December
24
Three United States' Astronauts Circle the Moon
How many years ago was the 19th Explorer Satelllite launched? On December 24, 1968, three U.S. astronauts made ten circuits around the moon. How many years ago was that? Look through the Deseret Morning News throughout December to find any articles you can about space flight and space exploration. Compile your findings in a space age booklet to take home and share with your family.
December
21
Winter Solstice
December 21 marks the official beginning of winter. Check the weather page of the Deseret Morning News to see what the weather is expected to be like on December 21. How will you need to dress for that day? What will you be doing on that day? What are some of your favorite things to do in the winter? What is your favorite season of the year? Why? Write some wintertime poetry to send in for possible publication on the Kid Scoop Page. Remember to include your name, grade and school. Send to: Kid Scoop Page, P.O. Box 1257, SLC, UT 84110 or e-mail to: sherry@desnews.com
December
25
Christmas
Complete the following Christmas Scavenger Hunt in the Deseret Morning News by finding and circling in crayon the 15 items listed below:
* a Christmas stocking
* a Christmas tree
* a candy cane
* a picture of a gift you would like to give someone
* a comic strip character celebrating Christmas
* an article about something nice someone did to help others at Christmas
* a snowman
* an advertised Christmas movie you would like to see
* an advertised Christmas television show your family would enjoy
* a story about a Christmas tradition
* an ad for a restaurant that could be a special place to have a holiday dinner
* a recipe in the food section of a Christmas treat you'd like to make and eat
* an ad for a Christmas musical or play showing at a playhouse near you
* a picture of Santa Claus
* a Christmas headline that catches your attention
December
27
Louis Pasteur Born
How many years ago was Louis Pasteur born? Pasteur developed a way to treat milk to make it safe for people to drink. His process became known as pasteurization. What are some of the ways you use milk in your family? What kind of milk do you drink? Since Pasteur lived many years ago, look through the Deseret Morning News to find pictures of things that have been invented in the last 50 years that might be a surprise to an inventor like Pasteur. Circle in crayon each one you find.
Do some research on Louis Pasteur. Locate and review the obituary section in the Deseret Morning News and then compose an obituary that tells about the life and the acomplishments of Louis Pasteur.
December
28
Chewing Gum Patented in the United States in 1789
How many years ago was chewing gum patented in the United States? Do you like chewing gum? If you do, what is your favorite kind? Pretend you have just invented a new flavor of chewing gum. What will you call the gum? What will be its flavor? Look at the display ads (picture ads) in the newspaper. Draw a display ad that could be printed in the Deseret Morning News, advertising your new gum.
December
31
Ellis Island Becomes a Receiving Station for Immigrants in 1882
What famous monument is on Ellis Island? What were some reasons that immigrants from other countries wanted to come to America? Do you have anyone in your family history who came to the United States through Ellis Island? Look through the Deseret Morning News to find any articles you can about freedoms we have in this country. Then look for articles about other countries to see what freedoms we enjoy that they do not. How might those countries be different today if they had the freedoms there that we have here?
December
31
New Year's Eve
December 31 is New Year's Eve. Many people celebrate this holiday with parties and activities that commemorate the old year and bring in the new year. Look through the Deseret Morning News for advertisements of places that will be holding New Year's Eve parties. Choose one that you would like to attend and tell why. Celebrating the new year will also cause many people to write some New Year's Resolutions of things that they would like to accomplish in 2004. Write your own New Year's Resolutions and send them in for possible publication to: Kid Scoop Page, Deseret News, P.O. Box 1257, SLC, UT 84110. Be sure to include your name, grade and school. Or you may send in your list by e-mail to: sherry@desnews.com
