Ms. Bingham’s 4th Grade

Reading Challenge ActivitiesFrom Houghton Mifflin Reading

Ms. Bingham’s 4th Grade

Challenge Activities

Directions: Select one of the following activities

to complete independently to extend your understanding of our American Stories theme. Complete a challenge activity contract. Your teacher will give you the due date when the contract is turned in.

Ms. Bingham’s 4th Grade

Challenge Activity 1Draw America

Design and draw a poster that shows the many different kinds of people in America. You can use cut-out images from old magazines and newspapers to create a collage or draw pictures. Your poster might include:

• People you have read about• People of different ages and races• People doing different kinds of work• People from different parts of America• People you know.

Write a short paragraph describing your poster and how it represents your vision of America.

ObjectiveDesign a poster that shows American people.

MaterialsMagazines or newspapers, drawing supplies, poster board or paper

Ms. Bingham’s 4th Grade

Challenge Activity 2Write a Description

The selections in American Stories take place in different parts of the country. Choose a region, city, or town in America and write a

description of it. Include details about:

• The people who live there.• Famous or not-so-famous sights, sounds, and smells.• What makes it special to you.

As you write, be careful not to use the name of the place. When you are done, read your description to a partner to see if he or she can guess what place you have described. If your partner has trouble guessing, it’s fine to give hints.

ObjectiveResearch and describe a special place in America.

Materials Encyclopedia, travel magazines, internet

Ms. Bingham’s 4th Grade

Challenge Activity 3Chart America’s Growth

Look up recent figures about immigration to America from three countries.

• Make a bar graph to show the information.• Label your graph clearly.• Write the reference sources you used on your graph.

Objective Examine information about immigration.

MaterialsAlmanac or other reference materials, paper or poster board

Ms. Bingham’s 4th Grade

Challenge Activity 4Discover Inventors

With a small group, research and prepare a brief report about an American inventor. You might research the inventor of

your favorite gadget or one of the following:

• Elisha Otis (elevator)• Hamilton Smith (washing machine)• Elias Howe (sewing machine)

• Theordore Miaman (laser)

Write a short biography of the inventor, draw a picture of the invention and create a timeline of the inventor’s work.

Objective Report on American inventors.

MaterialsEncyclopedia or other reference source, poster board, colored pencils