"Five Things You Need to Know Today" is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance.

1. Sunny day: Today will be sunny but a little cooler, with a high around 68 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. It will also be breezy, with gusts of between 17 and 21 miles per hour and up to 32 mph. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 44 degrees.

2. Every drop counts: Channel 5/WCVB TV will team up with the American Red Cross to sponsor a blood drive today from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Channel 5 studio, 5 TV Place, Needham Heights. All blood types are welcome, and all donors will receive a free case of Walgreens spring water. Call 800-733-2767 to schedule an appointment or just drop by.

3. Eighth graders Step Up: Needham eighth graders will take advantage of today’s early release from school with a chaperoned walk to Needham High School where they will have a pizza lunch, meet with NHS coaches and athletes, get a tour of the school and attend a student-athlete leadership workshop. Students must have registered in advance for this inaugural Eighth Grade Athlete Step-Up Day, which is funded by the Needham Education Foundation.

4. Ruff reader: Lucy the R.E.A.D. Dog will be at the Needham Free Public Library at 10:00 a.m. Registration is required. Also today at the library, kids ages 2-5 can drop in for craft activities at 4:00 p.m.

5. Prom night: Needham High School seniors will be putting on their dancing shoes today for their senior prom, to be held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston from 6:30-11:30 p.m. (By the way, any Needham teens who would like to have their photos taken before the prom and published on Needham Patch, please e-mail me with a time and location, and I’d be happy to drop by.)