News, Sports

NFL Football Season Begins… Phew!

NFL logoThe National Football League (NFL) just completed its first week of the season. It was an eventful week that saw all 32 teams play. But the season almost didn’t happen.

Over the summer the players and the owners argued over many different issues including the safety of the players, the number of games each team plays, and the players’ salaries.

Many experts believed that the season would be “lost.” They thought that football, like hockey in 2004, would simply be cancelled.

The owners and players discussed their concerns throughout the summer and, on July 25, they finally announced they had come to an agreement about these important issues. Football fans were happy to learn that the season was “saved.”

The first game of the season was between last year’s 2010 Superbowl champions, The Green Bay Packers,  and the 2009 champions, the New Orleans Saints. It was everything that football fans had been waiting for.

The game was decided on the final play. The Packers held off the Saints to win it 42 to 35.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly

Writing/Discussion Prompt
Although this story is about athletes, sports, and teams, it is also about what people solve their disagreements. What types of things do you say or do when you disagree with others?

Reading Prompt
What questions do you ask yourself as you read in order to make sure that you understand what you are reading?”

Primary
Identify, initially with some support and direction, what strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading and how they can use these and other strategies to improve as readers (OME, Reading: 4.1).

Junior & Intermediate
identify the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after reading and explain, in conversation with the teacher and/or peers or in a reader’s notebook, how they can use these and other strategies to improve as readers (OME, Reading: 4.1).

Grammar Feature: Interjections
An interjection is a word that shows strong feelings. It is often followed by an exclamation mark to show added emotion. Some examples, include “Help!” “Oops!”  and “Super!” The author of today’s article included the interjection, “phew,” in the title to communicate his relief.

Make a list of 10 interjections you could use to communicate excitement, horror, anger, or shock.

1. _______________________          6. _______________________

2. _______________________          7. _______________________

3. _______________________          8. __________________________

4. _______________________          9. __________________________

5. _______________________         10. __________________________