Then have them copy the ad but change each adjective to a word that means the opposite. Give your child one section of the newspaper and have them find at least five examples each of compound words, contractions and plurals. Tell the child to circle the compound words, underline the contractions, and draw a box around the plural words. Younger children may do one of these activities rather than all of them. Ask the child to find an interesting news photo and cut it out.
Younger children can tell rather than write their responses to before, now, and future.
Have the child select two or three newspaper pictures that show action. For each picture, have them read the caption and then use that information to write down the cause and effect of the action shown. Using a newspaper sports story that describes the outcome of a game, ask the child to underline the verbs in the story. Ask the child to select a large retail advertisement. Discuss the concepts of fact and opinion with the child.