your newspaper’s name herewrite your name vertically (one letter under another) down the side of a...

YOUR NEWSPAPER’S NAME HERE

2: Unique You! YOUR NEWSPAPER’S NAME HERE

© 2003-2006 KRP, Inc. All rights reserved.

Written by Reta Broadway

Designed by Pyrographic Media

Photography by PhotoDisc®

Write your name vertically (one letter under another) downthe side of a sheet of paper. Then find words in today’snewspaper that describe you and that start with each let-ter of your name. Paste the words beside the correct let-ters.

Did you know that you are UNIQUE? That’s another way of saying that youare one of a kind. There is nobody else in the world exactly like you.

Let’s look at some of the ways you are unique. Answer the questions below:

Compare your answers with your classmates. Did anyone have all the same answers you wrote?

Since you are unique, you are also very important.No one else can take your place in the world.

Think about some of the things you have donetoday. Did you make someone happy by beingfriendly? Have you learned something new? Didyou make something? Each day you grow andlearn. And each day you have an effect on the peo-ple who are around you.

YOUR NEWSPAPER’S NAME HERE Unique You!: 3

Who is your favorite comic strip character?

Draw or paste a picture of the character in the box below. On the numbered lines beside the box write three words that describe how the character looks.

On lines A, B, and C, write three words about the character’s personality (Is she smart? Funny?)

When you describe someone’s personality, you are describing their character. Your character is how you act and how you treat other people.

Find a story about an interesting person intoday’s newspaper. With your classmatesmake a list of words describing this person.

Would you like to invite this person to visityour class? What questions would you like toask the person?

Below you will see a list of words and anotherlist of definitions. As you read about eachword in this booklet, come back to this pageand match the word with its definition.

Following the rules

Telling the truth

Being dependable and doing what youare supposed to

Doing something for someone withoutexpecting anything in return

Standing up for what is right

Working with others to get things done

Not giving up just because something is difficult

Accepting other people’s differences


ave you ever been in a “bad mood” butnot really known why? Part of caringfor yourself is trying to understand your

own feelings. You may snap at your bestfriend at lunch when he asks you a questioneven though you aren’t really angry at yourfriend. What you’re really upset about may bea test coming up in school. When you knowwhat you are feeling and why, then you canavoid hurting a friend’s feelings.

ust as it’s not always easy to knowwhy you are feeling a certain way, itcan also be hard to understand other

people’s feelings. Sometimes you canknow by what the person says, but youcan also pick up clues by the way they actor look.

When you understand how someone isfeeling, you can be a better friend.


Clip several newspaper photos that show people’sfaces. Paste the photos on a piece of constructionpaper and study them carefully. How do you think eachperson was feeling when the photo was taken? Whatclues are you using to decide? Write one word undereach photo that describes the strongest emotion youthink the person is feeling.

Look through the Sports section for several days andcollect photos that show emotion. Work with anotherstudent to create a poster of sports emotions. Printwords that describe the emotions beside the photos.

There are often stories in the newspaper about peoplewho let their anger get out of control. Discuss one ofthese stories with your classmates.

Find a word, story, or picture in the newspaperand paste it in to complete each sentence below.


Find a newspaper photo that shows two or more peoplecooperating. Answer these questions:

Would one person be able to accomplish this task alone?

Why are these people cooperating with each other?

How did they decide to cooperate?

Spread a full sheet of the classified ads on the floorand lie down with your head and as much of yourbody as you can on the newspaper. Take a crayonand draw an outline of the top part of your body onthe paper while you are lying on it.

Now stand up and look at your outline. Is it messy?

Now take another sheet of the classified ads and liedown the same way as before. Then ask a friend todraw your outline on the paper. Stand up and com-pare the two outlines. Which one is better?


airness is all about following the rules. Gameshave rules, but other things in life have rules, too.

We live in a world with lots of other people. If thereweren’t rules to follow, we would end up spending ourwhole day arguing with people or trying to get out oftheir way! Playing fair and following the rules helps usall get along better.

Work with a friend and search the sports pages.Make a list of all the sports that you can find intoday’s newspaper. Discuss some of the rulesthat are involved in each sport. If a game didn’thave rules, would you be able to play it?

Write the 5 W’s – Who, What, When, Where,Why – down the left side of your paper. Thenwrite your answers to the following questions

beside each one. When was the last time yousaid, “That’s not fair?” Where were you?

What was happening? Who else wasinvolved? Why didn’t you think youwere being treated fairly?


onesty is all about telling the truth. Sometimes it’stempting not to tell the whole truth.

The problem with that kind of dishonesty is that youalmost always get caught.

Stealing has the same consequences as not telling thetruth. If you steal something, you feel bad about yourself.Other people avoid you because they don’t trust you andthey don’t want to be hurt.

Cheating is really a way of being dishonest with yourself.When you cheat to win or make a good grade, thenyou know you are lying to yourself and you feel guiltyand ashamed.

Find a story in the newspaper about someone who has been dishonest. How was the person dis-honest? How was it discovered that he was dishonest? What will happen to the person because hewas dishonest? Do you think the person would be dishonest if he could start all over again?

Think of a time when it took courage for you to be honest. Draw a cartoon strip that tells what hap-pened. Use the cartoons in today’s newspaper as a model.

Think about a story or book you have read in which the character told the truth, even if it was difficult.Rewrite the story as a news story. Be sure to include the 5 W’s – Who, What, When, Where, Why.


eing brave or courageous doesn’t mean you aren’tafraid. It means you try to do the right thing even ifyou feel scared or unsure of yourself:

• If you stand up for someone who is being teasedeven though you are afraid you will be teased, too,you are being courageous.

• When you refuse to do something you know is wrongeven if your friends are urging you on, then you arebeing courageous.

• If you are afraid you will fail at something but you tryto do it anyway, then you are a brave person.

Read your favorite comic strips in today’s newspaper.Do any of the characters show courage or bravery intheir actions? What would you have done if you hadbeen in the character’s place?

As you read the newspaper each day, look forphotos, headlines and stories that tell you aboutpeople who have shown courage. Work with otherstudents to create a bulletin board display ofthese items that show courage.


One of the ways people show they careabout others is to be good listeners.

Pay close attention as your teacher reads a shortarticle from today’s newspaper. When she hasfinished reading, draw a picture that shows whatwas going on in the story.

When everyone is finished drawing, share yourpicture with the rest of the class. Did everyonehear the story in the same way? Make a bul-letin board display by posting the pictures andthe newspaper story.

Search your newspaper to find examples ofcaring in your community. Discuss ways kidsyour age can show they care about peoplebeyond their families and close friends.

our family gives you food to eat. Theybuy you new shoes and wash yourclothes. They provide a place for you to

live. In short, they take care of you.

Do you ever play with your little brother justbecause it makes him happy? Maybe youhelp your big sister find her keys when sheis in a hurry. Or you carry the grocery bagsin from the car for your grandmother. All ofthese are ways of showing people that youcare about them.

It is just as important to care about yourself asit is to care about other people. In fact, otherpeople will find it harder to care for you if youdon’t care about yourself.

Sometimes you show caring to people youdon’t know personally. You collect cannedgoods for people who are hungry or donateclothing that keeps strangers warm. Youdon’t expect anything in return, but you canhave that good feeling inside that you havehelped someone.


hen you respect other people,you show good mannerstoward them and settle dis-

agreements peacefully. And when yourespect yourself, you expect otherpeople to treat you the same way.

There are lots of other ways to showgood manners toward people.

• Sometimes you don’t agree withwhat another person is saying, butyou can disagree without puttingthe person down.

• Your teacher will appreciate therespect you show by listening quietlywhen she is talking. You can showthat you respect your school by notrunning in the halls or throwing trashon the floor.

When you work to keep your communi-ty looking good and to take care of theenvironment, you are showing respectfor the people who live there.

Showing respect for your country iscalled patriotism.

When the National Anthem is playedat a ball game or other event, youstand up to show your respect for asymbol of your country. You alsoshow respect to the flag because itis a symbol of the United States.

Look through the newspaper and find a photo of some-one who seems to be unlike you. Perhaps the person ismuch older or lives in a different part of the world.

Clip the person’s picture and paste it on your paper. Writethree questions you would like to ask the person abouthis or her life. Then write three things you would like totell the person about yourself.


Do you have certain chores you are responsible for athome?

Draw a picture of yourself doing one of your assignedchores. Across the top of the picture write a headline thatannounces you have done your chores without beingreminded.

Check the newspaper for photos of well-known people.Clip one of the photos and paste it to your paper. Underthe photo make a list of some of the responsibilities thisperson has in his job.

Look around your school, your neighborhood,and your home. Think about someone whomakes your life better by living up to one oftheir responsibilities.

Make a thank-you card for that person. Fold apiece of colorful construction paper in half anddecorate it with pictures and words cut from thenewspaper. On the inside write a note thankingthe person for what they have done for you. Besure to give the card to the person.

hen you are responsible, you do what youare supposed to do without your parentsor your teacher having to remind you over

and over again.

Being responsible also means you think aboutthings before you do them.

Learning to be responsible is an importantpart of growing up. When you learn to takeresponsibility for the things you do, you feelbetter about yourself. And you get to do more.


erseverance is a long word, but it is easy to under-stand. It means not giving up, even if the job isdifficult.

Few people find it easy to learn everything withoutworking hard on some things. It’s important not to giveup. When you keep trying, you will find that yourteacher, your parents and even other students areglad to help you.

At times almost all of us feel like saying, “I can’t dothis! It’s too hard!” The next time you feel that way,take a deep breath and say to yourself, “I can dothis. I’m not giving up yet!”

Have you ever heard the old saying, “If at first you don’t suc-ceed, try, try again”? Find a newspaper picture of a personwho is showing perseverance and paste it on the samesheet of paper.

One of the feelings you might have when you can’t do some-thing even after trying is frustration. That means you reallywant to give up and forget about it.

Find a character in the comics who is frustrated. How couldthe character solve the problem that is frustrating him?

Remember the story about the little engine who kept saying,“I think I can! I think I can!” That little engine was positive.

Look through the newspaper for some positive words thatyou can use to encourage yourself and others.


aking mistakes is only a bad thing if you keepmaking the same mistake over and over again. Infact, you can learn a lot from your mistakes if

you are paying attention.

If you make a mistake on your math paper, youcan look at the problem and see what you didwrong. Then you try not to do it again on the nextpaper.

It does no good to go around being angry or dis-appointed in yourself if you make a mistake.Nobody is perfect, and you are an intelligent per-son who is going to learn from the mistake.

One of the best things about being a human being isthat you can think before you do something. If youthink about the consequences of your actions beforeyou act, you can make an intelligent choice. And youcan save yourself from making a lot of mistakes!

Find a photo or a story in the newspaper about some-one making a mistake. What was the mistake? Do youthink the person will make the same mistake again?

Find an example in the newspaper of a choicesomeone had to make. Did the person make theright choice? Do you think he asked himself thetwo questions before he acted? What choicewould you have made?

YOUR NEWSPAPER’S NAME HERE

your newspaper’s name herewrite your name vertically (one letter under another) down the side of a...

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