February 20, 2012
SUMMARY: We pair this thrilling true story of a daring escape from America’s toughest prison with an original poem that imagines the inmates’ perspective. Skill focus: integration of knowledge and ideasOr, take your descriptive-writing lesson further with our exciting DIGITAL LESSON PLAN. Incorporates an original Scope video.
SCOPE VIDEO: “Voices From Alcatraz”
Visit “the Rock” in our new video, featuring quotes from actual Alcatraz inmates. Click here for the worksheet that supports the video.
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER: Key Ideas and Details
Students find details in the article that give insight into the experiences of Alcatraz prisoners.
ANALYZING POETRY: “Vow”
Multiple-choice and short-answer questions help students understand the poem.
A list of tricky words, including definitions and example sentences, 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.
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.
CONTEST ENTRY FORM
Students write a paragraph describing what it was like to be an inmate at Alcatraz and analyzing why the conditions there may have motivated prisoners to attempt an escape. Read more about our contests here.
VIDEO: National Geographic’s “Alcatraz Survival”
Hear firsthand from a former inmate how prisoners managed to fight boredom and stay sane under the harsh conditions at Alcatraz. This clip provides additional details students may use in responding to the writing prompt on page 9. Length: 2:59. NOTE: An ad appears before the video starts. We recommend loading the video before your class begins.
ALCATRAZ ISLAND MAP
At this National Park Service Web page you’ll find a downloadable map of Alcatraz Island, to help students visualize what the would-be escapees were up against.
SUMMARY: Our version of Washington Irving’s classic tale—packaged with an amazing graphic novel-style adaptation of the story—is sure to grab your students’ attention. Skill focus: text analysis
SEE HOW THIS ACTIVITY SUPPORTS THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS.
COMPARING THE PLAY AND THE COMIC
A series of questions guides students to identify key similarities and differences between our play and comic adaptations of “Rip Van Winkle.”
IDENTIFYING LITERARY ELEMENTS AND DEVICES
This self-guided activity helps students explore character, elements of plot, imagery, and more. Includes higher-level thinking questions.
A list of tricky words, including definitions and example sentences, that appear in the play. Includes a practice activity to reinforce understanding. Read more about Scope Vocabulary here.
INTERACTIVE READING-COMPREHENSION QUIZ
SUMMARY: The average teenager spends more than 53 hours a week in front of a screen. Are your students screen addicts? Skill focus: supporting an argument; identifying main ideas and details
Our self-guided worksheet makes essay writing a painless process. Includes two bonus handouts: transition words and a self-edit checklist. Great for homework!
SUMMARY: An essay about life in Lagos, Nigeria—one of the most densely populated cities in the world—is paired with a short piece about a struggling town in rural Missouri. Skill focus: comparing and contrasting; making connections between texts; interpreting text
GET A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE TO PROJECT.
SUMMARY: Students write a short article based on our interview with 13-year-old Stephen Zambotti, who, along with his classmates, made an antibullying video that went viral. Skill focus: identifying main idea and details; summarizing
VIDEO: “We Are the Solution”
Show the video Stephen and his classmates made and share its important message with your class.
GUIDE TO “YOU WRITE IT” ACTIVITY
This step-by-step worksheet helps students use our interview to craft an article. Includes guidance for 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 a great way to help students understand how to turn an interview into an article.
Use 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.
WEB SITE: WeAreTheSolution.net
Visit the Web site that Stephen’s school created to promote their video, and check out the antibullying pledge.
SUMMARY: Students practice the correct use of sight and site while reading fun facts about three famous couples. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Skill focus: sight and site
More practice with these commonly confused words.
|VOCABULARY REVIEW 2 |
The second installment of our popular vocabulary review series is here! Features a list of, and review activities for, ALL 80 words from the middle four issues of the 2011–2012 school year: 11/21, 12/12, 1/09, and 1/30. Click here to learn more about Scope Vocabulary.
READING-COMPREHENSION CROSSWORD PUZZLE
This is a fun way to test students’ understanding of the whole issue.
SKILLS AND GRAPHIC-ORGANIZERS LIBRARY
Visit our library for a list of basic skills activities for just about any Scope feature.
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
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