Subjects
Arts & Humanities
--Language Arts
--Visual Arts
Mathematics
--Arithmetic
Social Studies
--Current Events
Grades
Grades 2-up
News Content
The price of stamps is going up; 15 Star Wars stamps are coming soon too.
Anticipation Guide
Before reading, ask students if they know how much it costs to send a typical letter (1 ounce, first-class) through the mail. How many of them know that it costs 39 cents to send a letter? Before students read this weeks News for Kids article, you might share this information about how the costs of mailing a letter have changed over the years:
Year | Cost |
---|---|
1917 | 2 cents |
1932 | 3 cents |
1958 | 4 cents |
1963 | 5 cents |
1971 | 9 cents |
1974 | 10 cents |
1975 | 13 cents |
1978 | 15 cents |
1981 | 20 cents |
1985 | 22 cents |
1988 | 25 cents |
1991 | 29 cents |
1995 | 32 cents |
1999 | 33 cents |
2001 | 34 cents |
2002 | 37 cents |
2006 | 39 cents |
News Words
Next, introduce these words that appear in the News Word Box on the students printable page: released, issue, anniversary, future, increase, and decrease. Discuss the meanings of any of those words that might be unfamiliar. Then ask students to use one of those words to complete each of these sentences:
Read the News
|
More Facts to Share
You might share these additional facts with students after they have read this weeks news story.
Comprehension Check
Check student comprehension by asking some of these questions:
Recalling Detail
Think About the News
Discuss the Think About the News question that appears on the students news page. You might use the think-pair-share strategy with students to discuss this question. If you use this strategy
Follow-Up Activities
Math. Share with students the chart in the Anticipation Guide section of this lesson. Have students "do the math" to figure out how many years passed between increases and/or how much the price increased each time?
More Math. Under the current rates, letters heavier than one ounce can be sent by adding 24 cents for each additional ounce. When the new rates take effect on May 15, each additional ounce will cost just 17 cents. Create a chart like the one below and have students fill in the new rates. On your chart, leave the Cost column blank; we have filled in the new rates in italic type.
Weight | Cost |
---|---|
1 ounce | 41 cents |
2 ounces | 58 cents |
3 ounces | 75 cents |
4 ounces | 92 cents |
5 ounces | $1.09 |
6 ounces | $1.26 |
7 ounces | $1.43 |
8 ounces | $1.60 |
9 ounces | $1.77 |
10 ounces | $1.94 |
Graphing. The 1993 Elvis stamp continues to hold court as the most popular stamp of all time, with more than 124 million collected. The chart below shows the top-ten collected commemorative stamp series. Introduce to students the free and easy-to-use online Create a Graph tool. Have students create graphs to show five or ten of the top-collected commemorative stamp series.
Commemorative Stamp Series | Year | Number Sold |
---|---|---|
Elvis Presley | 1993 | 124.1 million |
Wonders of America | 2006 | 87.5 million |
Wildflowers | 1992 | 76.1 million |
Rock & Roll/Rhythm & Blues | 1993 | 75.9 million |
DC Comics Super Heroes | 2006 | 73.0 million |
Greetings from America | 2002 | 71.4 million |
Insects and Spiders | 1999 | 61.0 million |
Art of Disney: Romance | 2006 | 57.2 million |
Legends of Baseball | 2000 | 53.9 million |
Art of Disney: Celebration | 2005 | 52.8 million |
Art. After students have answered the Think About the News question on the printable news story page, have them design the stamp they have chosen to create.
Assessment
Use the Comprehension Check (above) as an assessment. Or have students work on their own (in their journals) or in their small groups to respond to the Think About the News questions on the news story page or in the Comprehension Check section.
Lesson Plan Source
Education WorldNational Standards
National Standards
FINE ARTS: Visual Arts
GRADES K - 4
NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.K-4.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
GRADES 5 - 8
NA-VA.5-8.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.5-8.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
NA-VA.5-8.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
GRADES 9 - 12
NA-VA.9-12.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
NA-VA.9-12.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.9-12.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
NA-VA.9-12.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
LANGUAGE ARTS: English
GRADES K - 12
NL-ENG.K-12.2 Reading for Understanding
NL-ENG.K-12.3 Evaluation Strategies
NL-ENG.K-12.6 Applying Knowledge
NL-ENG.K-12.8 Developing Research Skills
NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills
MATHEMATICS: Number and Operations
GRADES Pre-K - 2
NM-NUM.PK-2.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-NUM.3-5.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-NUM.6-8.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-NUM.9-12.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates
SOCIAL SCIENCES: U.S. History
GRADES K - 4
NSS-USH.K-4.3 The History of the United States: Democratic Principles and Values and the People from Many Cultures Who Contributed to Its Cultural, Economic, and Political Heritage
GRADES 5 - 12
NSS-USH.5-12.1 All Eras
TECHNOLOGY
GRADES K - 12
NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and Concepts
NT.K-12.3 Technology Productivity Tools
NT.K-12.4 Technology Communications Tools
NT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools
See recent news stories in Education Worlds News Story of the Week Archive.
Article by Ellen Delisio and Gary Hopkins
Education World®
Copyright © 2007 Education World
04/25/2007