Tip of the Week

Using This Issue
November 16, 2009

READING AND MAP SKILLS abound in this week’s issue! Build your students’ facility with CONTEXT CLUES with the exercise on page 8 of the student magazine. The exercise tests familiarity with key fifth- and sixth-grade-level vocabulary in the context of a short passage. Then go over both reading and map skills with this week’s What’s the Big Idea? exercise on page 5 of the student magazine. A map of Afghanistan accompanies this week’s cover story, with both map and reading comprehension questions. Also, remember to visit www.scholastic.com/sn56 for your BONUS Big Idea question.

Using This Issue
November 9, 2009

SHARE YOUR OPINION—We love hearing from our teachers. Your input is very important, as it helps shape future issues of Scholastic News. Help us help you: Take our online survey. It's quick and easy and can be found at www.scholastic.com/sn56fall09survey.
READING HISTORY—This week, use the timeline skill activity on page T3 to gauge students' ability to use this particular type of graphic organizer. The lesson also provides a social studies lesson about the history of the fourth estate—the nation's press—and its role in U.S. democracy.

Using This Issue
October 26, 2009

IT'S ALL ABOUT MAPS in this week's issue of Scholastic News! Find your FREE map-skills book in this bundle. It's 17 pages of reproducible skills sheets. The theme is CENSUS 2010. By using the maps, your students not only can utilize a variety of geography skills, but they can learn a wealth of facts and figures about the diverse population of the United States.
FIND MORE MAPS in the student magazine. This week's main activity on page 8 is an informational map skill about the country of Iran. A related news story about the Middle East nation appears on page 2.

Using This Issue
October 19, 2009

Explore U.S. History with Scholastic News! This week, we provide the first of two Classroom Plays you will receive this school year. Students can step into the shoes of history makers with our play about the Great Depression, starting on page 4. The start of the Great Depression was 80 years ago this month. Our related story on Page 2 provides an overview of the time period. Delve into Science with Scholastic News! Use the activity on page 8 to explore scientific classifications with your students. A related Picture This! feature appears on page 2.

Using This Issue
October 5, 2009
This issue offers reading skills galore!

Use the Reading Skills Practice Test included in this issue to help increase your students’ reading-comprehension skills. The test is the first of two that you will receive this academic year.
Turn to page 5 of the student magazine for reading-comprehension practice with the four What’s the Big Idea? questions. Get a FREE BONUS What’s the Big Idea? question when you download our printable reproducible What’s the Big Idea? skills sheet at www.scholastic.com/sn56.

Using This Issue
September 28, 2009

CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH! (September 15-October 15) by using this week’s cover story to discuss a Hispanic history maker currently in the news: new U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Accompanying the story are skill builders in READING COMPREHENSION and in READING A TIMELINE, both on page 5 of the student magazine.
BEATING THE FLU: H1N1, or swine flu, is on the minds of educators across the nation. See page T4 of this teacher’s edition for a HELPFUL HANDOUT, including tips you and your students can use to help avoid the flu this season.

Using This Issue
September 14, 2009

DON'T MISS YOUR FREE HISPANIC HERITAGE POSTER! September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Help your students learn more about the contributions of Hispanic Americans with the poster in this bundle!
CONSTITUTION DAY IS SEPTEMBER 17! Use this issue to help teach your students the fundamentals about this vitally important U.S. document.
See: The GRAPHIC ORGANIZER on Page 5, which sums up the meaning of the Bill of Rights, in age-appropriate language. The CHART SKILL on Page 8, which outlines the three branches of government as laid out in the Constitution.

Using This Issue
September 7, 2009

CRITICAL THINKING: Page 7 of the student magazine is PACKED with critical-thinking skills! Have students practice their visual-literacy skills with the Editorial Cartoon. The feature includes questions that will help students learn how to analyze editorial cartoons. Use the Sticky Situation and the Debate of the Week as prompts for persuasive writing.
MAP SKILLS: The Geo Skills feature on page 6 tests students’ geography skills with four map questions.
DIFFERENTIATION: Get leveled versions of a story to use with your advanced and struggling readers! Find it at www.scholastic.com/sn56.