September 20, 2010

SCOPE ONLINE
Skill-based reading and writing activities for each Scope article

Jump directly to an article's resources:

NARRATIVE NONFICTION:
The Amazing Life of Harry Houdini
FICTION: Leghorn, by Watt Key
READERS THEATER PLAY:
Sherlock Holmes and the Blue Carbuncle
GRAPHIC POEM: "Come Little Leaves"
DEBATE/ESSAY KIT: Sailing Into Danger
GRAMMAR MISTAKES of the Rich and Famous
VOCABULARY: Extreme Words

HIGHLIGHTS
A taste of some of our fabulous digital offerings

TEACHING THE WHOLE ISSUE: CHARACTER TRAITS
This issue of Scope presents many unforgettable characters: Harry Houdini, Sherlock Holmes, an intrepid teenager, and a maniacal rooster. Use this mini-unit to help your students understand that characters—like real people—think, feel, act, and say things that define them.

SLIDE SHOW: UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS
Your students will make inferences about truly unforgettable characters with our sensational slide show.

DEBATE/ESSAY KIT: PERSUASIVE WRITING

Persuasive writing was never this painless! Students use our step-by-step, scaffolded guide to write a well-organized persuasive essay.

CONTEST CENTRAL
This is your students' chance to be in Scope! Click here to read about all of our current contests, including the ongoing Fabulous First-Line Contest with Pam Muñoz Ryan. (Don't forget the deadline: October 15.)

CROSSWORD

You told us that you missed the Scope crossword, so we brought it back! This issue's crossword spans the whole issue.

"The Amazing Life of Harry Houdini"

SUMMARY: Our riveting five-page article spotlights the greatest escape artist of all time: Harry Houdini. Your students will love analyzing this extraordinary character!

CLICK HERE TO GET A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.

DOWNLOAD THE TEACHER'S EDITION LESSON PLAN.

SLIDE SHOW: UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS
Your students will make inferences about truly unforgettable characters with our sensational slide show.

VIDEO RESOURCE
Enjoy these short archival film clips of some of Houdini's most famous escapes—including the straitjacket escape shown on the cover.

VOCABULARY
Project or print these challenging words from the article. Includes vocabulary practice to reinforce your students' understanding.

IDENTIFYING NONFICTION ELEMENTS: READ, THINK, EXPLAIN
Use our teacher-vetted scaffolded reading activity to help students improve their nonfiction reading-comprehension skills and strategies. Includes text structure questions!

INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ
A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests.
*Get the noninteractive version here.

CHARACTERIZATION: FINDING SUPPORTING DETAILS
Students find evidence in the article to support statements about the character Houdini.

CRITICAL THINKING
Short-answer questions for independent completion or group discussion.
(These are also listed in our T.E. and can be projected on your whiteboard.)

"Leghorn,"
by Watt Key

SUMMARY: In award-winning author Watt Key's story, a boy faces his worst fears about the (maybe) murderous rooster his mother bought for their farm. A focus on similes and characterization make this story a natural curriculum fit. (Plus: author spotlight and writing contest.)

CLICK HERE TO GET A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.

DOWNLOAD THE TEACHER'S EDITION LESSON PLAN.

SLIDE SHOW: UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS
Your students will make inferences about truly unforgettable characters with our sensational slide show.

VOCABULARY
Project or print these challenging words from the article. Includes vocabulary practice to reinforce your students' understanding.

IDENTIFYING FICTION ELEMENTS: READ, THINK, EXPLAIN
A two-page independent reading activity to help students improve their fiction reading-comprehension skills and strategies.

INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ
A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests.
*Get the noninteractive version here.

SIMILES
Students explore the meaning of similes from "Leghorn."

CHARACTERIZATION: FINDING SUPPORTING DETAILS
Students find evidence in the article to support statements about the characters of Leghorn and Wally.

POINT OF VIEW
Students compare Wally's and Leghorn's differing points of view.

CRITICAL THINKING
Short-answer questions for independent completion or group discussion.
(These are also listed in our T.E. and can be projected on your whiteboard.)

"Sherlock Holmes and the Blue Carbuncle"

SUMMARY: Students can match wits with the famous Sherlock Holmes as they build fluency and expression. A follow-up story spotlights present-day forensic science.

CLICK HERE TO GET A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.

DOWNLOAD THE TEACHER'S EDITION LESSON PLAN.

SLIDE SHOW: UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS
Your students will make inferences about truly unforgettable characters with our sensational slide show.

VOCABULARY
Project or print these challenging words from the article. Includes vocabulary practice to reinforce your students' understanding.

VIDEO RESOURCE
Take a virtual tour of Holmes's house at 221b Baker Street, from the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Includes a funny interaction with "Mr. Watson." (You may want to pause the video after 2 minutes.)

AUTHOR STUDY
Bite-size facts from the Guardian on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

SUPPORTING AN INFERENCE
Your students find text details to support an inference about the character Sherlock Holmes.

SEQUENCING THE MAIN EVENTS
Students put events from the play into chronological order.

INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ
A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests.
*Get the noninteractive version here.

CRITICAL THINKING
Short-answer questions for independent completion or group discussion.
(These are also listed in our T.E. and can be projected on your whiteboard.)

"Come Little Leaves"

SUMMARY: You love graphic novels, so how about a graphic poem? Our comic-book style illustration brings George Cooper's classic poem to life. Focus on personification.

CLICK HERE TO GET A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.

DOWNLOAD THE TEACHER'S EDITION LESSON PLAN.

PERSONIFICATION GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Students find examples of personification in the poem.

CRITICAL THINKING
Short-answer questions for independent completion or group discussion.
(These are also listed in our T.E. and can be projected on your whiteboard.)

"Sailing Into Danger"

SUMMARY: Sixteen-year-old Abby Sunderland tried to sail around the world alone and sailed into big trouble. Should her parents have let her go? Your students decide.

CLICK HERE TO GET A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.

GUIDED PERSUASIVE ESSAY
Our self-guided worksheet makes essay writing a painless step-by-step process! When your students finish this activity, they will have a well-organized persuasive essay.

Grammar Mistakes of the Rich and
Famous

SUMMARY: Turn your students into grammar gods and goddesses with our charming editing activity.

CLICK HERE TO GET A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.

EDITING ACTIVITY
This silly letter is chock-full of errors in desperate need of correcting.

"Extreme Words"

SUMMARY: Enrich your students' vocabulary mastery with this visually driven—and totally fun—activity. A caption-writing contest follows.

CLICK HERE TO GET A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.

VOCABULARY ACTIVITY
A two-page activity that reviews the vocabulary words from the issue. Includes definitions, parts of speech, antonyms, and fill-in-the-blank sentences.

HELPFUL DOWNLOADS

ANSWER KEY
Looking for answers? Visit our top-secret Web site for answers to all online reproducibles and quizzes. The URL is listed on page T-7 of your printed Teacher’s Edition.

TEACHER'S EDITION
Misplaced your T.E.? No worries! Download it directly here. Note: This online version does NOT include the answer key or the URL for the answer key.

Click here to see all reproducibles for this issue.