1 - Scholastic

TEACHER’S EDITION December 8, 2008
Vol. 57 • No. 8 • ISSN 0036-6412 • A supplement to Scholastic Scope
Issue
Dates
SEPT.
1
SEPT.
15
sept.
29
OCT.
13
OCT.
27
NOV.
10 & 24
DEC.
8
JAN.
5
JAN.
19
FEB.
2
FEB.
16
MAR.
9
MAR.
23
APR.
13
APR.
27
MAY
11
Dear Teachers,
Longtime English teacher and current middle-school
principal Debbie Phelps said this about a student: “He was
able to focus on what he loved.” The student? Her Olympic
swimming star son, Michael. As you know better than anyone,
what was true for Michael Phelps is true for all students. If
you present young people with a text about something that
interests them, they will focus, learn, and excel. From our
profile about Phelps, to a Readers Theater Play about cliques
and engaging news shorts in the Your World section, there
is something in this issue that will win the focus of every
one of your students. That’s a Scope gold-medal guarantee!
Sincerely,
THIS ISSUE
ONLINE
www.scholastic.com/scope
*10 reproducibles for
this issue available
on November 24
*Skills pages from this TE
*Tips on using Scope
*Answer keys
(follow the link on p. T-4)
STUDENT EDITION
SKILLS & STANDARDS
Lucy Lehrer,
Executive Editor
page article skills state standards NCTE & IRA*
3
your world
(Lesson, p. T-3)
MAKING CONNECTIONS
(6 writing prompts)
• text-to-self • word origin • reading for information • current
events • reading across the curriculum
1, 2, 3, 5, 7,
8, 11
6
readers theater play:
The Clique (Lesson, p. T-2)
FLUENCY, EXPRESSION
(Reading comprehension • Write Now)
• compare & contrast • inference • understanding plot, setting,
context, and character • text-to-self • forming an opinion
1, 2, 5, 6, 8,
7, 9, 11
13 SCOPE 100 VOCABULARY ACQUISITION • context clues • word meaning • visual literacy 1, 2, 3, 9
14
NONFICTION: Michael Phelps
(Lesson, p. T-3)
MAIN IDEA
(Reading comprehension • Write Now)
• reading for information • short-story writing • expository writing
• text-to-self
1, 2, 4, 5
16 PUZZLE IT OUT Reading comprehension
• making connections between articles • interpreting text • author
purpose • critical thinking • compare & contrast
1, 2, 3, 5, 6
*NCTE & IRA Middle-School Curriculum Standards
1. Range of materials. 8. Students use a variety of technological and information
2. Range of literary works. resources.
3. Range of reading strategies. 9. Understand and respect diversity of language use across cultures.
4. Adjust use of language to communicate effectively. 10. English-language learners use their first language for English
5. Range of writing strategies. fluency.
6. Knowledge of language conventions. 11. Participate as reflective, creative members of literacy community.
7. Conduct research, gather data, and communicate 12. Use written language to achieve own goals.
findings.
Questions about your Scope order? Call Subscriber Services at 1-800-631-1586.
in This TEACHER’S EDITION:
T-2...................... LESSON 1: The Clique
T-3................... LESSON 2: Heart of Gold
T-3.............LESSON 3: Selena Kissed a Frog
T-4............................. ANSWER KEY
T-5.......GRAPHIC ORGANIZER: Character Web
T-6.. WRITER’S TOOLBOX: Write a Movie Review
T-7............. SKILLS PAGE: Mission: Mascot
T-8 .................SKILLS PAGE: Say What?

Lesson
1
Readers Theater Play: The Clique p. 6
Introduction & SUMMARY
This issue’s play is based on the novel
The Clique by Lisi Harrison and the
new movie of the same name. It tells
the story of the new girl in school,
Claire Lyons, who must decide how
far she’ll go to be accepted by the
in-crowd.
Objective
To practice fluency and expression
PRE-READING STRATEGies
Before students read the play, lead
a discussion about popularity. What
does it mean to be popular? How far
have students gone to impress potential
friends? What motivates popular
students to be “mean” to newcomers?
Discussion
1. Both Layne and Claire try to be
friends with Massie, even though
Massie is mean to them. How do
Layne and Claire explain their own
behavior? Would you be friends with
Massie? Why or why not? (Claire says
Massie and her friends are “special,”
while Layne says they are only special
because they believe they are. Answers
will vary.)
2. What would have happened if
Massie jumped out of Chris’s birthday
cake? What do you think of Claire’s
decision to rescue Massie? What would
you have done? (She would have been
humiliated because Chris already had
a girlfriend. Answers will vary.)
3. Return to the last discussion question
in the Pre-Reading Strategy. After
reading the play, has your answer to
this question changed? What does
Massie imply when she tries to explain
her behavior to Claire? (Massie was
mean to Claire because Massie felt
threatened. Answers will vary.)
ExtensionS
Writing Prompt: Friendship
Write a short essay that answers the
following questions: What does friendship
mean to Massie Block? What does
friendship mean to Claire Lyons? What
does friendship mean to you? Use
examples to support your answers.
Writing Prompt: Wrapping
Ask students to consider the following
quotation:
“If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes
and shoddy furniture, let us be more ashamed
of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies. It
would be a sad situation if the wrapper were
better than the meat wrapped inside it.”
—Albert Einstein
As a class, discuss the meaning of this
quotation. Then have students write
an essay applying it to the play.
Understanding Sarcasm
Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony that
tends to be mocking. Divide students
into groups, and have them identify
sarcastic dialogue. Answers may
include:
•“Are the tigers and bears coming
too?” (Massie, Scene 1)
•“I don’t eat feet.” (Massie, Scene 4)
•“I know one local charity who could
use a donation.” (Massie, Scene 5)
•“Congrats, you got your wish.”
(Alicia, Scene 5)
•“Sorry, I don’t speak loser.” (Massie,
Scene 8)
teacher’s Corner
RESOURCES
n Lesson Plans
•“Language Development: Yours
and Humankind’s” by Renea
Shuey. Students brainstorm the
evolution of communication, with
an animated activity. They also
create a timeline to illustrate their
own communication evolution.
www2.scholastic.com/browse
/lessonplan.jsp?id=444
•“Create Your Own Coded
Language” by Renea Shuey. Use
the iChat dialogue in the play as a
jumping off point for this lesson, in
which students discover cryptology
used in their everyday lives.
They will create their own secret
writing or coded messages, and
develop a dictionary of eponyms.
www2.scholastic.com/browse
/lessonplan.jsp?id=446
n Web Sites
•Official site of the book:
www.jointheclique.com
•Official site of the film:
www.thecliquemovie.com
n Scope online reproducibles
•Understanding tone
•Main idea
www.scholastic.com/scope
Morning Pages
Freewriting can help students get comfortable expressing themselves
with words, without having to worry about earning a grade. For 5 to
10 minutes every day, have students write in a stream-of-consciousness
format about anything they want.
If they need help getting started, they may reflect on the weather, a
movie, a song, a piece of clothing, a color, their rooms, etc. Here are
some other prompts to inspire creative writing:
• What is the last emotion you felt and why?
• Describe the view from a window in your home.
• What is the coolest hairstyle you ever saw?
• Explain the last thing you thought about before falling asleep
last night.
T-2 Scholastic sCOPE TEACHER’S EDITION • December 8, 2008

Lesson
2
Introduction & SUMMARY
Students will read about Olympic swim
champ Michael Phelps—from how
he dealt with AD/HD to his winning
eight gold medals at the Olympics and
starting a charity for kids.
Objective
To identify main idea
PRE-READING STRATEGY
Lead a short discussion to remind the
class about the Summer Olympics. Did
students watch the Olympics? What
was their favorite part? Ask students
what they know about Michael Phelps.
Do they know why he’s famous?
Discussion
1. What obstacles did Phelps face as a
kid? Have you ever dealt with problems
like that? How did you cope? (He was
bullied, and he had AD/HD. Answers
will vary.)
Nonfiction: Heart of Gold p. 14
2. Phelps says being bullied made him
stronger. Why do you think that is?
How do you handle obstacles? (Answers
will vary.)
Extension
Writing Prompt: Big Wins
Give the class the following prompt:
Imagine that you won $1 million, like
Michael Phelps did. Write a one-page
essay explaining in detail how you
would use your winnings. Would you
spend? Save? Start a charity?
Writing Prompt: Bullies
Give the class the following prompt:
How do you think the kids who once
bullied Michael Phelps feel today,
now that Phelps is a world-famous,
record-setting athlete? Write a short
fictional story about a bully, in which
the victim overcomes the situation by
becoming strong and successful like
Phelps did.
RESOURCES
n Web Site
• Michael Phelps’s site includes
bio, trivia, videos, and more:
www.swimroom.com/phelps
n Lesson Plans
• ”Tell Us a Tale: Teaching Students
to Be Storytellers.” Students take
an existing story and learn how to
make it their own.
www2.scholastic.com /browse
/article.jsp?id=4558
• “Strategies for Active Reading” by
Rita McLary. Strengthens
students’ independent reading
habits and offers tips on how to
retain reading material.
www2.scholastic.com/browse
/article.jsp?id=2947
n Scope online reproducibles
• Reading-comprehension quiz
• Interpreting charts
www.scholastic.com/scope
Lesson
3
Introduction
Students will read a short news item
about teen star Selena Gomez and her
work to save endangered amphibians.
Objective
To read for information
PRE-READING STRATEGY
Ask the class what they know about
Public Service Announcements (PSAs).
Explain that PSAs are similar to
advertisements, but instead of enticing
people to buy a product, PSAs raise
public awareness about an issue. Can
students think of any PSAs? (Example:
Michael J. Fox as a spokeperson for
Parkinson’s Disease.) Tell the class they
are going to read about Selena Gomez
and her PSA to save amphibians.
Your World: Selena Kissed a Frog p. 4
Discussion
PSAs often use celebrities like Selena
Gomez to be spokespeople. Why do
you think that is? Does it work? (Using
a celebrity helps attract attention to a
cause. Answers will vary.)
Extension
Research: Frog Facts
Selena says, “What happens to frogs
today can affect people in the future.”
Teach students how to put what they
hear in the media to the test. Divide
the class into small groups to research
how frogs affect people (why they are
important), and if/why they are in
global danger. The resources at right
can be used to guide their research.
Have each group present its findings
to the class.
RESOURCES
n Books
• Amphibian Declines by Michael
Lannoo (University of California
Press, 2005)
• Frog Rescue: Changing the Future
for Endangered Wildlife by Garry
Hamilton (Firefly Books, 2004)
n Web Sites
• Association of Zoos & Aquariums:
www.aza.org
• Conservation International:
http://web.conservation.org/xp
/amphibians/index2.xml
• Selena’s PSA official site:
www.yearofthefrog.org
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service page for
students: www.fws.gov/educators
/students.html
EDITORIAL: Executive Editor: Lucy Lehrer • Associate Editor: Kristin Lewis • Senior Associate Online Editor: Zach Jones • Executive Editor, Media: Marie Morreale • ART: Design Director: Felix Batcup • Photo Editor: Lois Safrani • PRODUCTION:
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• Creative Director: Judith Christ-Lafond • Executive Production Director: Barbara Schwartz • Executive Editorial Director, Copy Desk: Craig Moskowitz • Publishing System Director: David Hendrickson • Executive Director of Photography: Steven
Diamond • Senior Administrative Coordinator: Mirtha Williams • Library Manager: Kerry Prendergast • Reference Librarian: Karen Van Rossem • CIRCULATION & MARKETING: VP, Marketing: Jocelyn Forman • Marketing Manager: Leslie Tevlin • Business
Manager: Karen Lo • Manufacturing & Distribution: Director: Mimi Esguerra • Manufacturing Coordinator: Georgiana Deen • CORPORATE: President, Chief Exec. Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Scholastic Inc.: Richard Robinson
December 8, 2008 • scholastic SCOPE TEACHER’S EDITION t-3

Scholastic scope Skills
REUSABLE
Graphic Organizer
Name: ____________________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: _____________
Character Web
Directions: It’s easier to understand a story if you “know” the characters. Use this graphic organizer
to analyze a character from The Clique, or from any other work you’ve read. Begin by putting the character name
in the box at the center of the page.
What do OTHERS SAY about
this character?
What does this character SAY?
Choose a line from
the text that reveals something
about the character.
Character Name
What does this character DO?
List specific actions and choices.
Available
as a PDF at
scholastic.com
/scope
How does this character LOOK?
List examples of descriptive
details.
Make inferences about this character. Would he or she be a good friend? Is the character well-liked? Would the plot
change without this character? In what ways?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
December 8, 2008 • scholastic SCOPE TEACHER’S EDITION t-5
Uses: Copy machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants subscribers of Scholastic Scope permission to reproduce this page for use in their classrooms. Copyright © 2008 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Writer’s toolbox
REUSABLE
Skill: Writing Reviews
Name: ___________________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: _____________
Write a Movie Review
Directions: Did you see an awesome film recently? Tell us all about it! Use this guide to organize your ideas.
Then write your review on another piece of paper. Send it to Scope, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, for a chance
to have it published.
Organize Your Thoughts
Select a film to review, and then answer the following questions to help you decide what to write.
t-6 Scholastic sCOPE TEACHER’S EDITION • December 8, 2008
Available
as a PDF at
scholastic.com
/scope!
1. What is the movie title, and who is the director?_ ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the genre (drama, romance, comedy, fantasy, action-adventure, etc.)?_ _________________
3. Which scene did you like best and why? ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Describe the main characters: ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Describe how the actors portrayed these characters: _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What is a major theme of the movie? _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
7. What kind of person might enjoy this movie? (Example: If you liked The Clique, then you will love
Mean Girls.) _ ___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. How does it compare with other films in the same genre?_______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
9. What is your overall impression of the movie? ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Uses: Copy machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants subscribers of Scholastic Scope permission to reproduce this page for use in their classrooms. Copyright © 2008 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Scholastic scope Skills
REUSABLE
Skill: Interpreting Charts
Name: ___________________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: _____________
Mission: Mascot
Directions: Washington High School wants to choose a new mascot. Read the following chart about
the votes from various clubs and teams. Then answer the questions below. If you can’t find the answer
on the chart, write “not enough information.”
MASCOT
TOTAL
VOTES
Football
Team
Chess
Club
1. What is Washington High School’s new mascot?
Available
as a PDF at
scholastic.com
/scope
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which club or team cast the highest number of votes?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What was the second-most-popular choice for the Drama Club?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Which club or team wanted to be the Bears?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Which was the least popular mascot among Chess Club voters?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What was the least popular mascot among Science Club voters?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why did Washington High School want a new mascot?
Science
Club
Drama
Club
_________________________________________________________________________________________
8. How many votes in favor of being the Tigers were not cast by the football team?
Band Club
TIGERS 60 30 10 10 5 5
KNIGHTS 65 15 35 5 5 5
STARS 50 3 7 10 25 5
BEARS 35 0 1 30 2 3
SNAKES 75 2 3 0 10 60
_________________________________________________________________________________________
December 8, 2008 • scholastic SCOPE TEACHER’S EDITION t-7
Uses: Copy machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants subscribers of Scholastic Scope permission to reproduce this page for use in their classrooms. Copyright © 2008 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

SCOPE SKILLS
REUSABLE
Skill: Context Clues
Name: ____________________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: _____________
Say What?
Have you ever come across a word you didn’t know? You don’t always have to reach for the dictionary.
First, try using context clues:
• Use other words in the sentence to figure out the meaning of the word you don’t know.
• See if you can determine the part of speech. Knowing the word is a verb as opposed to a noun
will help you find its meaning.
Directions: Read the following sentences. Use context clues to find the meaning of the words in bold.
(We picked really hard words on purpose!) Circle the definition you think best fits the word.
1. As Jason walked through the doorway for the holiday dinner, his Auntie Mildred couldn’t help but hug
and osculate him on the cheek.
a. slap b. kiss c. facepaint
2. Jason didn’t eat all day in order to save room for the feast. As a result, he was making loud borborygmi.
a. stomach rumblings b. declarations of love c. bad jokes
3. Cousin Billy has a bit of lachanophobia, so the sight of the broccoli and carrots next to the turkey
made him nervous.
a. fear of vegetables b. a pilot of planes
c. someone who wishes for world peace
4. Jason got stuck sitting next to his Uncle Joe, who had a bad case of logorrhea. Jason could hardly
get a word in as Uncle Joe told the same football stories Jason had heard a million times.
a. bad breath b. a rash associated with sports c. talking too much
5. Something hilarious must have happened at the little kids’ table, because they suddenly started
to cachinnate.
a. laugh loudly b. sneeze c. discuss politics
6. After eating seconds and thirds, the whole family was pretty crapulous.
a. silly and giddy b. tired and lazy c. stuffed from overeating
7. Grandpa pandiculated on the couch. He was taking up the entire couch and snoring loudly as he slept.
a. curled up b. perched c. spread out, stretched
8. In the kitchen, cousin Julie was needlessly arguing with Auntie Mildred about pumpkin pie versus
apple pie. Cousin Julie can be such a pettifogger.
a. a lover of desserts b. someone who argues about trivial matters
c. an excellent cook
t-8 Scholastic sCOPE TEACHER’S EDITION • DECEMBER 8, 2008
Available
as a PDF at
scholastic.com
/scope
Uses: Copy machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants subscribers of Scholastic Scope permission to reproduce this page for use in their classrooms. Copyright © 2008 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.