For Kids
TM
America's Leading News Source
®
January 2010
Here’s
What’s
Inside:
Edition 2
America's Leading News Source
Animals at the Ends of the Earth
Learn about animals that live in the Arctic and
For Kids
in Antarctica.
TM
Letter from the
Editor
Reading Skills
Chart
Planning
Calendar
®
What’s New at the White House?
Read White House news on the one-year
anniversary of the President’s inauguration.
For Kids
TM
America's Leading News Source
Quick, easy
discussion
questions
Skills-building
reproducible
pages
Fast read-aloud
facts
Martin’s Dream
®
Learn the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
most famous speech, “I Have a Dream.”
Big Winter News
Read winter news stories and choose the
best headline for each news story.
POSTAL INFORMATION: The Teacher’s Edition of SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2 (Vol. 66, No. 4, ISSN 0736-055X) is published monthly during the school year, September, October, and January through May; bimonthly November/
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notice of address changes to SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2, 2931 East McCarty St., P.O. Box 3710, Jefferson City, MO 65102-3710. PUBLISHING INFORMATION: U.S. prices: $3.95 per school year (for 10+ subscriptions to
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A Supplement to Scholastic News
For Kids
TM
America's Leading News Source
2009-2010*
Planning Calendar
®
September
January 2010
•Back to School
•Apples
•Constitution Day
•School Safety
Poster: Hispanic Heritage Month
Edition 2
Testing 1, 2,For3Kids
TM
America's Leading News Source
This month, you’ll notice something different in
the Teacher’s Edition. From pages 12 to 16 are two
Reading Skills Practice Tests, as well as the directions
for administering those
Reading Skills
tests. These tests can help
familiarize students with
Practice Tests
standardized testing in a nonstressful way.
are on pages
They can also be a helpful way for you to
12 to 16.
assess your students’ skill levels.
America's Leading News Source For Kids
We gave you two short tests. You can
administer them at one time or separately—whichever you prefer!
An end note: We think kids will really enjoy the tests’ cute
illustrations and the photo of the giant jellyfish (see page 16). If you
don’t want to tell them that they are actually taking a test, that’s fine
by us!
Best wishes,
Laine Falk, Editor
[email protected]
®
TM
®
This Month’s Reading Skills Focus
Fluency
•• Reading with expression
(Teacher’s Edition, page 3)
October
•Firefighters/Fire Safety
•Autumn Dictionary
•Pumpkins
•Christopher Columbus
Posters: Bats/Autumn Leaves
November/December
•Pilgrims
•American Indians
•Bears
•Winter Holidays
January
•Winter Weather
•Arctic/Antarctic Animals
•Martin Luther King Jr.
•White House News
February
•Presidents’ Day
•Black History Month
•Winter Olympic Games
•Valentine’s Day Science
March
•Spring Wind and Rain
•Pond
•Dr. Seuss
•Saint Patrick’s Day
April
Vocabulary
•• Specific word instruction
(Teacher’s Edition, page 7)
Comprehension
•• Personal connections
(Teacher’s Edition, pages 7 and 9)
•• Draw Conclusions
(Teacher’s Edition, page 5)
Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation of the Scholastic News Edition 2 (as required by Title 39, United States Code). Date of Filing: October 1, 2009.
Title of Publication: Scholastic News Edition 2. Frequency of issue: 8 times during the school year: Monthly: September, October, January, February, March, April,
May; bimonthly: November/December. Location of Known Office of Publication: 2931 East McCarty Street, Cole County, Jefferson City, MO 65101-4464. Location
of the Headquarters of the Publishers: 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-3999. Publisher: M. Richard Robinson; Editor: Laine Falk (both of 557 Broadway, New
York, NY 10012-3999). Owners: Scholastic Corp., M. Richard Robinson, Trust under will of Maurice R. Robinson, Trust under will of Florence L. Robinson, all
of 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-3999. During Preceding 12 Months Average Number of Copies: Printed each issue, 1,233,573; Paid Circulation, 896,174;
Free Distribution, 52,137; Total Number of Copies Distributed, 948,311; Copies Not Distributed, 285,262; Total, 1,233,573. For Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date:
Number of Copies Printed, 1,125,000; Paid Circulation, 947,264; Free Distribution, 2,025; Number of Copies Distributed, 949,289; Copies Not Distributed, 175,711;
Total, 1,125,000.
•Earth Day
•Plants and Seeds
•Baby Animals
•Reading Skills Practice Test
Posters: Birds/Insects
May/June
•Summer Safety
•Butterflies
•Ocean
•Animals Keep Cool
*Topics may change at editors’ discretion.
SN Editions 1 and 2 EDITORIAL: Associate Editorial Director: Amanda Miller; Editor: Laine Falk; Assistant Editor: Kim Greene; Copy Editor: Veronica Majerol; ART: Group Art Director, Beginning Readers: Sandra
Mayer; Designers: Yoana Yelin, Wendy Tang; Production Editors: Audrey Pavey, Paul Scherr; Photo Editor: Eric Russ; Senior Cartographer: Jim McMahon. PRODUCTION: Mgr, Digital Imaging: Marc Stern; Digital
Imaging Group: Bonnie Ardita, Bianca Beeman; MAGAZINE GROUP: President, Scholastic Classroom Library Group: Greg Worrell; VP, Editor in Chief: Rebecca Bondor; 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; Manager, Library
Services: Kerry Prendergast; Reference Librarian: Karen Van Rossem; Senior Administrative Coordinator: Mirtha Williams; CIRCULATION & MARKETING: VP, Marketing: Jocelyn Forman; Marketing Manager: Christine
Rochford; Director, Manufacturing & Distribution: Mimi Esguerra; Manufacturing Coordinator: Georgiana Deen. CORPORATE: President, Chief Exec. Officer, Chairman of the Board of Scholastic Inc: Richard Robinson.
2
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
•
January 2010
Animals at the Ends of the Earth
OBJECTIVE: Learn about the animals that live in the Arctic and
Antarctica.
STANDARDS: Science: Characteristics of organisms; Organisms
and environments
BEFORE READING
“Snowy owls’
feet are covered
with feathers, like
they are wearing
socks!”
READ-ALOUD BACKGROUND
Predict
Ask children to predict what animals might live in
the polar regions.
Display the cover, pointing out the snow and ice.
After having children name the animal (penguin),
ask: “What other animals might live in a place
like this?” Write children’s predictions on the
board and return to them after reading the issue.
The Arctic and Antarctica Are
Alike…
••Both places are freezing and have fierce winds.
••Both places have lots of snow and ice.
••Both have very long winters and short summers.
…and Different!
••The Arctic is a huge area of frozen sea
surrounded by land.
DURING READING
••Antarctica is a huge area of frozen land
Understanding Maps
Learn about maps and navigate the issue.
On pages 2-3, run your finger along the middle
of the map, where the fold of the issue is. Tell
children that this line is called the equator. The
equator is an imaginary line around the middle
of the Earth. Ask, “Where is the Arctic on the
map?” (at the top) “Where is Antarctica?” (at
the bottom) Ask them where the three animals
at the top of the issue live. (the Arctic) “Where
do the animals on the bottom of the issue live?”
(Antarctica) Point out that the orca lives in both!
AFTER READING
Fluency Practice
Have students form news teams and go “on
location” to the coldest places on Earth!
Divide the class into groups of three “reporters.”
Have half the groups report from the Arctic, and
the other half from Antarctica. Assign each group
member a different animal from the region, and
have students practice reading that section of text.
Then have teams perform their “newscast” for the
class. For extra authenticity, students might even
huddle together and shiver as they read!
3
surrounded by sea.
••In the Arctic, it’s winter in December. The sun
doesn’t come out. It’s summer in June, and the
sun is out. In fact, it’s light for 24 hours a day!
••In Antarctica, it’s summer in December, and
light for 24 hours. It’s winter in June, and the
sun doesn’t come out—it’s dark the whole time.
More Arctic Animal Facts
••Polar bears have gigantic paws that help them
paddle when they swim. And they can swim
faster than any other animal with four feet.
••Snowy owls’ feet are covered with feathers.
They look like they are wearing socks!
••Snowshoe hares change color. In the summer,
they are brown to match the ground. Why do
you think their fur turns white in winter?
More Antarctic Animal Facts
••Weddell seals are loud. You can be on top of the
ice and hear them “talking” from underneath!
••Emperor penguins have waterproof feathers.
This helps them dry off faster after a swim,
which helps them stay warm.
••Orca whales travel in groups called pods,
which can have as many as 40 whales.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
•
January 2010
Name:
®
How Many Animals?
Pie Chart
The pie chart shows the number of Antarctic animals a scientist saw
on a walk. Look at the chart. Then answer the questions below.
Antarctic
Animals
Seen
8 orcas
4
seals
(24 animals total)
12 penguins
2. The scientist saw the fewest of which kind of animal?
3. How many orcas did the scientist see?
4. Altogether, how many orcas and seals did the scientist see?
Half of the animals that the scientist saw were
.
4
•
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2009 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
1. The scientist saw the most of which kind of animal?
What’s New at the White House?
OBJECTIVE: Learn White House news in honor of the one-year
anniversary of the President’s inauguration.
STANDARDS: Social Studies (NCSS): Time, continuity, and change;
people, places, and environments; power, authority, and governance
BEFORE READING
“The White
House has a
tennis court and a
bowling alley!”
READ-ALOUD BACKGROUND
Personal Connections
Ask children about their own experiences with
moving into a new home.
Ask, “Have you ever moved to a new house? How
did you and your family make it feel like home?
What changes did you make?” You might also
ask children if they’ve had neighbors move. What
happened when one family moved out and the
next moved in? Read the information on the cover
of the student issue, then ask, “What changes do
you think the President’s family made in their
new home?” Read the issue to find out!
DURING READING
Draw Conclusions
Lead children to see how one big change at the
White House relates to another.
Pause after reading the red box on page 3 and
ask, “Why do you think the swing set is new?
What is a reason the White House may not have
needed one before?” Elicit that the new swing set
is connected to another new addition to the White
House—children!
AFTER READING
Dramatize
Have children give an imaginary “tour” of their
favorite White House location.
Encourage children to choose a White House
spot featured in this issue, such as the swing
set, garden, or beehive. To expand their choices,
include places shown on the map on page 4.
Encourage children to use information from the
issue—plus their imagination—to describe their
favorite spot and tell why they like it.
5
More About the White House
••Every President of the United States has lived in
the White House—except George Washington.
Why? Washington was our country’s first
President. When our country was brand-new,
there wasn’t a special home for its leader.
••Washington decided that the Presidents after
him should live in a special house, so workers
began building one. But the White House wasn’t
finished until the next President was in office.
••What’s in the White House besides all those
bedrooms and bathrooms? There are three
kitchens, three dining rooms, three elevators, a
library, a tennis court, and even a bowling alley!
••Bo the dog may be new to the White House,
but the White House is no stranger to animals!
Presidents’ pets have included dogs, cats, birds,
goats, sheep, snakes, and horses. One President
even had a pet raccoon that walked on a leash,
and another once got tiger cubs as a gift!
Obama Family Trivia
••Is it possible that Malia Obama knew from the
day she was born that she would be a part of
American history? You might think so—her
birthday is the Fourth of July!
••Sasha Obama’s full first name is Natasha. She is
called Sasha for short.
••Sasha Obama is the youngest child to live at the
White House in almost 50 years!
••President Obama doesn’t like ice cream. He
says he got tired of it from working in an ice
cream shop as a teenager.
••First Lady Michelle Obama wanted to have a
garden so her family could eat fresh vegetables.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
•
January 2010
Name:
®
Reading Checkpoint:
Comprehension
What’s New at the White House?
Use your Scholastic News to answer the questions.
Remember to write complete sentences!
1. Where is the White House?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. What is the White House?
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Why do you think Mrs. Obama planted a garden?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. W
hich new thing at the White House would you like
to visit? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6
•
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2009 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
_____________________________________________________________________
Martin’s Dream
OBJECTIVE: Learn the story behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
“Dr. King
wanted all people
STANDARDS: Social Studies (NCSS): Civic ideals and practices; time, to treat each other
continuity, and change; individuals, groups, and institutions
with love, like a
family.”
famous speech, “I Have a Dream.”
BEFORE READING
READ ALOUD BACKGROUND
Activate Prior Knowledge/Build
Background
Begin a discussion about Dr. King by asking
children to share what they know about him.
Display the cover of the mini-book and tell
children that the picture shows Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. Invite children to share anything they
may know about him, and then provide basic
background knowledge. Explain that Dr. King
was a very important person in the history of
our country. Each year we have a holiday to
remember him and celebrate all he accomplished.
More About Martin
••Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta,
Georgia, on January 15, 1929. We celebrate
Martin Luther King Day every January near the
day he was born.
••Growing up, Dr. King had one brother and one
sister. As an adult, he met a woman named
Coretta Scott. They were married on June 18,
1953. They had four children, named Yolanda,
Martin III, Dexter, and Bernice.
••Dr. King started out as a preacher in a church
in Montgomery, Alabama. That’s where he first
began telling people about his ideas for equality.
In His Own Words
DURING READING
Personal Connections
After reading page 5, pause to make personal
connections about times when children worked
hard to accomplish something.
Emphasize the idea that Dr. King worked very
hard on his speech. Say, “Dr. King stayed up all
night long writing his speech.” Then lead children
to make personal connections. Ask, “Have you
ever worked very hard on something until it
was just right?” Invite children to share in small
groups or with the whole class.
AFTER READING
Specific Word Instruction
Use the context of King’s speech to deepen
children’s knowledge of the word dream.
Explain that a dream isn’t always what someone
sees when they go to sleep. As in Dr. King’s
speech, a dream can also be a hope, or a goal
you have for the future. Dr. King had a dream for
equality. What dreams do children have to make
the world better? Discuss examples of these types
of dreams, such as cleaning up the environment.
7
••Here is a quote from Dr. King’s speech: “I
have a dream that one day…little black boys
and black girls will be able to join hands with
little white boys and white girls as sisters and
brothers.”
••He was saying that it wouldn’t be enough to
change the unfair laws—that was only the
beginning. Going to the same schools and parks
and using the same water fountains would be
a good start, but people had to do much more.
Dr. King wanted all people of all colors to treat
each other with love, like a family.
Live the Dream!
••Even though the unfair laws have changed,
it’s still very important to keep on making Dr.
King’s dream come true. Pay attention to how
people are on the inside instead of how they
look on the outside.
••Being with people who are different from you
can make you smarter—they might teach you
new things. And getting along with all kinds of
people means you’ll have a lot more friends!
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
•
January 2010
8
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
•
January 2010
What?
©2009 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
Why?
in the city of
Dr. King gave a speech
Where?
®
5 W’s
Great Graphic Organizer #4
Dr. King gave the speech because
Dr. King gave a
Dr. King gave the speech on
When?
This issue is about
Who?
Write the details of the mini biography.
The 5 W’s of Dr. King’s Dream
Name: __________________________________
Big Winter News
OBJECTIVE: Read winter news stories and choose the best headline
for each one.
STANDARDS: Properties of earth materials; Changes in the earth
and sky; Abilities of technological design; Social Studies (NCSS):
Culture; People, places, and environments
BEFORE READING
“One avalanche
dog can do the
work of 15 to 20
people.”
READ-ALOUD BACKGROUND
Pre-Teach Concepts
Show children how headlines are used in
newspapers and magazines.
Display the front page of a newspaper, point
out the headline(s), and ask, “What makes the
headline stand out?” (big dark letters) “Why do
you think it is printed this way?” (to show it’s
important) Next, display a magazine article and
point out the title. Explain that headlines and
titles tell the most important ideas in the articles.
This helps readers see at a glance what the article
will be about.
DURING READING
Use Interactive Text Features
Guide children through choosing a headline for
each article.
Read the first story aloud and then read
the headline choices. Model the process of
elimination with a think-aloud, “The first
headline tells what the article is mainly about.
The second tells information that’s not from the
article. The third tells a fact from the article, but
it’s not the most important. The first headline is
correct.” Have students fill in the circle next to
the first choice and write it on the lines. Follow
a similar process for the other articles, asking
students to reason out the correct choices.
AFTER READING
Personal Connections
Invite children to “make the headlines” with winter
stories of their own.
Ask children to share or imagine experiences
they’ve had with winter. For each story, work as a
class to make up a headline. (For example, Maya
Goes Sledding)
9
Behind the Winter Headlines
••Tallest Snowman: What’s the most surprising
thing about the world’s tallest snowman? It’s
really a snow-woman! She was built in Bethel,
Maine. Her name is Olympia Snow, after the
Senator from Maine named Olympia Snowe.
But she wasn’t the first giant snowperson in the
town of Bethel. About 10 years ago, hundreds of
volunteers took more than two weeks to
build Angus, a snowman that was more than
113 feet tall.
••Snow on Mars: The robot on Mars is called
the Phoenix Lander. It sent pictures back to
Earth that showed snow falling. But we won’t be
making snow angels on Mars anytime soon. One
scientist said that if you melted all the snow on
Mars in a pan, it would barely wet the surface!
But Mars is a very dry planet, so even a little
snow was a big surprise.
••China Ice Festival: The ice festival in Harbin,
China, takes place every winter. Harbin is in a
very cold, northern part of China that can have
below-zero temperatures in winter. So when
people make ice and snow sculptures, it takes a
long time for them to melt! People have carved
amazing things out of ice and snow, such as
dragons, flowers, and tigers. One year they even
carved a giant copy of Niagra Falls, the famous
waterfalls, out of ice.
••Avalanche Dogs: When it comes to search
and rescue, one well-trained avalanche dog can
do the work of 15 to 20 people on foot! But
training avalanche dogs isn’t easy. The trainers
must bury themselves in the snow—and they
must convince the dog they’re in trouble! When
the dog finds the trainer, he gets a reward.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
•
January 2010
Name:
®
US Map
Snowiest Cities
The map will show you the snowiest cities in the U.S. Look at the
map. Then follow the directions below.
United States
New Hampshire
Washington
North
Dakota
Montana
Oregon
Idaho
Wyoming
*Alaska and Hawaii are not drawn to scale
or in their proper places.
Nevada
Utah
Colorado
California
Arizona
New
Mexico
New York
Pennsylvania
Iowa
Ohio
West
Illinois Indiana
Virginia
Virginia
Kansas
Kentucky
Missouri
North
Carolina
Tennessee
Oklahoma Arkansas
South
Carolina
Alabama
Georgia
Texas
Alaska
Vermont
Maine
Massachusetts
Wisconsin
South
Dakota
Nebraska
Michigan
Minnesota
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
Washington, D.C.
Compass Rose
Louisiana
Mississippi
Florida
Hawaii
North
West
East
South
2.The second snowiest city is in New Hampshire.
Color New Hampshire yellow.
3.The third snowiest city is in California.
Color California blue.
4.A city in Michigan gets about 146 inches of snow a year.
Color Michigan green.
5.A city in New York gets about 118 inches of snow a year.
Color New York purple.
Circle your state on the map.
10
•
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2009 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
1. The snowiest city is in Alaska. Color Alaska red.
Name:
®
Reading Checkpoint:
Comprehension
Big Winter News
Use your Scholastic News to answer the questions.
Remember to write complete sentences.
1. What word means “the title of an article”?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. What might you see at the ice festival in China?
_____________________________________________________________________
3. What do avalanche dogs do?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. Name two things you might use to make eyelashes on
a giant snowman.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
11
•
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2009 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
_____________________________________________________________________
Directions: Reading Skills Practice Tests
Two Reading Skills Practice Tests are in this Teacher’s Edition starting on page 13. You can photocopy them and use them
all at once, or have students do just two pages at a time. Directions for giving the tests and the answer key are below.
OBJECTIVES: To expose students to a standardized-test format; To assess students’ skills.
Reading Skills Practice Test #1
PAGE 13
A. Phonic Analysis: Consonants
This section checks a student’s knowledge of
consonant sounds, including blends and diagraphs
in the initial, medial, and final positions.
Say: We will write a letter or letters on each line
to finish the word. Look at the picture in the
sample. (Point to the sample.) What is it? (a
star) If you write st on the line, the word will be
star. Now, write the missing letter or letters on
the lines for 1-5.
B. Phonic Analysis: Vowels
This section checks a student’s knowledge of
short- and long-vowel sounds.
Say: We will write a letter or letters on each
line to finish the word. Look at the picture in the
sample. (Point to the sample.) What is it? (tape) If
you write a and e on the blank lines, the word will
say tape. Now, write the missing letter or letters on
the blank lines for 1-5.
PAGE 14
C. Phonemic Awareness
This section checks a student’s awareness of
distinct sounds and syllables.
•• Say: I will read a word aloud. We are going to
count the number of syllables in the word. Let’s
do the sample together. The word is baseball.
Baseball has two syllables. Write the number
2 on the lines. Now, you are going to write the
number of syllables for each word I read aloud.
Listen carefully.
1. lizard 2. tree 3. eight 4. music
5. computer
12
D. Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
This section checks a student’s ability to use
capitalization, verb tenses, and punctuation.
•• Say: Look at the sample. We will choose the
word that best fits on the line. She with a capital
S makes sense. Fill in the bubble next to She.
Now, choose the correct word or words for each
sentence. Fill in the bubble next to each correct
answer.
Reading Skills Practice Test #2
PAGES 15 & 16
A. and B. Article Comprehension
These sections check a student’s ability to
comprehend short nonfiction.
•• Say: Read the article. Then, fill in the bubble
next to the best answer to each question. You
also will write a sentence about what you read.
Do the same thing for the article in section B.
Answer Key
PAGE 13
PAGE 15
A. Phonic Analysis:
Consonants
SAMPLE: st
1. dr 2. sn 3. fl
4. sk 5. ng
B. Phonic Analysis: Vowels
SAMPLE: a, e
1. i, e 2. ee 3. oa
4. ea 5. ai
A. Story Comprehension
1. near Japan
2. millions
3. food
4. Some possible answers:
•They are giant.
•They are near Japan.
•One is as big as a
washing machine.
PAGE 14
PAGE 16
C. Phonemic Awareness
SAMPLE: 2
1. 2 2. 1 3. 1
4. 2 5. 3
D. Grammar, Usage,
and Mechanics
SAMPLE: She
1. They 2. us? 3. run
4. visited 5. Mr. Ling
6. I’m
7. couldn’t
B. Story Comprehension
1. stand-up desks
2. help students pay attention
3. a teacher
4. Students can use stand-up
desks at school.
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
•
January 2010
Name:
®
To the teacher:
Answers and directions for administering the test are on page 12.
Grade 2
Reading Skills Practice Test #1
A. Phonic Analysis: Consonants
Look at each picture.
Write the missing letters on the line.
1.
2.
ar
um
3.
4.
ake
5.
de
ower
ILLUSTRATED BY RITA LASCARO
Sample
ri
Look at each picture.
Write the missing letters on the lines.
1.
Sample
t
p
2.
b
3.
k
4.
r
d
t
r
n
5.
l
13
f
f
•
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2010 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
B. Phonic Analysis: Vowels
C. Phonemic Awareness
Write the number of syllables in each word your teacher
says out loud.
Sample
2
3.
1.
2.
4.
5.
D. Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
Read each sentence. Fill in the bubble next to the word or
words that best complete each sentence.
Sample
O he
O she
O She
_______ has a dog.
4. Last year, I ______ the zoo.
O visit
O visited
O visits
O They
O Them
O Us
O mr. Ling
O Mr. Ling
O Mr. ling
2. Will you come with _______ 6. _______ taking a test.
O us
O Us!
O us?
3. Ben will ________ to the
park.
O run
O running
O ran
14
O Im
O Im’
O I’m
7. Sue _______ come to the
party.
O couldnt’
O couldn’t
O couldnt
•
SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2010 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
1. _______ went to the movies. 5. _______ lives next door.
Name:
®
To the teacher:
The answer key and directions for administering the test are on page 12.
Grade 2
Reading Skills Practice Test #2
A. Story Comprehension
Read the story. Then answer each question. Fill in the
bubble for the best answer.
Giant Jellyfish
Watch out for the giant jellyfish!
Over the last few years, people have
seen millions of them in the waters
near Japan. Scientists think the
jellyfish are looking for food.
Just how giant are these
jellyfish? Each one is as big
as a washing machine. One
jellyfish can be as heavy as a lion!
U.S.
ASIA
Japan
Pacific
Ocean
1. Where have
2. About how many
3. What do scientists
people seen the
jellyfish?
O in a lake
O near Japan
O near Florida
jellyfish have been
seen?
O 100
O millions
O billions
think the jellyfish are
looking for?
O food
O cold water
O other jellyfish
4. Write a sentence that tells one thing about the jellyfish.
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SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2010 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
The giant jellyfish are called
Nomura’s jellyfish.
B. Story Comprehension
Read the story. Then answer each question.
Fill in the bubble next to the best answer.
Stand Up for Learning
In some schools, teachers never say,
“Sit down! It’s time to learn!” That’s
because their students have stand-up
desks. The desks are very high.
A teacher came up with the idea
for these desks. She hopes they will
help students pay attention and not get
sleepy. After all, it’s awfully hard to fall
1. What kind of desks
Students can sit on a tall
stool behind the desk.
2. What do teachers
do some schools have? hope the desks will
do?
O regular desks
O sit-down desks
O stand-up desks
O eat lunch
O make students fall asleep
O help students pay
attention
3. Who came up
with the idea for the
desks?
O a teacher
O a student
O a parent
4. Write a sentence that tells the main idea of the story.
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SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2
January 2010
©2010 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.
asleep while you’re standing!
©BEN GARVIN/THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX
Students can stand up as they work.