October 31, 2011
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SUMMARY: This is the story of Sarah Winchester, who built one of the most famous (and bizarre) haunted houses in America. As students read, they will learn about why ghost stories like Sarah’s still endure today. We pair the article with Valerie Worth’s lovely poem “Haunted House,” which challenges students to think about the many meanings of the word haunted.
SKILLS WORKSHEETS TO PRINT OR PROJECT VOCABULARY A list of tricky words that appear in the article, to print or project. Includes a practice activity to reinforce understanding. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests. (Need help with your interactive PDF? Visit our FAQ page.) Get the noninteractive version here. 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. CRITICAL THINKING Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. These are also listed in our T.E. and can be projected on your whiteboard. GREAT RESOURCE VIDEO: Lucky #13 at the Winchester House This clip from Travel Channel’s Most Haunted Live features footage of the Sarah Winchester mansion. Show this to students and ask them to consider how the TV producers depict the Winchester House. Ask students to consider how music, editing techniques, and voiceover play on our fears of, and fascination with, ghosts. Length: 1:00 | |
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SUMMARY: Can a picture change the world? This is the question students will ponder as they read our inspiring play about Lewis Hine, a photographer who crusaded against child labor in the early 1900s.
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SUMMARY: An essay about an 18th-century werewolf legend is paired with an essay about werewolves’ popularity in pop culture today. Skill focus: comparing and contrasting; making connections between texts Multiple-choice questions require students to analyze and compare the two texts. Makes great test prep. COMPARE-AND-CONTRAST GRAPHIC ORGANIZER A graphic organizer helps students compare the two articles—in preparation for responding to the writing prompt on page 19. Great for those who need more scaffolding. | |
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SUMMARY: After pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend, singer Chris Brown is experiencing a new surge of popularity. Is this controversial comeback justified? Your students decide. Skill focus: supporting an argument; identifying main ideas and details GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. GUIDED PERSUASIVE ESSAY | |
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SUMMARY: Students write a short article based on our interview with 17-year-old Hunter Nelson, who helped save his friend’s life after a hiking accident. Skill focus: identifying main idea and details; summarizing GUIDE TO “YOU WRITE IT” ACTIVITY This step-by-step worksheet helps students use our interview to craft an article. Includes help with identifying the main idea, organizing, and using direct quotations. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Use our handy form to enter students’ work in You Write It contest. Read more about our contests here. | |
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SUMMARY: Students practice the correct use of among and between with fun facts about Halloween traditions. Skill focus: among vs. between More practice with these commonly confused words. | |
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| READING-COMPREHENSION CROSSWORD PUZZLE A fun way to check reading comprehension. | |
ANSWER KEY Looking for answers? Visit our top-secret Web site for answers to all reproducibles, quizzes, and activities. The URL is listed on page T-3 of your printed Teacher’s Edition. DOWNLOAD ALL PRINTABLES FOR THIS ISSUE COMMON CORE, NCTE, AND IRA STANDARDS FAQs ABOUT INTERACTIVE PDFS Having trouble downloading our materials? Try using a different browser. |
