November 21, 2011
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SUMMARY: When she was 16, Lexi Youngberg lost the lower part of her left leg in a boating accident. Two years later, she is living life to the fullest. We pair Lexi’s inspiring story with an excerpt from a speech by Helen Keller. Together, they form a fantastic lesson on overcoming obstacles. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: HOW CAN WE FIND JOY IN OVERCOMING OBSTACLES? AMAZING DIGITAL LESSON PLAN Students explore the essential question with this engaging step-by-step lesson, which features photographs, video clips, and more. Perfect for use on your whiteboard. “OVERCOMING OBSTACLES” GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Short-answer questions help students understand the poem. “HELEN KELLER’S SPEECH” QUIZ This reading-comprehension quiz will help students get the most from Helen Keller’s speech excerpted on page 9. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students write a paragraph relating Lexi’s story and Helen Keller’s speech, in response to the essential question “How can we find joy in overcoming obstacles?” Read more about our contests here. SKILLS WORKSHEETS TO PRINT OR PROJECT VOCABULARY Review the definitions of the tricky words that appear in the article. Includes a practice activity to reinforce understanding. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. 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 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: Cameron Clapp: Teen Amputee’s New Life This profile of teenager Cameron Clapp (pictured in the article on page 7) is another amazing story of a young amputee. Show to students after they read the article and have them compare Cameron’s journey with Lexi’s. How have their recoveries been similar and different? Length: 4:46. NOTE: An ad appears before the video starts, so we recommend loading the video before your class begins. | |
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SUMMARY: This O. Henry classic tells the story of a career criminal, Jimmy Valentine, who cleans up his act after falling head-over-heels in love with a bank owner’s daughter. But does Jimmy truly change, or is it all an act? CAN PEOPLE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER? DOWNLOAD THE ESSENTIAL-QUESTION LESSON PLAN. CONSIDERING JIMMY Use this discussion guide while reading the play to help students track how, when, and if Jimmy’s character changes. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Using supporting evidence from the play, students write a paragraph on whether or not they think Jimmy truly reformed, and if it’s possible for people in general to change for the better. Read more about our contests here. SKILLS WORKSHEETS TO PRINT OR PROJECT VOCABULARY Review the definitions of the tricky words that appear in the article. Includes a practice activity to reinforce understanding. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ | |
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SUMMARY: An essay about life in the hurricane capital of the U.S. is paired with an essay about life in California, where thousands of earthquakes strike every year. 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. GREAT RESOURCES VIDEO: National Geographic’s Hurricane Surge Use this clip to give your students an idea of the science behind a storm surge, one of the most destructive parts of a hurricane. Length: 3:17. NOTE: An ad appears before the video starts, so we recommend loading the video before your class begins. VIDEO: National Geographic’s Earthquakes 101 Show this great clip to give your students a better understanding of the science behind an earthquake. Length: 2:38. NOTE: An ad appears before the video starts, so we recommend loading the video before your class begins. | |
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SUMMARY: Students correct grammar mistakes and revise sloppy writing in a nonfiction article about obsessive sneaker collectors. Skill focus: conventions of standard English; revision GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. COMMA PRACTICE | |
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SUMMARY: Students weigh the pros and cons, then take a stand on school uniforms. Skill focus: supporting an argument; identifying main ideas and details GUIDED WRITING: THE PERSUASIVE ESSAY Our self-guided worksheet makes essay writing a painless process. Includes two bonus handouts: transition words and a self-edit checklist. Great for homework! | |
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SUMMARY: Students write a short article based on our interview with a boy who co-founded an organization that raises money to build soccer fields for needy children in Africa. 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. “YOU WRITE IT” MODEL TEXT Our annotated example of a completed “You Write It” activity is another great way to help students understand how to turn an interview into an article. PUNCTUATING QUOTATIONS We’ve pulled this activity from our archive to help students correctly punctuate the direct quotes they include in their articles. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Use our handy form to enter students’ work in our You Write It contest. Read more about our contests here. GREAT RESOURCE WEBSITE: FUNDaFIELD Find out more about Kyle and his incredible organization. | |
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SUMMARY: Students practice the correct use of presents and presence with fun facts about some outlandish musical artists. Skill focus: presents vs. presence More practice with these commonly confused words. | |
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| READING-COMPREHENSION CROSSWORD PUZZLE This is a fun way to test students’ understanding of the whole issue. VOCABULARY REVIEW A comprehensive list and review of the 80 vocabulary words covered in the first four issues of Scope this year. | |
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 SKILLS AND GRAPHIC-ORGANIZERS LIBRARY HELPFUL LINKS & DOWNLOADS COMMON CORE, NCTE, AND IRA STANDARDS FAQs ABOUT INTERACTIVE PDFS Having trouble downloading our materials? Try using a different browser. |
