then vs. than
® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Activity: “Grammar Goes to the X-Games” • Skill: Commonly Confused Words Then vs. Than If you are describing time, use then. Examples: First wash your hands, then set the table. My life was a lot simpler back then. Then is also used in if/then statements. Example: If you can’t finish that, then I’ll eat it! If you are making a comparison, use than. Examples: Simon is taller than Sebastian. Our math teacher said, “Geometry is more important than you might think.” Other than soccer practice, I have no plans for the weekend. Directions: Circle the correct boldface word in each sentence below. 1. Avi saw his first violin concert when he was 3 years old. Since than/then, he has been fascinated by stringed instruments. 2. Yanni would rather eat 20 pieces of broccoli than/then touch a single green bean. 3. Finish your homework, than/then we can go for a bike ride. 4. “Fluffy, no!” Mrs. Hall scolded, scooping the cat up. “You know better than/then to walk on the kitchen table.” 5. For some people, staying away from chocolate is easier said than/then done. 6. “Don’t forget,” Shawna called, “we’re meeting at the museum at five o’clock. I’ll see you than/then!” 7. My little brother knows so much more about Star Wars than/then I do. Directions: For each line below, combine the sentences into a single sentence using the word then or than. 8. Siri ran fast. Aisha ran faster. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Put a half cup of flour in a bowl. Add two eggs. Stir until smooth. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. I like playing baseball. I would rather play soccer. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. The words then and than are often confused and misused. Here’s how to decide which word to use: ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire”• Skill: Reading Comprehension Directions: Read the nonfiction article “The Fury of Fire” in this issue of Scope. Then answer the multiple-choice questions below. 1.What is the main reason Kevin wasn’t afraid during the evacuation? A He knew fire crews were on the way. B Wildfires are not usually dangerous. C He did not realize how much danger he was in. D His pets were safe in crates. 5.Which of the following contributed to the California wildfires of 2003? A an arsonist B a severe drought C a lost hiker who lit a rescue fire D all of the above 2.Which pair of words best describes Kevin when his mother woke him at 3:30 in the morning? A cranky and tired C amazed and alert B confused and dazed D excited and prepared 6.Which literary device does the author use in the following sentence? “A severe drought had killed large numbers of trees, turning them into giant matchsticks.” A simile B metaphor C onomatopoeia D hyperbole 3.What is the main purpose of the sidebar “One Bear’s Quest to Save the Forest”? A to inform readers of the history of the Smokey Bear wildfire-prevention campaign B to educate readers about wildfire prevention C to give readers examples of successful publicservice announcements D to show readers how to invent a popular mascot 4.The author organizes this article mainly by A comparing the California fires of 2003 with other major wildfires. B inserting background information about the wildfire into a description of the Conaways’ experiences. C explaining the causes of wildfires and their effects. D recounting the Conaway family’s experiences. 7.What is the tone at the end of the article? A stern C grave B celebratory D optimistic 8.How does the poem “Fire-Flowers” relate to the nonfiction article? A Both compare wildfire to human suffering. B Both express the ideas of loss and recovery from wildfire. C The same person wrote them. D The poem focuses on the harm wildfires cause, while the article focuses on recovery from a wildfire. Directions: Answer the questions below on the back of this page or on another piece of paper. 9. Choose one photograph from the article and describe what it shows, what emotions it evokes, and why you think the editors included it with the article. 10. How do people and nature behave similarly in the months after a devastating wildfire? Use details from the article to support your answer. Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 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 © 2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. “The Fury of Fire” Quiz Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire” • Skill: Critical Thinking Critical-Thinking Questions “The Fury of Fire” 2. What did residents of Valley Center lose in the fire? What did they gain? 3. Much of this article is narrative—it tells the story of Kevin and his family. The second and third sections, however, are written in expository style. Why do you think the writer used both styles? 4. What words, images, and ideas create a sense of hope in “Fire-Flowers”? 5. List all of the words describing fire and burning that you can find in the article. Why do you think the author used all of these different words? Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. 1. What causes wildfires? ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Play: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 1 of 2 Vocabulary: 1. avenge (uh-VENJ) verb; to punish someone in return for an injury or offense example: Harry Potter was determined to avenge his parents’ deaths by defeating Voldemort. 2. crone (KROHN) noun; a withered, witchlike old woman example: The queen disguised herself as a crone when she gave Snow White the poisoned apple. 3. diabolical (die-uh-BOL-ih-kuhl) adjective; extremely wicked example: Luckily, a team of top-notch superheroes was able to stop Dr. Horrible from carrying out his diabolical plan to turn all of the city’s children into evil robots. 4. grotesque (groh-TESK) adjective; very strange or ugly in a way that is not normal or natural example: Pearl’s sketchbook is full of grotesque creatures that are a mix of human and animal body parts. Her drawings are cool—but also really creepy! 5. grudgingly (GRUHJ-ing-lee) adverb; in an unwilling way example: Natasha grudgingly accepted the judges’ decision to award her the silver medal, though she thought she deserved the gold. 6. lair (LAYR) noun; a hidden place, or the den or hiding place of a wild animal example: The ranger was able to track the mother wolf back to her lair. 7. overzealous (oh-ver-ZEL-uhs) adjective; too eager or enthusiastic example: Justin Bieber’s mom was knocked over by overzealous fans in a New Zealand airport. 8. sickle (SIK-uhl) noun; a tool with a curved metal blade and a short handle used to cut grass or grain example: Before the invention of reaping machines, people used sickles to cut wheat by hand. 9. valiant (VAL-yuhnt) adjective; very brave or courageous example: Moon Hee made a valiant attempt to climb Mount McKinley, but she had to turn back because of bad weather. 10. writhe (RYTH) verb; to twist and turn, as in pain e xample: My little brother is so dramatic. After stubbing his toe, he began to writhe in agony, howling, “My toe! My toe! It feels like I’m dying!” Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. The Hunt for Medusa’s Head Name: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Play: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 2 of 2 Vocabulary Practice: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head 1._To avenge her brother’s water-balloon prank, Cynthia snuck into his bedroom and ______________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2._Molly dressed up as a crone for Halloween. She wore _________________________________________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3._The man gazed at the bank vault with a diabolical look in his eye. His plan was _________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 4._ We strongly disagree on the subject of hairless cats. I find them grotesque, but Kiara insists that they are _________________________________________________________________________________ 5._ Bruce grudgingly agreed to star in another superhero movie, even though ______________________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6._ The dragon hid in its lair, where ____________________________________________________________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7._ Later, Felix worried that he had been a bit overzealous when he told Alondra about the movie. He had made it sound like _________________________________________________________________ 8._ A fter several hours of using a sickle, ________________________________________________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 9._ Stephanie had a lot of respect for the valiant ________________________________________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. Something caused Ronald to writhe in pain. He _____________________________________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Directions: Complete each unfinished sentence in a way that makes the meaning of the boldfaced word clear. ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 1 of 2 Read, Think, Explain Exploring the facts and ideas in a nonfiction article will help you understand it better. Use this worksheet to help you understand “The Fury of Fire” in the September 19, 2011, issue of Scope. A. BEFORE READING 1. Read the title, or headline, of the article. Write it here: __________________________________________________ Now look at the photographs and read the captions. What do you predict the story will be about? Circle one of the choices below and explain. A person If so, who? _______________________________________________________________________________ An event If so, what?_______________________________________________________________________________ Something else If so, what?_________________________________________________________________________ 2. Look at the photograph on pages 4-5. What does it show? What can you infer from the title and the photo? __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ B. DURING READING Read the subtitle, or heading, of each section. Then complete the following. 3. The first section is the introduction. It is mainly about (summarize):_____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ . 4. The second section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize): ________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ . 5. The third section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize): __________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ . 6. The fourth section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize):_________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ . 7. The fifth section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize):___________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ . 8. The sixth section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize):__________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ._ Continued on Next page > Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Identifying Nonfiction Elements Nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 2 of 2 C. AFTER READING 9.Write down three facts from the article that you didn’t know before you read it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What is the main purpose of the article (circle one)? to convince the reader not to start fires to inform the reader about wildfires to explain how to escape from a raging wildfire 11. What is the connection between the wildfire article and the poem on page 10? ____________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ D. TEXT STRUCTURE 12. Cause and Effect: Write three effects of the cause listed below. CAUSE Wildfires swept through San Diego County in fall 2003. EFFECT EFFECT EFFECT E. MAKING CONNECTIONS 13. Here’s how this article relates to (fill in at least two): Something else I read: _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Something else I know about: ______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Something in my own life:_________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Poetry: “Fire-Flowers” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 1 of 2 Directions: Below is E. Pauline Johnson Tekahionwake’s poem “Fire-Flowers,” which appears on page 10 of this issue of Scope. Use the poem to help you answer the questions on the next page. Fire-Flowers By E. Pauline Johnson Tekahionwake 3 5 7 9 And only where the forest fires have sped, Scorching relentlessly the cool north lands, A sweet wild flower lifts its purple head, And, like some gentle spirit sorrow-fed, It hides the scars with almost human hands. And only to the heart that knows of grief, Of desolating fire, of human pain, There comes some purifying sweet belief, Some fellow-feeling beautiful, if brief. And life revives, and blossoms once again. Continued on Next page > Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 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 © 2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Understanding “Fire-Flowers” Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: __________________ Poetry: “Fire-Flowers” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 2 of 2 1.Which of the following lines is an example of personification? A line 1: “And only where the forest fires have sped,” 5.What does the speaker mean in line 2 when she says the fires have been “Scorching relentlessly the cool north lands”? B line 3: “A sweet wild flower lifts its purple head,” A The fires made the weather really hot. C line 7: “Of desolating fire, of human pain,” B Fierce and unstoppable fires burned forests in the D line 10: “And life revives, and blossoms once again.” 2. The speaker compares a forest after a fire to A a person who has suffered. north, where it is cool. C The fire was beautiful to look at from a distance. D The fire moved slowly, without causing much damage. 6. What does the flower symbolize for the speaker? B hands that have been scarred. A “the heart that knows of grief” (line 6) C a flower that needs water. B “almost human hands” (line 5) D a little boy who is lost in the woods. C “some purifying sweet belief” (line 9) D“desolating fire” (line 7) 3. A main theme of this poem is: A Life can begin again after a tragedy. B Flowers are beautiful and rare. 7.Line 7 reads, “It hides the scars with almost human hands.” This line describes C People and forests are exactly the same. A a person using her hands to cover scars on her face. D Humans need to be careful not to start fires when they are in the woods. C a flower hiding a burned area in the forest. 4.What is the poem’s rhyme scheme, or pattern of rhyme? A A, A, B, B, A B a person covering scars on her body with flowers. D a ghost dropping flowers in the forest. B A, B, A, A 8.Which of the following best describes the mood of this poem? C A, B, A, A, B A depressed DA, B, B, A, A B hopeful C nervous Dfurious Critical-Thinking Questions 09. Do you think the poet is suggesting that there is a positive side to tragedy or misfortune? Explain._______________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Multiple-Choice Questions ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire” • Skill: Key Ideas and Details, page 1 of 2 Directions: Two key ideas of “The Fury of Fire” are loss caused by wildfire and recovery from wildfire. Fill in the graphic organizer below with details from the article that support each idea. We’ve filled in a few details for you. LOSS CAUSED BY WILDFIRE Consider: How have fires affected cities? How many people were killed during the Fire Siege of 2003? How did they die? How did a wildfire hurt Valley Center? In what negative ways did the fire affect the Conaways? From the San Diego Union-Tribune: “Death and destruction came quickly. Witnesses said that those who died had little chance.” The Paradise Fire burned 5,000 acres of land within a few hours. Continued on Next page > Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Loss and Recovery Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: __________________ nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire” • Skill: Key Ideas and Details, page 2 of 2 RECOVERY FROM WILDFIRE Now use the details you listed in the graphic organizer to help you answer the writing prompt on 10: In the poem you just read, the poet writes that after the terrifying destruction of fire, “life revives, and blossoms once again.” How do you think Kevin would respond to those words? Would he agree or disagree? Write a paragraph explaining your answer, using details from the article to support your opinion. Write your paragraph on the back of this page or on your own paper. Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Consider: How did Kevin and his family help rebuild their town? What positive changes were made in Valley Center? What happened to the burned forests surrounding San Diego? ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ THEN AND NOW: “When Fans Go Wild” • Skill: Compare and Contrast Directions: Use the articles “Beatlemania!” and “Bieber Fever Hits Liverpool” to complete the chart below. In each row, fill in the second and third columns. Then decide whether the information in the two columns is similar or different (or both) and put check marks in the appropriate column(s). The Beatles Justin Bieber Similar When they became popular Where they were born and raised The kind of music they are known for The age and gender of most of their fans Their fans emotional response to them Occasions when their fans took steps to get close to them (Write your own.) Now use what you entered in the chart to help you write a brief essay (on a separate sheet of paper) answering the following question: Some people have referred to Justin Bieber’s popularity as “Biebermania.” What comparison are they making? Why are they making it? Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 Different 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. The Beatles vs. Justin Bieber Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Then & Now : “When Fans Go Wild” • SKILL: Reading Comprehension Scope Crossword Puzzle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ACROSS 5. In Liverpool, at least two overly excited Bieber fans were taken to the ___. 6. the subject of many Beatles songs 7. The Beatles’ good looks and ___ helped them become famous. 9. If you are full of adulation for a star, you are a ___. 10. Both the Beatles and Justin Bieber have required ___ protection from their wild fans. 11. t he phenomenon of hysterical love for the Fab Four 13. Justin posted a ___ asking the loud crowd outside his hotel to quiet down. DOWN 1. The Beatles and Justin Bieber are known for this type of music. 2. the city where the Beatles grew up 3. M cCartney’s first name Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 4. C rying and fainting are symptoms of “Bieber ___.” 7. Some Justin Bieber concerts have been ___ because of unruly crowds. 8. Justin is from ___. 12. The Beatles were known for their “___-top” haircuts. 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Directions: See how much you remember from the article “When Fans Go Wild.” Put your knowledge to the test with our crossword puzzle. ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ PLAY: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head• Skill: Reading Comprehension Directions: Read the play The Hunt for Medusa’s Head in this issue of Scope. Then answer the multiple-choice questions below. 1.From the following lines in Scene 1, what can you infer about the king? King: Do you know what happens to those who refuse the king? GC1: He begins to draw his sword. A The king wants to challenge Perseus to a duel. 5.Which pair of words best describes Perseus? A daring and hesitant B murderous and selfish C impulsive and arrogant D bold and proud B The king hurts people who say no to him. 6.How does Perseus cut off Medusa’s head without being turned to stone? A He covers his eyes. B He wears the Cap of Darkness. C He uses a magic sickle. D He looks at her reflection in the metal shield from Athena. C The king is about to polish his sword. D The king loves Danae very much. 2.Why does Perseus agree to the king’s challenge to bring him the head of Medusa? A Perseus wants to go on a dangerous adventure. B Perseus wants to prove that he is brave and not lazy. C Perseus wants to give the king a wonderful wedding present. D Perseus is immortal. 3.Why do the Gray Sisters tell Perseus where to find the nymphs? A They know the goddess Athena is helping him. B They despise Medusa and want to help kill her. C Perseus threatens to throw their eye into the sea. D Perseus demonstrates his strength and bravery. 4.Which of the following does Perseus NOT receive from the nymphs? A a polished shield C the Cap of Darkness B winged sandals D a cloth sack 7.Which of the following is NOT a reason why Perseus shows Medusa’s head to the king? A Perseus wants to be king. B Perseus wants to save his mother from slavery. C The king asks Perseus to show him the head. D Perseus is angry to discover that the king tricked him when he sent him off to get Medusa’s head. 8.What does mortal mean as it is used in the following line from Scene 1? “They are immortal, and so they cannot be killed. Medusa, however, is mortal.” A very hostile C causing death; deadly B unable to live forever D very great or severe Directions: Answer the questions below on the back of this page or on another piece of paper. 9.Ingenuity [in-juh-NOO-uh-tee] is inventiveness or cleverness—the ability to solve tricky problems in an original way. Give two examples of ingenuity in the play. 10. W hat makes Perseus a hero? Support your answer with details from the play. Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 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 © 2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. The Hunt for Medusa’s Head Quiz Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE PLAY: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head • Skill: Critical Thinking Critical-Thinking Questions The Hunt for Medusa’s Head 2. Why does Perseus accept the king’s request for Medusa’s head? 3. Why do you think Athena and Hermes help Perseus? Why do the nymphs help him? 4. How does Perseus get the Gray Sisters to help him? What does this reveal about his character? 5. How does the writer portray Medusa? Support your answer with details from the play. Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. 1. What kind of person is the king? How do you know? ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire” • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 1 of 2 Vocabulary: 1. arsonist (AHR-suhn-ist) noun; a person who purposely sets property on fire example: Investigators suspect that an arsonist started the fire. 2. catastrophic (kat-tuh-STRAW-fik) adjective; disastrous; devastating example: The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been catastrophic for the area’s marine life. 3. incinerate (in-SIN-uh-reyt) verb; to burn to ashes example: The last time we had a barbecue in our backyard, my dad wasn’t paying attention and incinerated our steaks! We ended up ordering pizza. 4. mobilize (MOH-buh-lyz) verb; to assemble and make ready for action example: Several groups have mobilized to oppose the new law. 5. ominously (AHM-uh-nuhs-lee) adverb; suggesting something bad is going to happen; forebodingly example: Thunder rumbled ominously as the Pritchards pulled into the old motel. “I have a bad feeling about this place,” said Mrs. Pritchard nervously. 6. ordeal (or-DEEL) noun; an experience that is very unpleasant or difficult example: After we missed our flight, my dad rented a car so we could get to the basketball tournament on time. Then we got a flat tire. We ended up on a bus with no air-conditioning for 10 hours. It was quite an ordeal, but we finally made it to Scottsdale. 7. ravage (RAV-ij) verb; to attack with great violence; to damage very badly example: After floods ravaged their town, the residents worked together to rebuild it. 8. refuge (REF-yooj) noun; shelter or protection from danger or trouble example: We found refuge from the storm in a nearby barn. 9. skittish (SKIT-ish) adjective; nervous or fearful; easily frightened example: Isabella’s kitten is skittish around strangers. He runs and hides behind the couch whenever someone new comes into the house. 10. s urreal (suh-REE-uhl) adjective; very strange or unusual; having the quality of a dream example: I had to stop by school on Saturday to pick up the biology book I left in my locker. It was surreal walking around the empty hallways that are normally crowded with kids. Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. ”The Fury of Fire” Name: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________ nonfiction: “The Fury of Fire” • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 2 of 2 Vocabulary Practice: ”The Fury of Fire” 1._The police had no idea what motivated Vanessa to become an arsonist, but they were sure it was she who _________________________________________________________________________________ 2._The car accident was hardly catastrophic. Neither driver ______________________________________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3._Roberto incinerated the secret documents so that ____________________________________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 4._ The President gave the order to mobilize the soldiers, knowing his decision would mean __________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5._ The music played ominously in the background, clueing the audience into the fact that ___________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6._ Martha’s last visit to the dentist turned into quite an ordeal. The dentist _________________________ _ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7._ Melinda was afraid that rabbits would ravage her garden. She had visions of _____________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 8._ Harold asked his best friend, Ethan, for refuge, so of course Ethan allowed Harold to ______________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 9._ “Lucy is a bit skittish,” said Alexa, “so when you are dog-sitting her, please ______________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. “This all seems so surreal,” said Francine. “I _________________________________________________ _ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Directions: Complete each unfinished sentence in a way that makes the meaning of the boldfaced word clear. ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ PLAY: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head• Skill: Finding Support for a Theme, page 1 of 2 Directions: For each character listed below from The Hunt for Medusa’s Head, circle either “good” or “evil” and explain why you chose that label. What good or evil things does the character say or do? Does the narrator or another character tell you that the character is good or bad? Do the illustrations affect your opinion? Then circle either “punished” or “rewarded” and explain what happens to that character. King of Seriphos good danae evil good evil Why I think so: ____________________________ Why I think so: ____________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ rewarded punished rewarded punished What happens to him: _____________________ What happens to her: ______________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ Continued on Next page > Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Thinking About Theme Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: __________________ PLAY: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head• Skill: Finding Support for a Theme, page 2 of 2 perseus medusa good good evil Why I think so: ___________________________ Why I think so: ___________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ rewarded punished rewarded punished What happens to him: _____________________ What happens to her: _____________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ Now use your chart to help you write a paragraph explaining how the play illustrates the theme “Goodness is rewarded and evil is punished.” Write your paragraph on the back of this page or on your own paper. Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. evil ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Debate: “Your Next Vacation: Outer Space?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 1 of 5 Directions: Read “Your Next Vacation: Outer Space?” on pages 20-21 of the September 19, 2011, issue of Scope. Fill in the chart on page 21. Then follow the steps below to write an essay explaining your opinion of commercial flights to outer space. Step 1: decide what you think Would you buy a ticket to space? Consider what you read in the article, as well as your own experiences. Check the box next to the point of view you will support in your essay. Or write your own opinion in the space provided. Yes! Countdown to launch! No! Are you nuts? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 2: Find your support Which of the items that you wrote in the “Yes” and “No” columns on page 21 support your opinion? What are other points that support your opinion? List three to five support items here: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 3: acknowledge the other side If you would jump at the chance to get on a spaceship, summarize the drawbacks of space travel. If you think traveling to outer space is crazy, summarize the positive points of experiencing a ride into space. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 Continued on Next page > 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Write a Persuasive Essay ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Debate: “Your Next Vacation: Outer Space?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 2 of 5 Step 4: CRAFT your thesis The thesis is where you tell readers what the essay is going to be about. The thesis should be a clear, strong statement of the opinion you stated in Step 1. The rest of your essay should support your thesis. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 5: Write your hook The very beginning of your essay is called the hook because it “hooks” your readers’ attention. The hook should relate to the topic of your essay, but it can take many forms. It can be an anecdote (a very short story), a fact, a quote, or a rhetorical question (a question to which you don’t expect an answer). Here are three ideas for hooks that could work for this topic. Choose one of the ideas below or use your own idea, and write a hook on the lines provided (1-3 sentences). 1. ANECDOTE: Describe what it might be like to float in zero gravity and look down at Earth. Has this been a childhood dream of yours? Might it come true someday? 2. SURPRISING FACT: Find a fact that will raise your readers’ eyebrows. Several surprising facts are included in the article. You can also do some research and find a surprising fact that is not included in the article. 3. RHETORICAL QUESTION: Describe what you imagine a trip on the Enterprise would be like, and ask your readers if they would want to go. Your hook: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 6: Summarize the issue Let readers know a little about the issue you will be writing about. This is not your point of view; it’s just a very brief summary of the issue—in this case, the fact that anyone with enough money can buy a ticket to space. Your summary of the issue: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 7: Start writing Now that you have the key ingredients for your essay, you are ready to start writing. On the next page, you’ll find guidelines for how to organize your ingredients as well as hints about what else you’ll need to add. Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 Continued on Next page > 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 © 2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Your thesis: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Debate: “Your Next Vacation: Outer Space?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 3 of 5 Directions: Follow the guidelines below to write a strong essay on whether or not you would buy a ticket to space. You will use what you wrote on the first two pages of this activity. Open with your hook from Step 5. Write a transition sentence that relates your hook to the question of whether you would fly into space aboard the Enterprise. (See Scope’s handout “Great Transitions” for some ways to link your ideas.) Write your summary of the issue from Step 6. Finish with your thesis from Step 4. BODY PARAGRAPH(S) Here’s where you write your supporting points from Step 2. For each one, write 1-3 sentences that provide additional details. You can put all of your supporting points and detail sentences together in one paragraph, or you can break them into three paragraphs. It depends on how much you want to write about each point. Order your supporting points from weakest to strongest. Readers tend to remember best the details that are presented last. Acknowledge the other side Now it’s time to recognize the other side of the argument. Use what you wrote in Step 3. Then explain why you think the opposing point of view is wrong. CONCLUSION Use 2-3 sentences to remind your readers of your main points. Finish with a strong final sentence. Looking for an idea? Try referring to your hook, finding a quote, or inspiring your readers. Read and Revise Use Scope’s “Opinion-Essay Checklist” to evaluate and edit what you have written. Make any necessary changes and write a second draft. Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 Continued on Next page > 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. INTRODUCTION ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Debate: “Your Next Vacation: Outer Space?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 4 of 5 Transitions are like bridges between your ideas—they help your readers move from one idea to the next. Here are some transition words and phrases you may wish to use in your essay. Keep in mind that they can be used at the beginning of a sentence or within a sentence. If you are adding information or showing similarity between ideas: • additionally • besides • so too • first of all/secondly/thirdly • in addition • also • likewise • to begin with • as well as • another • furthermore • finally If you are showing that one idea is different from another: • however • even though • in contrast • on the one hand/on the other hand • yet • despite • still • some people say/other people say • but • although • in spite of • regardless If you are showing that something is an example of what you just stated: • for example • this can be seen • to illustrate • for instance • specifically • namely If you want to show cause and effect: • as a result • consequently • it follows that • therefore • so • eventually If you want to add emphasis: • in fact • of course • truly • even Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 • indeed Continued on Next page > 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Great Transitions ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Debate: “Your Next Vacation: Outer Space?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 5 of 5 Directions: Use this guide to check your own essay, or exchange papers with a classmate and use the list to check each other ’s essays. In the margins of the essay you are checking, make notes about anything that needs to be revised. Introduction 3 Does the first sentence grab readers’ attention? 3 Does the first paragraph provide a general overview of the essay’s topic? 3 Does the first paragraph include a thesis statement that strongly and clearly states the writer’s point of view? Does the thesis clue readers in as to what the essay is going to be about? Body Paragraphs 3 Do they contain a total of at least three points that support the thesis? 3 Do they provide details to further explain each of the three supporting points? 3 Are the supporting details presented in order from weakest to strongest? 3 D o you acknowledge an opposing point of view and then explain why you think it isn’t strong enough to change your point of view? Conclusion 3 Does the last paragraph remind readers of the main points of the essay, without going into too much detail and repeating everything readers just read? 3 Is the conclusion free of new information (such as another supporting point)? 3 Does the last sentence leave readers with a strong final impression? General 3 Does one idea flow smoothly into the next? 3 Do the sentence structures and lengths vary? 3 Does every sentence relate to the thesis? 3 Does everything make sense? 3 Is the essay convincing? 3 Are the grammar, punctuation, and spelling correct? Scholastic sCOPE ACTIVITY • September 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Persuasive-Essay Checklist ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ THE LAZY EDITOR: “Fabulous—or Freaky?” • Skill: Commas, page 1 of 2 Comma Sense 1. Use a comma before a conjunction ( for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to join two independent clauses. Example: I wanted to buy the game, but I forgot to bring my gift card. 2. Use a comma after an introductory element. Example: When I hit the home run, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. 3. Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more things. Example: I brought my favorite snacks to the party: chocolate chip cookies, popcorn, and raisins. 4. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off words or phrases that are not essential elements of the sentence. Example: The flute, which is my favorite instrument, has the most harmonious sound. Directions: Add the missing commas to the sentences below. 1. Pasco our tour guide helped the group to identify the plants in the rainforest. 2. After I spend a week in England I am going to travel to Scotland for two weeks. 3. I could hardly wait to get to the park which is about an hour away and start riding roller coasters! 4. Before hiking the trail I needed to get the proper shoes an appropriate hat and a cold bottle of water. Directions: Read each pair of sentences below. Place an X in front of the one in which the commas are used correctly. 5._ ____ On vacation, Sam and I dove into 12-foot waves, rode scooters through town, and ate gallons of chocolate ice cream. _ ____ On vacation Sam, and I dove into 12-foot waves, rode scooters, through town, and ate gallons of chocolate ice cream. 6._ ____ I took, Jacks, the golden retriever with endless energy for a long run through Washington Park. _ ____ I took Jacks, the golden retriever with endless energy, for a long run through Washington Park. 7._ ____ I f you love suspenseful books, then read, the the Hunger Games trilogy: The Hunger Games Catching Fire and Mockingjay. _ ____ If you love suspenseful books, then read the The Hunger Games trilogy: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. 8._ ____ T he pool which is open all week is always crowded in the afternoon. _ ____ The pool, which is open all week, is always crowded in the afternoon. Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 Continued on Next page > 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Good writers commonly use commas. Here are a few rules to help you use commas correctly: THE LAZY EDITOR: “Fabulous—or Freaky?” • Skill: Commas, page 2 of 2 Directions: Write one sentence as an example for each comma rule below. Refer to the rules and example sentences at the beginning of this activity to help you. 9. Rule: Place a comma before a conjunction to join two independent clauses. _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. Rule: Use a comma after an introductory element. _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Rule: Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more things. _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Rule: Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off words or phrases that are not essential elements of the sentence. _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. _ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ THE Lazy editor: “Fabulous—or Freaky?” • Skill: Avoiding Sentence Fragments A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not contain both a subject and a verb, or does not express a complete thought. A sentence fragment does not make sense on its own. Some examples of fragments are below, along with possible ways to fix them. (The fragments appear in bold.) Incorrect: I called Sue. Because I wanted to hear about her vacation. Correct: I called Sue because I wanted to hear about her vacation. Incorrect: Staying organized helps me succeed. Which is why I properly file my papers every day. Correct: Staying organized helps me succeed, which is why I properly file my papers every day. Incorrect: Even though the first day of school did not go smoothly. Correct: Even though the first day of school did not go smoothly, I feel positive about the rest of the year. Correct: I am in a good mood even though the first day of school did not go smoothly. Directions: Write F for fragment or S for sentence on each line below. ____ 1. Mr. Smith, who is my English teacher. ____ 2. Living alone in the city. ____ 3. After waiting an hour, I called my friend to see if he was still coming over. ____ 4. To give him encouragement to finish the race. ____ 5. Even though the sign stated that there were falling rocks. ____ 6. The baseball team scored five runs in the first inning of the game. ____ 7. A stack of boxes in the back of the warehouse. ____ 8. Excitedly, I stepped onto the stage to accept the award. Directions: Rewrite the message below, changing all of the fragments into complete sentences. I want to make plans. For Friday night. Can we meet at my house? At 7 p.m. Movie starts at 7:40. My mom said she would drive us. Don’t forget. Bring a sweater. Because it’s always cold in there. And licorice! ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Fragment Fix ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ The Lazy Editor: “Fabulous—or Freaky?” • Skill: Sentence Variation When every sentence in a paragraph is the same length, the reader gets bored. When every sentence in a paragraph starts with the same words, the reader gets bored. When every sentence in a paragraph has the same rhythm, the reader gets bored. When every sentence . . . well, you get the point. To add some pizzazz to your writing, be sure to vary your sentence structure! Here are four ways to add variety to your sentences: 1. Add an adverb to the beginning of a sentence: Maribel tiptoed into the dining room. Stealthily, Maribel tiptoed into the dining room. 2. Move a prepositional phrase to the beginning of a sentence: Mrs. Abernathy takes a yoga class at the beginning of the week. At the beginning of the week, Mrs. Abernathy takes a yoga class. 3. Link two sentences to form a compound sentence: My little brother didn’t start talking until he was almost 3. Now he won’t stop! My little brother didn’t start talking until he was almost 3, but now he won’t stop! 4. Combine two or more sentences by placing a clause in the middle of one of the sentences: Zhu Li’s grandmother is coming for a visit. She lives in Beijing. Zhu Li’s grandmother, who lives in Beijing, is coming for a visit. Directions: Rewrite the paragraph below so that the sentences vary in length, opening words, and rhythm. Use the tips in the box above to help you. We went to the beach last weekend. We brought a lot of stuff. We brought beach chairs. We brought towels. We brought snacks. We brought beach balls. We brought Frisbees. My mom put sunscreen all over us. My mom said that it’s important to protect our skin. My mom used the kind of sunscreen that doesn’t blend into your skin. The sunscreen stayed white. We all felt like dorks. We had a lot of fun anyway. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE online reproducible • September 19, 2011 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 © 2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Vary Your Sentences ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ THE Lazy editor: “Fabulous—or Freaky?” • Skill: Homophones Conquer Those Homophones mite: 1. a tiny, spiderlike creature that lives on plants and animals; 2. a small person or thing; 3. a small amount of anything might: 1. great ability, strength, or power; 2. a helping verb to express permission or possibility: I asked if I might try some; We might go to the movies. there: 1. to, in, or at that place: Let’s go back there. 2. that place or point: We’ll leave from there. 3. a pronoun to introduce a sentence or clause: There is someone at the door. they’re: a contraction of they are their: belonging to or having to do with them: They took their dog out. your: belonging to or having to do with you: Your mom is calling you. you’re: a contraction of you are wood: 1. the hard substance that forms the trunk and branches of a tree; 2. an area of dense trees would: 1. expresses a probability in the past tense; 2. a helping verb to express (a) preference or willingness: I would rather stay home; (b) a repeated action in the past: We would go to the pool every day; (c) choice or possibility: I would have bought that shirt if they had had it in my size; (d) a request: Would you please hold this for me? Directions: Circle the correct boldface word in each sentence below. 1. Keidi has a jewelry box made of three different kinds of wood/would. 2. Catherine was telling us that you’re/your coming to the party! 3. I can’t find my neon-yellow pajamas, but I know their/there/they’re here somewhere! 4. Sumo wrestlers push each other with all their mite/might. 5. Haskell and Brenda wood/would have built elaborate Lego structures all day if you had let them. 6. Isaiah was a mite/might disappointed that his friends all wanted to see the other movie. 7. You’re/Your taste in music is very similar to Loula’s. 8. I’m here, but I wish I were their/there/they’re with you. 9. “I wood/would have bought Patti a chocolate ice cream soda if she had wanted one,” said Steve. 10. Salmon travel miles and miles to get back to where they were born so they can lay their/there/they’re eggs. 11. Alexia panicked when she found a mite/might on her favorite basil plant. 12. “When is you’re/your birthday?” asked Julia. Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. It’s easy to get them mixed up. Here are definitions of some common homophones: ® THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________ Activity: The Lazy Editor—“Fabulous or Freaky?” • Skill: Apostrophes Perfect Apostrophes 1. T o form a contraction, use an apostrophe to replace the letters you remove. For example, you form don’t by combining do and not, and replacing the o in not with an apostrophe. 2. P ossessives show ownership. To make a singular noun (like dog) possessive, add ’s to the end of the noun. For example: the dog’s ball. Here, the possessive shows that the ball belongs to one dog. Add the ’s even if the noun ends with s: James’s guitar. 3. To make a plural noun (like dogs) possessive, add an apostrophe after the s that is already at the end of the noun. For example: the dogs’ ball. Here, the possessive shows that the ball belongs to more than one dog. If the plural noun doesn’t end in s, add an apostrophe and an s. For example: the children’s toys. 4. Don’t add apostrophes to possessive pronouns. For example: the book is hers; its tires were flat; that is ours. 5. T o make a compound noun possessive, add ’s to the end of the last word. For example: my mother-in-law’s house. If two or more people or things possess the same item, add ’s to the end of the last person or thing only. For example: Karen and Walter’s box of doughnuts. Directions: Fill in the circle next to the best answer for each question. 1. Which of the following is correct? A Gerald doesnt like vegetables. B Gerald does’ not like vegetables. C Gerald doesn’t like vegetables. D Gerald doesnt’ like vegetables. 2.Which of the following correctly indicates that the expensive camera belongs to Ross? A Ross’s camera is expensive. B Ross camera is expensive. C Ros’s camera is expensive. D Rosses camera is expensive. 3.A group of ladies had a picnic on a windy day. Which sentence correctly states what happened to their hats? A The womens’ hats blew off. B The women’s hats blew off. C The womens hats blew off. D The womens hat’s blew off. 4.Which sentence contains the correct contraction of we have? A Weave already seen that movie. B We’ve already seen that movie. C We’ave already seen that movie. D W’eve already seen that movie. 5.Choose the correct sentence. A The dog ate its dinner. B The dog ate it’s dinner. C The dog ate its’ dinner. D The dogs’ ate its dinner. 6. Who lives in the house in the following sentence? Juli and Janet’s cousins’ house is far away. A Janet B Juli and Janet C one cousin of Janet D more than one cousin of Juli and Janet Directions: Rewrite each of the following sentences, adding the missing apostrophes. 7. Its starting to rain but I forgot my parents umbrella. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Their football teams mascot isnt as frightening as ours. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Jackson wishes he didnt have to go to his brother-in-laws party. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Scholastic sCOPE online reproducible • september 19, 2011 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 ©2011 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Here are some rules to remember when using apostrophes to create contractions and possessives:
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