September 24, 2012
Great news! Most of our activity sheets are now writable PDFs. You can print and copy them or have students fill them out right on their computers or tablets. Click here to see instructions for using writable PDFs.
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SUMMARY: This harrowing story of students who survived the tornado that devastated Henryville, Indiana, is paired with a beautiful poem by Irene Latham. Don’t miss our Author Talk video! Skill focus: key ideas and details Lexile Level: 995L
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Check out our gorgeous step-by-step teaching kit, which includes the article, a video, and activity sheets. Great for your whiteboard! SCOPE VIDEO: Author Talk: Lauren Tarshis on “Out of the Tornado” Go behind the scenes of our narrative-nonfiction feature with the author. *Comes with these discussion questions. For an iPad/iPhone compatible version of this video, please click here. AUDIO: Reading of “The Tornado” Hear the poem read aloud. Makes excellent listening-comprehension practice! Don’t miss our poetry-analysis activity. Tip: Before playing our reading, have several students each read the poem aloud. Compare how the tone and mood of the poem change depending on how it’s read. NEW! THEMED VOCABULARY: Words of Destruction This not-to-be-missed activity will help your students master the subtle differences among words related to destruction. Great for whole class and small group work. Click here for an interactive Teacher’s Guide to using this activity. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. IDENTIFYING TEXT EVIDENCE Students find evidence to support central ideas in the article, sidebar, poem, and video. POETRY ANALYSIS: “The Tornado” Multiple-choice and short-answer questions help students analyze Irene Latham’s poem. Please note: This activity sheet is print-only. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPRENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We crafted 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. CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. VIDEO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Questions for a class discussion or independent analysis of the video “Author Talk: Lauren Tarshis on ‘Out of the Tornado’”. READ, THINK, EXPLAIN: IDENTIFYING NONFICTION ELEMENTS Use our teacher-vetted, scaffolded reading activity to develop your students’ nonfiction reading skills and strategies. Makes great homework! Includes text-structure questions. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students write a paragraph applying a Helen Keller quote to the article and the poem. Read more about our contests here. EXTRA RESOURCES WEBSITE: Weather Wiz Kids: Tornadoes A clear and detailed explanation of what tornadoes are and how they form—perfect for students who’d like to go deeper into the science behind natural disasters. FROM OUR ARCHIVE: The Fury of Fire This gripping Scope nonfiction article explores the theme of loss and recovery from a wildfire in California. For a great poetry-writing activity, have students use the pairing of “Out of the Tornado” and Latham’s poem “The Tornado” as a model to write a poem based on this article. | |
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SUMMARY: Wild animals, a mysterious whistle, a bloodcurdling scream in the night—can Sherlock Holmes crack the case before someone, or something, kills poor Helen Stoner? We pair this delightful adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic short story with a fictional modern-day mystery. Skill focus: analyzing character
GET A PDF OF THIS PLAY TO PROJECT. This two-part activity asks students to identify Sherlock Holmes’s key traits and apply his methods in solving a fictional mystery. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We crafted 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. CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. 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! VOCABULARY A list of tricky words that appear in the play. Includes definitions and example sentences, as well as a practice activity to reinforce understanding. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students write a scene in which Sherlock Holmes solves the fictional mystery on page 18. Read more about our contests here. EXTRA RESOURCES ORIGINAL TEXT: “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” This is the complete text of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original story. Have advanced students compare this version with our play adaptation. PHOTOS: A Brief History of Sherlock Holmes More than 70 actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes in more than 200 films. This photo gallery from TIME highlights 10 of the most famous renditions. Ask students to consider why this character has captured the imaginations of so many people for so long. | |
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SUMMARY: An article about the origins of the Hershey Chocolate Company is paired with an article about how the 1982 movie E.T. boosted sales of Reese’s Pieces. Skill focus: making inferences; making connections between texts
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Lexile Level: 1110L GRAPHIC ORGANIZERStudents identify key details from both articles in preparation for the writing prompt on page 21. INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ A test-prep essential! We crafted 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. 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 use both articles to identify strategies that can lead to success in business. Read more about our contests here. EXTRA RESOURCE WEBSITE: The Hershey’s Story Learn more about the history of Hershey’s with this detailed timeline. The Hershey’s site also includes information on how chocolate is made. Yum! | |
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SUMMARY: Many kids are risking their health and even their lives to create stunt videos to post on YouTube. Should YouTube ban these videos? Students read arguments on both sides of the debate and take a stand. Skill focus: supporting an argument; identifying main ideas and details Lexile Level: 1100L
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Our self-guided worksheet makes essay writing a painless process. Great for homework! GREAT TRANSITIONS HANDOUT Using transition words is a key writing skill. Our handout gives students ideas on how to choose the perfect transition word. ARGUMENT-ESSAY CHECKLIST Have students use our nifty list to check their argument essays before handing them in. Great for peer review too! 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. | |
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SUMMARY: Students correct grammar errors and revise sloppy writing in a nonfiction article about the totally creepy phenomenon of sudden mass animal death. Skill focus: conventions of standard English; editing/revising GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Please note: The following activity sheets are print-only. AVOIDING RUN-ON SENTENCESStudents identify and correct run-on sentences. PUNCTUATING QUOTATIONS Students review the rules and do a practice activity. USING COMMAS WITH INTRODUCTORY WORDS, CLAUSES, AND PHRASES More help with this common problem. TRANSITIONS Practice for using clear and effective transitions. Be sure to use with our Great Transitions Handout, which students can refer to whenever they write. | |
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SUMMARY: High school track star Meghan Vogel made headlines when she helped an opponent across the finish line during a championship race. In this activity, students use our interview with Meghan to write a short article about her. Skill focus: identifying main 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 VIDEO: Meghan Vogel on NBC Nightly News This brief clip from NBC Nightly News features footage of Meghan’s race. Length: 0:34. NOTE: An ad appears before the video begins, so we recommend loading the video before your class starts. | |
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SUMMARY: Students practice the correct use of number and amount while learning fun facts about extraterrestrials. Skill focus: number and amount
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. | |
SKILLS AND GRAPHIC-ORGANIZERS LIBRARY Visit our library for a list of basic skills activities for just about any Scope article or story. 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. DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITY SHEETS FROM THIS ISSUE 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. |
