November 12, 2012
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: Soldier Joey Paulk was severely burned when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. We package Paulk’s incredible story of survival and resilience with a poem as well as a profile of a veteran recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder with the help of a special dog. Skill focus: text evidence: sacrifice and healing Lexile Level: 1030L
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Students identify text evidence and synthesize key ideas from the article as well as the poem and the profile. Prepares students to respond to the writing prompt on page 9. Note: This is a challenging activity, so we’ve provided two versions: READ, THINK, EXPLAIN: IDENTIFYING NONFICTION ELEMENTS New and improved! Use our teacher-vetted, scaffolded reading activity to develop your students’ nonfiction-reading skills and strategies and prepare them for higher-level-thinking questions. Don’t miss our nifty glossary of nonfiction terms—an excellent resource students can use all year long. AUDIO: Reading of the Poem “Let Me Tell You Things” Play our dramatic 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: “Let Me Tell You Things” Multiple-choice and short-answer questions help students explore Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s poem. Please note: This activity sheet is print-only. 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. GLOSSARY OF MEDICAL TERMS A handy guide to the medical terms in the article. 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. CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students write a paragraph connecting the narrative nonfiction article, the poem, and the profile. Read more about our contests here. EXTRA RESOURCES VIDEO: Healing the Most Deeply Scarred A 2009 CBS News profile of Joey Paulk and Operation Mend, including additional information and footage of Joey. NOTE: Some images may be graphic. Please preview this clip to ensure that it is appropriate for your class. An ad appears before the video, so we recommend loading the video before your class begins. Length: 9:42. MEET THE POET: Rebecca Kai Dotlich Learn more about the author of “Let Me Tell You Things” from her official website. | |
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SUMMARY: During the worst years of the Great Depression, the legendary racehorse Seabiscuit brought hope to millions. We pair this historical-fiction play with an editorial about the power of underdog stories. And don’t miss our Time Machine video on life in the 1930s! Skill focus: central ideas and details
GET A PDF OF THIS PLAY TO PROJECT. Use our step-by-step multimedia teaching package for a showstopping lesson that connects Seabiscuit with our fantastic new video: “Scope Time Machine: The 1930s.” VIDEO: “Scope Time Machine: The 1930s” Transport your students back to the 1930s with this rich and engaging video, which will build content-area knowledge and vocabulary that students may draw on when they read Seabiscuit. Treat this as an additional informational “text”! *Comes with these discussion questions. For an iPad/iPhone compatible version of this video, please click here. CENTRAL IDEAS AND DETAILS: “Seabiscuit’s Fans” Students use text evidence to identify parallels between the stories of Seabiscuit and the Orens. Prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 16. 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 your students can use all year! 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. 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. CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS Short-answer questions for independent completion (great for your above-level readers!) or group discussion. CONTEST ENTRY FORM Students explain a quote about Seabiscuit from author Laura Hillenbrand using evidence from the play and the editorial. Read more about our contests here. EXTRA RESOURCES AUDIO: Seabiscuit Wins the Santa Anita Handicap of 1940 An amazing audio clip of announcer Joe Hernandez calling the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap—the climactic race at the end of our play. We recommend playing it to help students reading the parts of the radio announcers get into character! WEBSITE: PBS’s “American Experience: Seabiscuit” This website has many excellent Seabiscuit resources, including a documentary, timeline, photo gallery, and an interview with author Laura Hillenbrand. | |
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SUMMARY: We pair a fascinating article on the history of human hygiene with an article on the Axe and Old Spice obsession among middle school boys. Skill focus: key ideas and supporting details; acquiring new vocabulary
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Lexile Level: 910L THEMED VOCABULARY: Bad SmellsThis not-to-be-missed activity will help your students learn some fun vocabulary to describe stinky smells and understand the nuances of these words. 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. GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Students make connections with the key ideas and supporting details in each article. Makes excellent preparation for the writing prompt on page 19. 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. CONTEST ENTRY FORM What influences our hygiene practices? Are our current hygiene practices likely to be the same in 100 years? Students use evidence from the two articles to respond to these questions. Read more about our contests here. EXTRA RESOURCE PHOTO GALLERY: How Advertisers Convinced Americans They Smelled Bad A fascinating (and hilarious) slide show from the Smithsonian Institution of early advertisements for deodorant, including Odorono. Share them with your class and ask students to compare these old ads with today’s Axe and Old Spice ads, described in “What’s That Smell?” | |
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SUMMARY: The cafeteria is often the top place in school for bullying and exclusion. Is assigned seating the answer? Students read arguments on both sides of the debate, then take a stand. Skill focus: supporting an argument; identifying main ideas and details Lexile Level: 970L
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Our self-guided activity sheet 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 or phrase. 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 helps students 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 grammatical errors and revise sloppy writing in a nonfiction article about how a Japanese teenager’s prized soccer ball was lost in the devastating tsunami of 2011—then found 3,000 miles away. Skill focus: conventions of standard English; revision GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT. Please note: These activity sheets are print-only. COMMA USEStudents review the rules, then practice. AVOIDING UNNECESSARY, MEANINGLESS WORDS Students totally practice avoiding words that are actually so not at all necessary in their writing. DASHES Rules—plus a practice activity—for using dashes. | |
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SUMMARY: Kevin Curwick, 18, is fighting back against cyberbullies with a Twitter account he uses to compliment his classmates. In this activity, students use our interview with Kevin to write a short article about him. 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. | |
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SUMMARY: Students practice the correct use of less and fewer while learning about the stomach-churning feats of three competitive eaters. Skill focus: less and fewer
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. | |
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. 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. |
