Teachers and homeschool parents, please share this with your students. Using this guide will make your subjects more relevant and interesting to your pupils and will 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.
Activities and Questions based on the Jan. 10 – 16, 2025 issue
American History Activity for High School: (SS.912.A.1) – Use research and inquiry skills to analyze American history using primary and secondary sources.
Read the article on pgs. B-1 and B-5 about Hernando County’s early history. Choose one of the following periods from Hernando County history to research: a) 1513-1700, b) 1700-1865, c)1865-1940 Write an essay of at least 500 words using at least one primary source (a letter from someone living in that era, a newspaper article from that time period or a diary entry) and one secondary source (a history book or internet article)
Creative Writing Activity for High School: (ELA.K12.EE.6.1) Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.
Read the article on pg. B-1 and B-5 about Hernando County’s early history. Take one of the periods mentioned above and write a letter, diary entry or newspaper article in the language style of that period describing an event that happened to you personally or that you witnessed at that time. Use first person for the diary entry or article. Use third person for the newspaper article. Your story should be at least 450 words.
Composition Activity for Middle School: (ELA.10.V.1.1) Integrate academic vocabulary appropriate to grade level in speaking and writing.
Read the article on pages A-1 and A-6 about the fire engine. Then write an essay of at least 400 words telling about early methods of fighting fires covering 1900 – 1930. You’ll need to cite at least one outside source, either a book or an internet article.
History Activity for Middle School: (SS.6.W.1.6) Describe how history transmits culture and heritage and provides models of human character.
Read the article on pg. B-4 about the Hanukkah celebration. Then write an essay of at least 400 words describing the history of Hanukkah and how it became an important part of Jewish culture and faith over the centuries.
Math activity for Elementary School: (MA.3.AR.1.2) Solve one and two-step real-world problems involving any of four operations with whole numbers.
Study the Calendar of Events on pages B-2 and B-3. Then solve the following problems.
1. How many more religious activities are there than ribbon cutting events?
2. How many activities are related to art or arts and crafts and what percentage of the total number of activities is that?
3. How many nature-related and food-related events are there all together?
4. What percentage of activities are sponsored by the public library?
5. What percentage of events would be considered educational?
Social Studies Activity for Elementary School (SS.1.A.2.3) Identify celebrations and national holidays as a way of remembering and honoring the heroism and achievements of the people, events, and our nation’s ethnic heritage.
Read the article on page B-6 about the Kwanzaa celebration. Then, write an essay based on what you read explaining how this is a way of remembering and honoring the achievements of the Black people, the reason for establishing this holiday and the meanings behind some of the objects and phrases used in the celebration. You should use one outside source besides the information in the article. Make sure you cite your source and do not copy the information word for word. Your essay should be at least 250 words.
If you wish 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. If you’re home-schooled mention that. Submission is not a guarantee that your work will be published. Submissions may be edited due to space restrictions.