February 11, 2013
Great news! Most of our activity sheets are now writable PDFs. You can print and copy them or have students fill them out on their computers or tablets. Click here to see instructions for using writable PDFs.
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SUMMARY: Filmmaker Hardy Jones has been dubbed “the dolphin defender” for his work helping dolphins. We pair the gripping account of how Jones rescued two desperate dolphins with a Q&A with a marine park representative. Skill focus: reading for information Lexile Level: 1060L
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Use our step-by-step multimedia teaching package for a lesson that connects the article, a video, activity sheets, and more. VIDEO: Can a Picture Change the World? This compelling look at some famous pictures from history will prompt students to consider the power of an image. Ask students to think about how Hardy Jones’s work has a similar sort of power. NEW! AUDIO: Hear the article read aloud! A great way to make a “stretch text” accessible for your below-level readers. Also makes superb listening-comprehension practice for your entire class. READING FOR INFORMATION: “Helping Dolphins” For students who need extra scaffolding, this activity is excellent preparation for the prompt on page 9. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests. Need help with interactive PDFs? Visit our FAQ page. NONINTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A printable version of the quiz above. READ, THINK, EXPLAIN: IDENTIFYING NONFICTION ELEMENTS Use our teacher-vetted, scaffolded reading activity to develop your students’ nonfiction-reading skills and strategies, and prepare them for higher-level-thinking questions. Great for independent and small-group work. Don’t miss our nifty glossary of nonfiction terms—an excellent resource that students can use all year long. VOCABULARY A list of tricky words that appear in the article. Includes definitions and example sentences as well as a practice activity to reinforce understanding. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students summarize the threats dolphins face and explain the ways in which some people have helped them. Read more about our contests here. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THIS ARTICLE Get them all in one click! EXTRA RESOURCES HARDY JONES’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE Learn more about Hardy Jones, watch videos, and read some of his writing about his work. BLOG POST: Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project This post tells a great story of a former fisherman who used to hunt dolphins and now works to protect them. An excellent additional text to explore alongside our article. | |
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SUMMARY: A thrilling article transports students to 79 A.D., detailing life in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii on the day Mount Vesuvius erupted. Also included are an eyewitness account and an article about why some people today choose to stay put in the face of disaster. Skill focus: synthesizing
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Lexile Level: 930L VIDEO: Behind the ScenesAuthor Lauren Tarshis gives students an inside look at the research, writing, and design process in the creation of “Day of Disaster: The Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, 79 A.D.” Great for providing context and setting a purpose for reading. TEXT EVIDENCE: “How Do People React?” Students identify text evidence and synthesize key ideas from the article as well as the eyewitness account and the editorial. Prepares students to respond to the writing prompt on page 15. Note: This is a challenging activity, so we’ve provided two versions: INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests. Need help with interactive PDFs? Visit our FAQ page. NONINTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A printable version of the quiz above. VOCABULARY A list of tricky words that appear in the article. Includes definitions and example sentences as well as a practice activity to reinforce understanding. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students analyze the ways the citizens of Pompeii reacted to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and consider whether we would react differently today. Read more about our contests here. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THIS ARTICLE Get them all in one click! EXTRA RESOURCES ORIGINAL TEXT: Full Version of Pliny the Younger’s Letters Have advanced students delve into the full texts of the letters excerpted in the sidebar. How does Pliny’s description of the eruption compare with the article’s description? INTERACTIVE FEATURE: Volcano Explorer In this interactive feature from Discovery Channel, students can explore the science of volcanoes and build and simulate the eruption of their own volcanoes. Try different combinations of gas and viscosity to re-create the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Hint: Think big! Note: Ads may appear on the page. | |
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SUMMARY: In the segregated American South in the early 1960s, four courageous teenagers risked everything for the right to sit down and order a cup of coffee. Skill focus: responding to an essential question; acquiring content-area vocabulary
GET A PDF OF THIS PLAY TO PROJECT. Give your students a vocabulary to read about and discuss the civil rights movement. Great for whole-class and small-group work. Click here for an interactive Teacher’s Guide for help using this activity. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. TEXT EVIDENCE: “What Is Strength?” Students find examples of strength in the play. Great preparation for the writing prompt on page 21. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests. Need help with interactive PDFs? Visit our FAQ page. NONINTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A printable version of the quiz above. IDENTIFYING LITERARY ELEMENTS AND DEVICES Students explore character, elements of plot, and more in this self-guided activity. Includes higher-level-thinking questions. Use this activity with our Glossary of Literary Terms—a terrific resource that your students can use all year! CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students consider why the Greensboro sit-in was so effective, making connections between the play and a famous quotation from Gandhi. Read more about our contests here. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THIS PLAY Get them all in one click! EXTRA RESOURCES VIDEO: “Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4” A series of six video clips from the Smithsonian’s documentary Seizing Justice: The Greensboro 4, featuring present-day interviews with the Greensboro Four. Note: An ad may appear before the video begins, so we recommend loading the video before your class starts. Please preview the video to ensure it is appropriate for your class. WEBSITE: Stories of Freedom and Justice A page about the Greensboro sit-in, featuring lots of information and a video, from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, which holds a section of the Greensboro Woolworth’s lunch counter in its collection. | |
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SUMMARY: Students correct grammatical errors and revise sloppy writing in an amusing nonfiction article about one of the world’s oldest and most widespread superstitions: the dreaded “evil eye.” Skill focus: conventions of standard English; revision GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Please note: These activity sheets are print-only. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENTStudents practice matching singular and plural verbs and subjects. SENTENCE-STRUCTURE VARIATION Because if every sentence were the same, reading (and writing) would be such a snore! COLONS AND SEMICOLONS It’s a fact: Colons and semicolons are important; help students learn to use them. AVOIDING SUDDEN SHIFTS IN TONE AND STYLE Students practice maintaining a consistent voice in their writing. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THIS ARTICLE Get them all in one click! | |
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SUMMARY: Will humans live on Mars someday? (We hope so!) NASA’s goal is to send astronauts to Mars by the mid-2030s. But is that really such a good idea? Students read arguments on both sides of the debate, then form their own opinion. Skill focus: forming an opinion; identifying central ideas and details; argument writing Lexile Level: 980L
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Our self-guided activity sheet makes essay writing a painless process. Great for homework! VOCABULARY A list of tricky words that appear in the article. Includes definitions and example sentences as well as a practice activity to reinforce understanding. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. GREAT TRANSITIONS HANDOUT Using transition words is a key writing skill. Our handout gives students ideas on how to choose the perfect transition word or phrase. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THIS ARTICLE Get them all in one click! EXTRA RESOURCE NASA’S MARS EXPLORATION PROGRAM This NASA site is packed with information about Mars, including the past, present, and future of human exploration of the Red Planet. | |
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SUMMARY: “Orion shirts” are all the rage at Dori’s school. So how will she face her classmates when her mom buys her a cheap knockoff for her birthday? We pair this touching story with an original poem by Rebecca Kai Dotlich. Skill focus: central ideas and details Lexile Level: 925L GET A PDF OF THIS STORY TO PROJECT. Play our reading of the poem for listening-comprehension practice. Tip: Before playing our reading, have several students each read the poem aloud. Notice how the tone and mood of the poem change, depending on how it’s read. POETRY ANALYSIS: “Sweet Keepsake” Multiple-choice and short-answer questions help students explore Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s poem. EXPLORING SYMBOLISM Students analyze what the Orion shirt symbolizes to Dori throughout the story, using text evidence to support their ideas. A great scaffold for students who need extra help answering the writing prompt on page 31. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We formed these questions based on state tests. Visit our FAQ page. NONINTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A printable version of the quiz above. IDENTIFYING LITERARY ELEMENTS AND DEVICES This self-guided activity helps students explore character, elements of plot, and more. Includes higher-level-thinking questions. Use this activity with our Glossary of Literary Terms—a terrific resource your students can use all year! CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. DIY VOCABULARY This activity is a great way for students to keep track of unfamiliar words they encounter in any Scope article. They will use context clues, look up definitions, and use each new word in a sentence. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students write a short response to the story and advice column, analyzing what the two texts show us about decisions involving right and wrong. Read more about our contests here. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITIES FOR THIS ARTICLE Get them all in one click! EXTRA RESOURCES MEET THE AUTHOR: Rachel Vail Learn more about Rachel Vail and all her terrific books at her official website. MEET THE POET: Rebecca Kai Dotlich Learn more about the author of “Sweet Keepsake” at her official website. | |
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SUMMARY: Students write a short article based on our interview with Joshua Colas, a 14-year-old chess prodigy. Skill focus: identifying central idea and details; summarizing GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Our self-guided worksheet walks students through the process of crafting an article. “YOU WRITE IT” MODEL TEXT Model the activity with an annotated example of a completed “You Write It” article. PUNCTUATING QUOTATIONS Use this activity sheet for extra practice with direct quotes. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Use our handy form to enter students’ work in the “You Write It” contest. Read more about our contests here. EXTRA RESOURCE JOSHUA’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE Learn more about Joshua and his impressive chess career at his official website. | |
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SUMMARY: Students practice the correct usage of among and between while reading about four famous friendships. Skill focus: among and between
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT 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. Please note: This activity is print-only. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITY SHEETS FROM THIS ISSUE | |
SCOPE’S SKILLS AND GRAPHIC-ORGANIZERS LIBRARY Visit our library for a list of basic skills activities for just about any Scope article or story, along with a collection of handy handouts. ANSWER KEY Looking for answers? Visit our top-secret website for answers to all quizzes and activities. The URL can be found on page T-3 of your printed Teacher’s Edition. MORE HELPFUL LINKS & DOWNLOADS COMMON CORE, NCTE, AND IRA STANDARDS FAQs ABOUT INTERACTIVE PDFs Having a problem downloading our materials? Try using a different browser. |
