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 Apr. 18, 2025 – Apr. 24, 2025 issue
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 pages B-1 and B-4 about the Brooksville courthouse. Using at least two outside sources, write an essay on one of the following topics:
1. The history of the early towns in Hernando County, including Brooksville, Bayport, and Twin Lakes. The following URL is helpful: https://fivay.org/hernando1.html
2. The early history of the Native Americans in Hernando County
3. The interaction between the Native Americans and the early settlers of Hernando County
4. The changing names of the county and towns. The above URL is also helpful for this.
Your essay should be at least 400 words. Be sure and give the title of the resource, the author (if named) and where you found the article (the URL).
**Extra credit if you can find primary sources (first-hand accounts, such as letters, journals, newspaper articles, etc.)
Math Activity for High School: (MA.912.FL.3.5) Compare the advantages and disadvantages of using cash versus personal financing options.
Read the editorial on page B-7 about credit card debt. Then write an essay of at least 375 words explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods of purchasing goods and services: cash; debit card; credit card; bank loan; and payment apps, such as Venmo, Zelle, Cash App.
Extra credit: Write an essay of at least 300 words explaining when you’ve used any of these options and why.
Comprehension Activity for Middle School: (ELA.1.R.2.2) Identify the topic of and relevant details in a text. Identify the central idea and explain how relevant details support that idea in a text.
Read the article on pages B-1 and B-10 entitled “Natalie Kahler Receives Lee Ann Shoeman Award. Tell the topic of the article and why that is the most important idea the writer is trying to get across. Then, list three important details expanding on the topic. These should be important details that expand on the topic, not just minor information.
Vocabulary activity for Middle School: ((ELA.6.V.1.3) Apply knowledge of context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the connotative and denotative meaning of words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.
Read the article on pages B-1 and B-4 about the Hernando County courthouse. Write the definition of each of the following words as it is used in the sentence. Also, write down what part of speech each word is, as it’s used in the sentence; and use the word in an original sentence.
1. Renaissance
2. contemporary
3. sibling
4. complex
5. symmetry
6. Beaux-Arts
7. brigade
8. allot (the word in the article is “allotted.”)
9. annex
10. trample (the word in the article is “trampled.”)
Comprehension Activity for Elementary School: (ELA.K12.EE.2.1) Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.
Read the article on page B-3 about the Adams Moon Lake Ranch. Then answer the following questions in complete sentences:
1. How does the writer explain how tall the caves are without telling you the exact height?
2. How does the writer know that the cypress tree on the property is very old?
3. Why was the agricultural tour started?
4. What is the purpose of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program?
5. What two different types of cattle has the Adams Family raised?
6. Why is Cabbage Hill also called Indian Hill?
7. In what ways does the farm use best management practices?
8. Why is it good to follow these best management practices?
9. Why did the original owners of the land sell it to Scott Adams?
10. What is special about the tri-colored bat found in the Grotto Cave Complex?
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 page B-2 and calculate the answers to these questions:
1. How many theatrical and nature activities are there all together?
2. What percentage of the activities are mostly for Senior Citizens?
3. How many more art activities are there than charity (fund-raising) activities?
4. How many Earth Day activities and Easter activities are there all together?
5. What percentage of activities are educational?
If you wish to submit any of your compositions from this week to the newspaper for us to consider publishing, please email [email protected]. Be sure and include your name, age, grade level and school that you attend.