Vol. 72 No.

5 ISSN 0736-055X

February 2016 Edition 2

America's
Leading
News Source
For
My
Weekly
Reader

Kids
TM

You will need to register to access your

online resources.
A Supplement to Scholastic News

Dont Miss
For Kids
Groundhog Day!
TM

America's Leading News Source

Dear Teachers,
Groundhog Day is on February 2, and
I wanted to make sure you didnt miss this
years super-timely groundhog issue!

She even wrote a

childrens book about
it: the adorable Ms.
Gs Shadowy Road
To Fame.

Ms. G is telling
me that kids will
love this issue!

This whole issue started with an e-mail

from Mish Michaels, a meteorologist from
my home state of Massachusetts. She
On February 2, Ms. G will make her
told me that her daughters class had just
official prediction at Drumlin Farm. Will
finished a successful campaign to appoint
America's
Leading News Source For Kids
spring come early or will Massachusetts
a state groundhog.
get six more weeks of winter? Dont worry
Mish and the kids worked on the
if you cant make it to Drumlin Farm to find
campaign for years. They met with state
out in person! You can go to our website
representatives, held rallies, and visited
on Groundhog Day to learn whether Ms. G
the groundhog (the charming Ms. G)
sees her shadow.
at her home at Mass Audubons Drumlin

ERIC ROTH/MASS AUDUBON

TM

Farm Wildlife Sanctuary.

Their hard work
paid off, and Ms. G
became the official
state groundhog of
Massachusetts!
The campaign was a
labor of love for Mish.

Meet Ms. G! She is the

first and only female
state groundhog.

Enjoy the issue, and have a happy

Groundhog Day!

Blair Rainsford, Editor

[email protected]
Learn more about Ms. G and the campaign at the
official website: www.mastategroundhog.com.
(Note: This site is not published by Scholastic, so please
preview it before using it with your class.)

To

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ls

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Your Core Skills Tool Kit

ISSUE &
SPOTLIGHT SKILL

VIDEO

If you havent registered already, you

will need to do so to access your online
resources. Your access code is A3JW4M.
SKILLS SHEETS

THE GRANGER COLLECTION

ONLINE GAME

CC

NASA/SHUTTERSTOCK

RI.2.3 Cause
and effect

Good citizen
word-web game

Cause-and-effect questions
Online: Text-Feature Hunt

CC

CC

Comprehension fill-inthe-blank game

RI.2.1 5 Ws
and an H

CC

Comprehension questions
Online: Predict word workout

Sequencing game
Lantern-making steps
Online: Chinese New Year
Traditions Chart

RI.2.3 Sequence

CC

Key-details game
Reading Checkpoint
Online: Georges Fake Teeth

RI.2.1 Key details

CC

POSTAL INFORMATION: The Teachers Edition of SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2 (ISSN 0736-055X) is published monthly during the school year, September, October, and January through May; bimonthly November/December (8 issues), by Scholastic Inc., 2931 East McCarty St., P.O. Box 3710, Jefferson City,
MO 65102-3710. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, MO 65102, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS: Send 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: $4.49
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News Editions 1&2 and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. 2016 by Scholastic Inc. Materials in this issue may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form or format without special permission from the publisher. Printed in the USA.

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Calendar skills

Name:

My Weekly Reader

Fill in the missing numbers. Then answer the questions.

Sunday

February 2016

Monday
1

Tuesday
2

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday
6

Groundhog
Day
8

11

Chinese New
Year begins
14

15

16

Valentines
Day

Presidents'
Day

18

28

20

26
RITA LASCARO (2); JULISSA MORA (3)

24

19

29
Leap Day

2. Write the date of Groundhog Day. _______________________________________

3. Which of these holidays is not on a Sunday or Monday?

O Presidents Day

O Valentines Day

O Groundhog Day

4. Which holiday is the day before Presidents Day?

____________________________________________________________________________

s
onu

Abraham Lincolns birthday is February 12.

Draw his hat on that day:
4

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

1. Which day of the week is February 25? __________________________________

Tired of Giving In

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Reading Objective: Learn about Rosa Parks

and the Montgomery bus boycott.
Common Core Standards: SL.2.2, RI.2.3, RI.2.1,
RI.2.10
Social Studies Standards: time, continuity,
and change; civic ideals and practices
Content Vocabulary: segregated, boycott,
arrested, passengers, brave
Spotlight Core Skill: RI.2.3 Cause and Effect
ls

Editors Note: The story

of Rosa Parks and the
Montgomery bus boycott is
an important one to tell. In
this issue, I wanted to be
sure to convey the bravery of Rosa Parks and
the other boycotters and the power of peaceful
protests like boycotts. I hope their incredible
true story resonates with your students. Blair

3-Step Lesson Plan

Step 1
Watch and Discuss a Video (SL.2.2)
Watch Working to Make a Change. Then discuss
the section about the bus-segregation law in
Montgomery, Alabama. Why was this law wrong?
(It is not fair to treat some people worse than others
based on what they look like.) Tell students that now
they will read more about how this law was changed.
.

Step 2
t

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Identify Cause and Effect (RI.2.3)

Read the issue once. Then work together
To
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to answer the questions on page 4 of
the issue for a review of the concepts in the article.
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Next, explain that an effect is something that

What was the cause of this? (Black people werent

riding the bus anymore, so there were fewer
passengers paying to ride.)

For independent practice, have students complete

the cause-and-effect skills sheet on page 6.

Step 3
Think Critically (RI.2.1)
Focus on the teamwork and sacrifice involved in the bus
boycott. About 50,000 people took part, and it lasted
for more than a year! The boycott was hard work, but
people kept it going because they knew it was the right
thing to do. Here are some questions you might ask:

What if you had to walk for miles to school each day?

Would you be tired? How would you feel?

happens. The cause is why that thing happened.

Return to the issue, and focus on causes and effects
in the article. Here are some points for discussion:

On the other hand, how would you feel if the law

Why did the bus driver tell Rosa to get up? (because

After your discussion, play the online word-web

a white man wanted to sit in her seat) Why was the

driver allowed to do this? (because the laws at the
time let bus drivers tell black people what to do)

stayed the same? How would you feel if you kept being
treated unfairly?
game together. It focuses on words like brave,
determined, and cooperatewhich students will have
a deeper understanding of after your discussion!

Rosa said she wouldnt get up. What was the effect?

Online Resources

What happened? (She was arrested.)

What was one cause of the bus boycott? Why did it

happen? (Possible answer: People wanted to show
they wouldnt be pushed around anymore.)

Go to www.scholastic.com/sn2:
Video: Working to Make a Change
Game: Good citizen word-web game
Printable: Text-Feature Hunt

The boycott cost the bus company a lot of money.

5

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

RI.2.3 Cause and Effect

Name:

My Weekly Reader

Cause and Effect

An effect is something that happened. A cause is why it happened.

Answer the questions about cause and effect in
Tired of Giving In.
Example
Cause: It rained a lot last night.
Effect: The ground was wet in the morning.
1. Rosa Parks was arrested on the night of December 1, 1955.

2. What was one cause of the bus boycott?

O The boycott lasted for more than a year.

O Rosa had finished work for the day.
O People were upset that the laws were so unfair.

3. During the boycott, the bus company wasnt getting any money from
black passengers. What was the effect of this?

O The bus company lost a lot of money.

O Rosa refused to give up her seat.
O Rosa went to jail for the night.
6

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

O Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus.

O Rosa Parks wrote a book.
O The bus company lost a lot of money.

UNIVERSALIMAGESGROUP/GETTY IMAGES

What was the cause of her getting arrested?

RI.2.5 Text features

Name:

My Weekly Reader

Text-Feature Hunt
Use Tired of Giving In to answer the questions.

headline: the title of an article

1. Look on page 2. What is this articles headline? (Hint: It is red.)

O After the Boycott

O Buses O Rosa Didnt Give In

2. This article has two subheadings. One is The Boycott Begins.

Write the other one. ______________________________________________________
3. What is the bold word in this article? _________________________________
4. Read the caption for the photo at the top of page 2. When was the
photo taken?

O before the boycott O during the boycott

O after the boycott
Bon

us

Read this quotation from the issue: People always say that I didnt
give up my seat because I was tired, but that isnt true. . . . No, the
only tired I was, was tired of giving in. Who said this?

________________________________________________________________
WEB6

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

DON CRAVENS/THE LIFE IMAGES COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES

caption: words that tell

about a photo or map

quotation: words that someone

has said. Quotation marks ( )
are around a quotation.

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

subheading: the title of

a small part of the article

bold word: a word that is

darker than other words to
show it is important

Why Is This Groundhog Famous?

Reading Objective: Learn about how kids
helped pass a law to get a state groundhog.
Common Core Standards: SL.2.2, RI.2.1,
RI.2.4, RI.2.10
Social Studies Standards: individuals,
groups, and institutions; power, authority, and
governance
Vocabulary: legend, burrow, State House,
lawmakers, rallies, voted
Spotlight Core Skill: RI.2.1 5 Ws and H
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To

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Editors Note: Scholastic News

is a nonfiction magazine. So why
is this issue about the legend
of Groundhog Day? The issue
focuses on a group of real kids
who worked hard to pass a law that established a
state groundhog for Massachusetts. It mixes a lot
of great second-grade topics: government, persuasive
writing, weather, and of course cute animals! Blair

3-Step Lesson Plan

After your discussion, play the online game. As

Step 1
Watch a Video (SL.2.2)
Before you read, watch What Is a Groundhog? for
background about groundhogs and the holiday of
Groundhog Day. Explain that now you will read about
kids who made one groundhog famous!
.

Step 2
t

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Answer 5 Ws and an H (RI.2.1)

Read the issue together. Review basic
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facts with questions such as: What is
the article about? (a groundhog named Ms. G); who
helped make her famous? (an elementary-school
class); and why is she famous? (She is the state
groundhog of Massachusetts.)
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Then go deeper with higher-order-thinking questions:

Why might people want a state groundhog?
(Possible answer: A state groundhog helps people
celebrate Groundhog Day. People from all over the
state can come to see whether the groundhog will
see its shadow.)

students answer questions about details in the article,

flowers fall for a groundhog to gobble up!

Pass out the comprehension skills sheet on page

8 to give students more practice with key details.

Step 3
Enrich Vocabulary (RI.2.4)
Help students figure out some of the more difficult
words in the issue by discussing them in context. First,
point out that the kids had to convince lawmakers
that they had a good idea. Ask: What two words do
you see in lawmakers? What do you think lawmakers
do? (make laws)

Then point out that kids visited the State House to

learn about how laws are made. Ask: Why do you
think the building is called the State House? (It is
where they decide on laws for the state.)

For more vocabulary exploration, pass out the online

bonus printable, which helps students analyze the
word predict.

The article says that the kids worked hard to make

Ms. G the state groundhog. What is one way they
worked hard? (Possible answer: They went to the
State House and talked to lawmakers.)

Online Resources
Go to www.scholastic.com/sn2:
Videos: What Is a Groundhog? and The
Story of Ms. G
Game: Complete-the-sentence game
Printable: Predict word work sheet

Why do you think the kids held rallies? (They had to

tell the community about why Ms. G should be the
state groundhog.)

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

RI.2.1 Key details

Name:

My Weekly Reader

Get to Know Ms. G

Use Why Is This Groundhog Famous?

to answer the questions.
1. Who is Ms. G? Why is she famous?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. Read the following sentences from the article. Underline the words that
tell what a rally is.

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. The article says kids had to persuade people that they had a good
idea. What does persuade mean? (Hint: What does the article say the kids
did to try to persuade others?)

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is one thing that happened at the State House?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
8

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

3. Why did the kids have rallies?

ILLUSTRATION: JANNIE HO

The next fall, they had rallies. A rally is a big meeting

where people try to persuade others of their ideas.
The kids held signs and wore buttons about Ms. G.

RI.2.4 Vocabulary

Name:

o
ol

My Weekly Reader

i t!

Define it: to guess what will happen in the future

Read it:
Put a check next to the sentence that uses predict correctly.
M s. G will predict whether winter will end early.

The students predict by wearing buttons and holding signs.


Use it: Do you think that Ms. G will or will not see her shadow this
year? Finish the sentence. Then draw a picture to show what you wrote.

______________________________________________________________________ .

ra

it

Here is Ms. G on Groundhog Day.

WEB8

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

I predict that this year Ms. G will _____________________________________

Lit Up by Lanterns

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Reading Objective: Learn how traditional Chinese

New Year lanterns are made.
Common Core Standards: SL.2.2, RI.2.3, RI.2.4,
RI.2.10
Social Studies Standard: culture
Vocabulary: lanterns, journey, festival, luminous,
riddle, stroll, gaze
Spotlight Core Skill: RI.2.3 Sequencing
ls

Editors Note: One of the

most common symbols of
Chinese New Year is a lantern
glowing against the night sky.
This issue takes a close look
inside the tradition to explain how and why those
lanterns end up shining in the night. I love issues
like this that explain the story behind things
youve seen many times. Blair

3-Step Lesson Plan

Step 1

Step 3

Background Knowledge: Watch a Video (SL.2.2)

Watch Happy Chinese New Year! to learn about
Chinese New Year traditions like getting new clothes,
eating at a feast, and having a parade with a giant
dragon! Then tell students they will read about
another Chinese New Year tradition: lanterns.
.

Step 2
t

ls

Read and Sequence (RI.2.3)

Read the issue. Then explain that
To
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making lanterns is a process. A
process is a way of doing something that has several
steps. The steps are done in a certain order to get the
end result. Help students sequence the steps in the
lantern-making process with questions such as:
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or

What is the first step? (making a frame)

What happens after the lantern is covered?
(People decorate it.)
What happens just before the festival begins?
(People hang their lanterns.)

Use a Reading Stategy (RI.2.4)

After you have read and reviewed the issue for
comprehension, practice a new reading strategy.
Rather than reading round robin, try doing a
read-around! Read-arounds let students choose
their own passages, boosting critical thinking and
comprehension. You can do the activity in small
groups or as a class.

Invite students to choose a favorite sentence or short

passage from the issue. Students might pick a favorite
detail about making lanterns or about the festival.
Have students mark their place with a sticky note,
and give them a few minutes to rehearse the passage.

Have a volunteer read while the other students listen.

When that student is finished, invite other volunteers
to share. (Order is not important in this activity, and
its fine if students choose the same passage.)

When everyone who wanted to share has read aloud,

discuss why students chose the passages they did.

What happens after the festival is over? (The

lanterns are taken down.)

Online Resources

Next, have students complete the sequencing skills

Go to www.scholastic.com/sn2:
Video: Happy Chinese New Year!
Game: Sequencing game
Printable: Chinese New Year Traditions Chart

sheet on page 10 of this teachers guide. They will

put the steps of the lantern-making process in order.

For extra practice, students can sequence the steps of

the lantern-making process in the online game.

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

10

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

the lantern.

Next, you hang

Paste here

lantern.

down the

ILLUSTRATION: JANNIE HO

decorate the

Workers take
lanterns.

Then, you

Paste here

My Weekly Reader

festival is over.

Finally, the

Paste here

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

the lantern.

People look at

the lanterns.

First, you make

Paste here

Festival begins!

Soon, the Lantern

Paste here

Use Lit Up by Lanterns to help you.

Cut out the steps and paste them in the correct order.

Making a Lantern

Name: ___________________________________________________________________

RI.2.3 Sequencing

RI.2.7 Use visuals (Chart)

Name:

My Weekly Reader

Read about different Chinese New Year traditions.

Then answer the questions.

Chinese New Year Traditions Chart

There are parades

during Chinese New
Year. People play music
and dance. They set off
firecrackers.

Red Envelopes

Adults give kids red

envelopes. These
envelopes have money
inside. Red means good
luck for the year ahead.

Balls of Rice

People eat sticky balls

of rice at the Lantern
Festival. The balls of rice
are called tangyuan
(tahng-ywen).

ILLUSTRATIONS: JANNIE HO

Parades

1. What are tangyuan? _____________________________________________________

2. Why are the envelopes red? ____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________
3. Name two things that people might do at parades.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Bon

us

Look at the cover of Lit Up by Lanterns. Why do you think the

girls lantern is red? (Hint: Read about red envelopes in the chart.)

_________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
WEB10

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Reading Objective: Learn how George

Washingtons spies helped win the Revolutionary
War.
Common Core Standards: SL.2.2, RI.2.1, RI.2.10
Social Studies Standards: time, continuity, and
change; power, authority, and governance
Content Vocabulary: agent, President, spies, war,
army, uniforms, soldiers, spymaster, code, battles
Spotlight Core Skill: RI.2.1 Key Details

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Editors Note: I love learning

about the lives of Presidents
before they were elected.
When I read about George
Washingtons tricky spy tactics
in the Revolutionary War, I knew the story would
make a great issue. Be sure to check out our fun
code-breaking activity on page 4. It was a big hit
around the Scholastic News office! Blair

Who Was Agent 711?

3-Step Lesson Plan

what they were doing.)

Step 1
Introduce the Topic: Watch a Video (SL.2.2)
First, watch The Life of George Washington for a
short, fun biography of our first President.

Focus on the section about the Revolutionary War.

Based on the article, do you think strength, size, and

training are the only ways to win a battle? What else
can help you? (Being smart!)

Next, play the online game show together for

Explain that America was once ruled by England. We

fought the Revolutionary War to become our own
country. George Washington was in charge of the
American army in that war. In this issue, kids will
learn about how George used spies to win the war!

another review of the key details in the article. Later,

pass out the Reading Checkpoint on page 12 for
students to complete individually.

Step 2

What About Abe? (SL.2.2)

Are you looking for Abraham Lincoln resources this
Presidents Day? Dont worry weve got you covered!
Explain to students that this holiday celebrates two
Presidentsthe other is Abraham Lincoln.

ls

Focus on Key Details (RI.2.1)

Read the issue together. Then ask
To
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questions to make sure students
understand key details, such as:
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or

How was the American army different from the

English army? (The English were tough, well-trained,
and had a lot of soldiers. The American army was
smaller and didnt have much money for supplies,
and many soldiers didnt know how to fight.)

Why did George use spies during the war? (He

wanted to find out what the English were doing so
that he could win more battles against them.)

Why do you think Georges spies used secret signs

and codes instead of sending messages that anyone
could read? (They didnt want the English to find out

11

Step 3

Watch The Life of Abraham Lincoln and then

use both videos to compare and contrast the two
Presidents. You might even make a Venn diagram to
take notes. Points for discussion include where they
lived, their jobs, and of course, why they were both
great Presidents!

Online Resources
Go to www.scholastic.com/sn2:
Videos: The Life of George Washington and
The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Game: Key-details game
Printable: Georges Fake Teeth

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

RI.2.1 Key details

Name:

Reading Checkpoint
Use Who Was Agent 711? to answer
the questions.

1. What was one way American spies made

their letters hard for English soldiers to read?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What does spymaster mean?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do you think the spies used secret signs and codes instead of

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why did people call George Washington Agent 711?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is one way the American and the English armies were different?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
12

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

________________________________________________________________________________

ILLUSTRATION: JANNIE HO

sending messages that anyone could read?

RI.2.1 Key details

Name:

My Weekly Reader

Read the article. Then answer the questions.

George had
several sets
of fake teeth.
Here is one
of them.

Georges Fake Teeth

didnt. He lost all of his real teeth! He had to get fake ones.
A dentist made the fake teeth out of things like hippo tusks
and gold. They were uncomfortable to wear! The teeth hurt
Georges gums. It was hard to talk with them in.

GEORGE WASHINGTONS MOUNT VERNON

George did not have healthy teeth. Most people in his time

1. Why did George lose all his real teeth?

O They were not healthy. O They fell out in a battle.

O They never grew in.
O gold

O silver

O stone

3. Which word means the opposite of fake?

O new

O real

O pretend

4. Who made Georges teeth?

O a dentist

u
Bon

O George

O an artist

Did George have only one set of fake teeth? (Hint: Read the caption.)

_________________________________________________________
WEB12

SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 2

February 2016

2016 by Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

2. Which was used to make Georges fake teeth?