Will Smith - · PDF fileWill Smith says that success didn’t come easy to him. ... Prentice, Jesse’s oldest brother Lawrence, a landowner’s son *Coach Riley, Jesse’s first

May 11, 2009WWW.SCHOLaSTIC.COM

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READING AND WRITING POWER FOR TEENS

INSIDE: Reading Comprehension | Writing | Fluency | Test Prep | Context Clues

SepTeMber 7, 2009WWW.SCHOLaSTIC.COM

MAGAZINE

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Meeting Obama

When this teen shared her story

with the world, our President

listened.

What’s the secret to this

star’s success? Lots of hard

work, he says.

Will Smith

2 Scholastic action | September 7, 2009

IN NeWSTHe

4 Will Smith

Celebrity Profile

6 Jesse Owens:

Olympic Champion Readers Theater Play

12 Speaking From

the Heart True Teen Story

16 Tracking Jaguars

Science

20 No-School

Fridays Debate

22 be a Health Hero

Real-Life Reading and Writing

24 Vocabulary

puzzle starring

Quest Crew

READING AND WRITING POWER FOR TEENS MAGAZINE




PosTAl inFoRMATion SCHOLASTIC ACTION® (ISSN 0163-3570; in Canada, 2-c no. 9320) is published 14 times during the school year; monthly December, January, March, May; bi-weekly September, October, November, February, April, with the November issues published as a double issue by Scholastic Inc., 2931 E. McCarty St., Jefferson City, MO 65102-3710. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, MO 65101 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS: Send notice of address changes to SCHOLASTIC ACTION, 2931 East McCarty St., Jefferson City, MO 65102. Printed in the U.s.A.

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A REAL SEA MONSTER

Scientists say Predator X looked a lot like this drawing.

Chomp! Last summer, scientists made a big discovery. They dug up the bones of an amazing creature. They named it Predator X. This undersea animal lived 147 million years ago. Its body was 50 feet long—about as long as three cars. It was a fierce hunter, with footlong teeth. Plus, its jaws were stronger than those of any other animal ever known.

Scientists say that a bite from Predator X would be much stronger than a bite from a dinosaur like T. rex. “This monster makes a T. rex look like a puppy dog!” said one scientist.

Music

Moving to the soundsUp I jumpSpinning and swaying I don’t know why, but ICan’t stop dancing

—Anonymous

Picture this: your best friend stops speaking to you and won’t say why. What would you do? go to www.scholastic.com/action/takeaction to send us your advice.

Age: 15School: Oakland International High SchoolHis advice for how to get ready for a big test: “Start preparing for the test one or two weeks before. Look at the books or notes on the test. Sleep well, drink a lot of water, and don’t get worried.”

When Chad Bullock, 19, saw some of his friends and family start to smoke, he decided to do something. “I’ve had family members die from using tobacco,” says Chad. “I know it’s a big issue.”

Chad is from Durham, North Carolina. He led a fight to make the Durham Bulls baseball park smoke-free. He won! In 2008, Chad also won a Do Something Award. He was given $100,000 to help him continue his fight against smoking.

TAKE ACTIONAdvice from Action reader Indra B. Karki

Scholastic action | September 7, 2009 3

SMOKE-FREE TEEN

Chad Bullock with his award.

POETRy IN ACTION CONTESTWhat is your favorite music?

How does it make you feel? Write us a poem about it! We’ll choose one winning poem to publish in a future issue of Action. The winner will also get an iPod Shuffle.

To enter the contest, write an acrostic poem like the one at right. Look at the first letter of each line. Put together, these letters spell “MUSIC.”

Go to our new Web site, www.scholastic.com/actionmag, to send us your poem. no PuRChaSe neCeSSaRy. open to legal u.S. residents in grades 6-12. all entries must be received by September 21, 2009. void where prohibited. for complete details and official rules go to www.scholastic.com/actionmag.


prOFILe

Will Smith says that success didn’t come easy to him.

Vocabulary in ActionContractions

Contractions are made when two words are shortened into one. an apostrophe takes the place of one or more letters. for example, did not becomes didn’t. Look at the contractions in bold in the article. Two of them are below. What do you think they mean?

can’t=________________ he’ll=________________


Will Smith is seriously successful. He has won dozens of awards. He’s one of the few actors in Hollywood who earn $20 million for each movie they make.

Many people say Will is very talented. Others say he’s really lucky. Will says hard work is what got him where he is today.

Hard Work at HomeWill learned about hard

work from his parents. His mom worked for the school board. His dad ran a company that set up refrigerators in grocery stores.

The summer when Will turned 12, his dad put him and his brother to work. “My dad decided he wanted a new front wall at his shop,” Will remembers. “He tore the old one down. It was probably 16 feet high and 40 feet long.”

The brothers said they couldn’t build a new wall. Their dad didn’t agree. When the wall was finished, Will’s father said, “Now, don’t you ever tell me there’s something you can’t do.”

early FameAs a teen, Will decided to

become a rapper. His hard work paid off. He got a record deal while he was still in high school. He formed the group DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. It won the first-ever Grammy award for rap.

In 1990, Will got a chance to star on a new sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show was wildly popular. It ran for six seasons. Will became a superstar.

Movie MagicAfter the TV show ended,

Will became a movie star.

In 1996, he starred in the hit movie Independence Day. The next year, he starred in Men in Black.

Will has made more than a dozen movies so far. In 2010, he’ll produce and star in a movie called Monster Hunter. It’s about a man who can see monsters in kids’ closets.

How He Does ItWill says all of his success

has come from hard work. “I’ve never really viewed myself as very talented,” he says. “But I never stop working.”

This top actor knows the secret to success: hard work.Will Smith

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Will played a superhero in Hancock. The movie won a 2008 Teen Choice Award.

reaDerS THeaTer pLay

Fluency in ActionChunking | When you read, watch for commas and periods. They will tell you when to pause. Practice pausing between each “chunk” in these sentences from the play: “Jesse likes his new school. one day, the track coach sees him playing tag.”


After the 1936 Olympics, Jesse Owens became a hero to people all over the world.

*Narrator 1 (N1)

*Narrator 2 (N2)

*Jesse Owens

Mama, Jesse’s mom

Daddy, Jesse’s dad

Prentice, Jesse’s oldest brother

Lawrence, a landowner’s son

*Coach Riley, Jesse’s first coach

Ralph Metcalfe, an athlete

*Dave, Jesse’s best friend

Coach Snyder, Jesse’s college coach

Lutz Long, a German athlete

Owner, a racist restaurant owner

Characters


He won four gold medals in Germany in 1936—and proved Hitler wrong.

Scene 1N1: In the 1920s, in a town in Alabama, young Jesse Owens plays tag with his friends. His brother Prentice walks by.Prentice: It’s no use playing with my brother. You never can catch him!N2: Jesse flies around a bend in the road. He sees Lawrence Cannon. Lawrence’s dad owns the land that Jesse’s family works on.Jesse: You sure have nice clothes. I wish I had clothes like that.Lawrence: Too bad. You’re a dirty cotton picker, and you always will be.Jesse: Shut up!N1: Jesse throws a punch. Lawrence’s brothers show up and grab Jesse.Lawrence: Hold him still.N2: Prentice runs up.Prentice: Let him go! N1: Lawrence and his brothers leave. Jesse and Prentice go home.iL

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JeSSe OWeNS:Olympic Champion

Sign up for the character you’re going to read.

*Starred characters are major roles.

Jesse: I’m Jesse.Riley: You’re fast, Jesse. How about joining the track team?Jesse: I’d love to!Riley: Be at the field at 4 p.m.Jesse: I can’t. I work every day after school.Riley: How about before school?Jesse: I’ll be there!N1: They meet every morning for the next few years.

Scene 4N2: One day, Jesse finishes running a 100-yard dash.Jesse: Coach, what was my time?Riley: About 13 seconds.Jesse: The best runners do it in 11 seconds.Riley: Don’t worry about running fast. Just run right. Run like you’re on a hot stove. Lift your feet up as soon as they touch the ground. N1: In 1928, a runner named Charley Paddock visits Jesse’s

Scene 2N2: Jesse’s parents talk.Mama: We work so hard, and we never have any money. Daddy: Farming is all I know. What can we do?Mama: If we go north, you and the boys can work in factories. The girls and I can clean houses.Daddy: My father worked this land. This is where we belong.Mama: Your father was a slave. Do you want your children to pick cotton all their lives?Daddy: You’re right. Let’s move north.N1: Jesse and his family move to Cleveland, Ohio. His dad gets a job in a factory.

Scene 3N2: Jesse likes his new school. One day, the track coach sees him playing tag.Riley: I’m Coach Riley. What’s your name?

school. Paddock won a gold medal at the 1920 Olympics.Jesse: Coach, I want to be like Mr. Paddock. The newspapers call him “the world’s fastest human.”Riley: They’ll call you that if you keep working. The next Olympics are in four years.

Scene 5N2: In high school, Jesse’s best friend is Dave. Dave’s specialty is the high jump.N1: In 1932, Jesse and Dave have their first shot at the Olympics. Coach Riley takes them to the tryouts in Illinois.Dave: Jesse, we could be two of the first black athletes on the U.S. Olympic team!Jesse: We’re just high school kids. There’s Ralph Metcalfe from Marquette University. He has set a lot of records.N2: Jesse and Ralph get ready to race.Jesse (to himself): I have to beat him!N1: Jesse runs as hard as he can. For a second, he’s ahead of Ralph.N2: Suddenly, the race is over. Ralph has won.Jesse (to Ralph): I thought I had you.Ralph: Maybe that’s why you lost.Jesse: You’re right. I need to worry about running my best race, not beating the competition. I blew it.Riley: It’s OK. There’s another Olympics in four years.


While Jesse was playing tag, the track coach noticed how fast he was.

Scene 6N1: Three years later, Dave and Jesse are freshmen at Ohio State University. N2: Their new coach, Larry Snyder, helps them train for a big meet.Dave: Coach Snyder! We were playing touch football, and Jesse hurt his back!Snyder: Jesse, ice your back and rest up. Maybe you can still compete on Saturday.N1: The meet takes place on May 25th, 1935. Jesse is in a lot of pain.Snyder: You can’t run today. Jesse: Coach Riley came all this way to watch me. Just let me try the 100-yard dash.N2: Jesse runs the race as smoothly as he can. He sails

past the other runners.Snyder: Jesse! Your time was 9.4 seconds. You tied the world record!Jesse: I have a good feeling about today. I’m going to try the broad jump.N1: Jesse beats the world record of 26 feet, 2 inches.N2: Next, Jesse runs the 220-yard dash. Dave: Wow! You broke another record! N1: Jesse tries one more event—the hurdles. Again, he breaks the world record.Ralph: You broke four world records in less than an hour!N2: The watching crowd cheers and whistles.Riley: You’ve made me so proud today, Jesse.

Scene 7N1: The next spring, Dave and Jesse drive to a track meet in Indiana. N2: The team’s cars stop outside a restaurant. The white athletes go in.Dave: Nobody complains when we win races for our team. But restaurants won’t let us in to eat with them.N1: Snyder brings Jesse and Dave some fried eggs. N2: The restaurant owner follows Snyder outside. He sees Jesse and Dave.Owner: Hey! You never said those eggs were for them! N1: He grabs at the plates. Dave won’t let go.Jesse: No, Dave. Don’t fight.Dave: We never fight back, Jesse!Jesse: We fight on the field. That’s where we prove we’re as good as anybody else.

Scene 8N2: Jesse and Dave make the team for the 1936 Olympics, to be held in Berlin, Germany. Dave reads the newspaper.Dave: Have you heard about the German leader, Hitler? He has been taking rights away from Jewish people. And he tried to keep black athletes out of the Olympics.Jesse: Can he really do that?Dave: No. The Olympic Committee told him they would hold the Games someplace else if he made trouble. But he still wants


A racist man didn’t want Jesse and Dave to eat food from his restaurant.

to prove that black athletes aren’t as good as white ones.Jesse: Who does he think can beat me?N2: Dave shows Jesse a picture of a tall, smiling German athlete.Dave: Meet your competition. His name is Lutz Long.

Scene 9N1: When the U.S. team gets to Germany, crowds of people cheer for Jesse.N2: Soon, Dave wins a silver medal for the high jump. The gold and bronze medals also go to black athletes.Jesse: Well done, Dave!Snyder: I see Hitler didn’t stay to congratulate you.N1: Dave and Jesse see that Hitler’s seat is empty. N2: The next day, Jesse runs the 100-meter dash. He wins the gold medal.N1: Jesse sees Lutz Long practicing for the broad jump.Jesse (thinking): He’s good.

Maybe I can’t beat him.N2: Jesse’s practice jumps aren’t good. He can’t stop thinking about Lutz.Lutz: Hi, Jesse. I had the same problem last year. Just relax and do your best.N1: With Lutz’s help, Jesse gets ready. He jumps. Lutz: Wow! You jumped 26 feet, 5.25 inches. You set a new world record!N2: Jesse proudly accepts his second gold medal. His new friend Lutz takes the silver.

Scene 10N1: The next day, Jesse has one more race—the 200-meter dash.Jesse (thinking): This could be my last Olympic race. I have to give it everything.N2: Jesse speeds past the cheering crowd. He wins a third gold medal.Snyder: Jesse, the relay coaches want you and Ralph to join their team. They want

the fastest runners to compete against Hitler’s so-called supermen.N1: The American team beats the Germans. They set a new world record.Ralph: Jesse, you take the top platform. You’ve proved you’re the best athlete here.N2: Jesse happily accepts his fourth gold medal.

epilogueN1: Jesse was a hero. Hitler had tried to prove that people from Northern Europe were the best at everything. He took away the rights—and even the lives—of many non-white and non-Christian people. But Jesse helped to show that people of many races can be winners. N2: Jesse Owens died in 1980. Two years later, in Berlin, a street leading to the Olympic stadium was named after him. —Rachel Waugh


Jesse and German athlete Lutz Long became friends. They stood together to get their medals.

A solution is the way a problem gets fixed. Most stories include a number of problems and their solutions. In the “problem” column of the chart below, there are four problems that came up in Jesse Owens’s life. In the “solution” column, briefly explain how each problem got solved. If you need help, look back at the play.


prObLeM aND SOLuTION

Problem Solved!

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Example: Jesse’s parents worked hard as farmers but made very little money.

Jesse’s family moved to Ohio, where they could all get jobs and earn more money.

1. Jesse couldn’t make it to track practice because he worked after school.

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

2. Dave wanted to fight a racist restaurant owner.

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

3. hitler tried to stop black athletes from competing in the olympics.

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

4. at the olympics, Jesse had trouble with the broad jump. all of his practice jumps turned out wrong.

_____________________

__________________

_________________

_______________

_______________

True TeeN STOry

Words in ActionVocabularyeconomy: the way a country makes and uses money, goods, and services affecting: changingfees: costs, charges insurance: an agreement that a company will pay the costs in case of a fire, flood, or other problems focus: to concentrate, pay attention

Last year, Evelyn lost her home. But she never lost hope.


Evelyn Aguilar, 18, is usually quiet. But when the economy hurt her family, she spoke up. Evelyn was in a video about teens dealing with tough times. She has been on TV and in newspapers. She even got to shake hands with President Obama.

Our country’s economy is affecting many families. Many people can’t pay their bills. Last year, more than 2 million families could no longer afford their homes. Evelyn’s family was one of them.

Losing a DreamIn 2005, Evelyn’s

family bought a house in Bloomington, California. Evelyn, her parents, and her two sisters lived in it.

But in 2007, the bills for the house got much higher. Fees were added for insurance and taxes. Evelyn’s parents could not afford the high fees. They lost the house. Le

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In April 2008, the family had to leave. They moved in with Evelyn’s aunt. They were glad to have somewhere to go. But 12 people lived in the one-bedroom house. It wasn’t comfortable.

Not aloneAt first, Evelyn couldn’t

believe what had happened. “You never expect it to be you,” she says.

One day Evelyn’s teacher, Mr. Steinman, talked about the economy in class. He

SpeakingFrom the HeartEvelyn lost her home. Talking about it helped her—and millions of others.

asked the students if the country’s money troubles were affecting their lives. Everyone said yes. That’s when Evelyn realized her family wasn’t alone.

The students made a video about the troubles they were facing. They spoke on film about their fears—being unable to afford food, or even being homeless. They called the video Is Anybody Listening? They wanted to share their stories with the President.

Evelyn felt her family’s

Above: Evelyn appeared in the video Is Anybody Listening? Right: President Obama was listening. He spoke about Evelyn’s class.


Pomona, California

Obama made a speech on TV. He talked about the need for better education. Then he talked about Evelyn’s class and its video, Is Anybody Listening?

“I am listening,” said Obama. “We are listening. America is listening. And we will not rest until your parents can keep their jobs and your families can keep

their homes, and you can focus on what you should be focusing on—your own education.”

A week later, the President traveled to California. He made time to speak with Evelyn’s class. “Everyone rushed up to shake his hand,” says Evelyn. “It was an experience that I’ll always remember.”

Today, Evelyn is in college. She knows that many doors are open to her. If she can get the President’s attention, she can do anything.

“Making the film showed me that, if you really want to do something, you can do it. You just have to go for it,” says Evelyn. “Everybody says that in movies, but when you go through something like this, you realize it’s true.”


problems were personal. But she decided to speak on the video. “I thought it was important,” she remembers. “If we could get the video to the President, he could see things from our point of view.”

everybody ListeningEvelyn’s school sent the

video to news reporters. They also sent it to Barack Obama. In January 2009, the video made the news. Reporters came to the school and spoke with the students. “That increased my hope of the President seeing our video,” says Evelyn.

For a while, the video got a lot of attention. Then for three weeks there was none at all. The students thought people had lost interest.

Then they heard from the President.

a Great experienceIn March, President Le

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President Obama met with Evelyn (front, left) and her classmates.

Talking about their problems taught these students a lot about themselves and each other.

Show What You Know


reaDING COMpreHeNSION TeST prep

1. Evelyn’s story happened in _____. A Colorado C Connecticut B California D Texas

2. What happened first in her life? �A She moved in with her aunt. B her family bought a house. C She found out she wasn’t alone. D The bills for the house got higher.

3. Evelyn’s class made a video called __________. A Is Anybody Listening? �

� B Hi, Mr. President! �

� C�Teens Speak Up D High School Musical

4. __________ said: “I am listening. We are listening. America is listening.” A Mr. Steinman� � C�a reporter B President obama D evelyn �

5. Evelyn spoke in the video because __________.

A She wanted to become famous. B She loves to talk. C She wanted an excuse to skip math class. D She wanted the President to know how teens were feeling.

6. Which statement is a fact? A evelyn is 18 years old. B evelyn has pretty hair. C barack obama is the best President ever. D evelyn should make more videos.

Answer these questions about “Speaking From the Heart.” Fill in the bubble next to the best answer to each question.

10. Evelyn learned that talking

about a problem can help you feel better. Think of a time when you shared your feelings. What person did you talk to? Why did you choose that person? __________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

Evelyn Aguilar

7. Which of these statements is an opinion?

�A evelyn is in college. B being on Tv is cool. C evelyn and her family had to move out of their house. D evelyn met the President.

8. Which of these happened last? �A The President spoke with

evelyn’s classmates. B evelyn’s class made a video. C evelyn’s school sent the video to reporters. D The President spoke about the video on Tv.

9. Evelyn showed __________ when she spoke up about her family’s problems.

A laziness C honesty B shyness D silliness

SCIeNCe


The number of jaguars has been going down. Scientists have new ideas for how to help.

Content-Area Vocabularypredators: animals that hunthabitat: place where an animal naturally livesprey: an animal that other animals hunt for foodpopulation: a group of animals that are the same kind and live in the same placebiology: a kind of science that deals with living things

Words in Action

In a forest in South America, a hungry jaguar waits. The night is dark, but the big cat can see clearly. It spots a wild pig. It leaps onto the pig and bites through the animal’s skull. Next, the jaguar drags the dead pig to the top of a tree and eats it.

Jaguars are fierce predators. But that does not always keep them safe. Their main habitat in Central America and South America is shrinking. As people there build more houses and roads, jaguars have fewer wild places to live.

In the last 100 years, jaguars have lost more than half of their habitat.

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As a result, their numbers have been going down. But scientists are trying to change that.

Jaguars Need SpaceAlan Rabinowitz is a

scientist who works to save jaguar habitat. He asked the country of Belize to set aside a large piece of land for jaguars. Now, this protected area is a safe place where the big cats can live.

“If you protect areas with jaguars,” Rabinowitz says, “you protect many other things as well.” Those things are the plants and the animal prey that live in the same habitat. Monkeys,


Tracking JaguarsScientists are finding new ways to protect these beautiful big cats.

U.S.

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CentralAmerica

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turtles, crocodiles, and wild pigs all live in jaguar habitat.

Staying ConnectedOther places jaguars live

are not protected. On a map, these areas look like dots spread over Central America and South America.

Rabinowitz says it’s important to make sure jaguars can travel between “dots.” But sometimes jaguars get stuck. There are ranches, farms, and highways in the way.

Male jaguars travel for an important reason. They need to find a mate that is not a close relative. That way, the baby jaguars will be stronger

Jaguars are strong and fierce. But they are in danger in many places.

Most jaguars live in Central America and South America. A few have been seen in the southwestern United States!

and healthier. If jaguars have healthy babies, the jaguar population will grow.

Rabinowitz wants to make it easier for male jaguars to roam. He has a new plan to protect the paths they travel. He wants to keep humans from building new roads or buildings on these paths. This will help jaguars travel safely between habitats.

a Teen Helps OutOther scientists try to

count jaguars. It’s difficult work. Jaguars live in thick forests and stay away from humans. But it’s important to find out how many jaguars are out there. That is how scientists learn if jaguar

Looking at JaguarsMegan and her mom

helped a scientist check for jaguars on “camera traps.” Each “trap” is a special camera that is set up far out in the jungle. The camera senses heat when an animal is nearby. Then it snaps a picture.

When studying the photos, scientists look at the pattern of spots on the jaguars. “Jaguar spots are unique, like fingerprints,” Megan explains.

Megan loved traveling deep into the jungle to learn how scientists do their jobs. “Going to a different place and seeing the animals can be a lot of fun,” she says. Megan learned about many jungle animals on her trip. She plans to study biology to learn even more about them.

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Above: A jaguar photo taken by a “camera trap.” Right: Megan Maher.Far right: A canoe took Megan (front) out into the jungle to help study jaguars.

camera trap

To be healthy, a baby jaguar needs parents that are not closely related to each other.

numbers are growing or shrinking.

Last year, Megan Maher, 14, got a chance to help the scientists. She and her mother traveled to South America.

reaDING a Map


EQUATOR

PacificOcean

AtlanticOcean

United States

BelizeHonduras

El SalvadorGuatemala Nicaragua

Costa RicaPanama

Colombia

Ecuador

Peru

Chile

Argentina

Uruguay

Brazil

Venezuela

SurinameFrench Guiana

Guyana

Bolivia

Paraguay

Places wherejaguars live

0 500

Scale of miles

Mexico

1. Do any jaguars live in Mexico? A yes B no

2. If a jaguar living in Nicaragua traveled south, the next country it would reach is __________.

�A belize B argentina C Paraguay D Costa Rica

3. Jaguars in Venezuela live close to __________. A the united States �

� B the atlantic ocean �

� C�the Pacific ocean D argentina

4. Which of these countries does not have any places where jaguars live?

�A Peru B brazil

C uruguay D venezuelaAnswers are in the Teacher’s Edition.

It’s not easy to spot jaguars in the jungle. But you can find them on a map! On the map below, look for the areas and lines in green. They show the places where jaguars live and the paths they travel. Use the map to answer the questions.

Find the Jaguars

No A four-day school week is not a good idea. Here’s why:

● Many students would be left alone on Fridays. They could get into trouble or get hurt.

● Longer school days would make students more tired at the end of the day. Teens can’t learn well when they’re tired.

● An extra day off might make it hard for students to get back to learning on Mondays.

YES A four-day school week is a good idea. Here’s why:

● Schools need to save money. If they can save on gas and heating, they will be able to afford computers and sports programs.

● Having Fridays free would give teachers more time to plan exciting lessons.

● At some schools, the four-day week has led to better attendance. Students can plan doctor appointments for Fridays. That way, they won’t miss class.

Picture this: It’s 11 a.m. on a Friday, and you’re home in your room. You’re not sick. You’re not in trouble. It’s just a normal Friday.

These days, everyone is trying to save money—even schools. Some schools in Oregon, South Dakota, and other states will have a shorter week this fall. If they don’t use classrooms or buses on Fridays, they can save on electricity, heating, and gasoline.

Some schools around the country already have four-day weeks. They make up the class time with longer school days from Monday through Thursday. They say their students like having Fridays off to do homework.

But many working parents say four-day weeks are a bad idea. They want their kids to be in a safe place with teachers around, not at home alone.

READ Both SIDES oF thE DEBAtE AND DECIDE.

DebaTe


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Is a four-day school week a good idea?

Some schools are open only four days a week. They want to save money.

SCHOOL CLOSED

ON FRIDAY

No-School Fridays


A fact is a statement that can be proved, such as, “We are starting a new school year.” An opinion states a feeling or belief, such as, “Starting a new school year is exciting.” Opinions

can’t be proved, but they can be backed up with reasons.

Read the sentences below about four-day school weeks. Decide whether each one is a fact or an opinion.

School Facts and opinionsFaCT VS. OpINION

In the blank next to each sentence, write an F for “fact” or an O for “opinion.” We did the first one for you.

1. This fall, some schools will be closed on fridays. _______

2. a three-day week would be even better than a four-day week. _______

3. Longer school days would be annoying. _______

4. With a four-day week, schools can save money on electricity. _______

5. Some schools already have four-day weeks. _______

on the line below, write a fact about your school.

___________________________________________________________

on the line below, write your opinion about four-day school weeks.

___________________________________________________________

you can e-mail your sentences to [email protected]. We’ll write back!

Some teens like the idea of four-day school weeks.

F

A sandwich shop can be a great place to get a quick, healthy meal. But not every sandwich on the menu may be good for you. How do you know which one to pick?

Many restaurants have charts that show nutrition facts for all the food they sell. Reading these facts can

help you pick the food that is healthiest for you. Check out the chart below. It shows

information for three sandwiches.

be a Health Hero

reaL-LIFe reaDING aND WrITING

22 Scholastic action| September 7, 2009

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(6 inches)580 210 23.0 1,660 24 100 140

Turkey Hero

(6 inches)290 35 4.0 1,050 18 50 110

Veggie Hero

(6 inches)230 25 2.5 550 9 50 80

The letter g means “grams.” A gram is an amount that weighs about as much as a paper clip. A milligram is 1/1,000 of a gram and is written mg.

The veggie hero has 50%, or 1/2, of the vitamin C you need in one day. The meatball hero has all the vitamin C you need in one day. That’s 100%!

reaDING NuTrITION INFOrMaTION

1. Which sandwich has the largest amount of protein? ___________ ___________________________

2. Which sandwich has the lowest number of calories? __________ __________________________

3. The turkey hero has exactly

__________ calories as the meatball hero. A twice as many B half as many C the same number of D three times as many

4. Let’s say your coach wants you to choose high-protein foods to build stronger muscles. Which sandwich would be your best choice? _____________________

5. Eating fatty foods is bad for your

heart. Doctors say the calories from fat in the food you eat should be less than 1/3 of the food’s total calories. Which sandwich on the chart wouldn’t fit in with this advice? ____________________________

6. Most people need to eat 50 grams of protein each day. If you eat all three sandwiches, will you get enough protein for the day? ____________________________

How well do you understand nutrition facts? Check out the chart on page 22. Then, test your knowledge by answering the questions below.

Read It Right

7. The meatball hero has 23.0 grams of fat. That’s __________ more fat grams than the turkey hero has. A 20.5 C 6 B 19 D 10

�8. Eating too much sodium (salt)

can cause health problems for some people. If your doctor tells you to stick to low-sodium foods, the best sandwich for you is the ________________________.

9. The meatball hero has about __________ as much sodium as the veggie hero has. A half C twice B one third D three times

10. Now that you know how much protein, iron, fat, and sodium each sandwich has, which do you think is the best sandwich for you? Explain why.


Answers are in the Teacher’s Edition.

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Fill In the Blanks!A reporter once asked the dancers what makes them special. Quest Crew member Dominic Sandoval joked,

They flip. They spin on their heads. They even do splits. Last year, the amazing hip-hop dancers of Quest Crew were on the TV show America’s Best Dance Crew. On March 9, 2009, they won the top prize!

Read the sentences about Quest Crew. Look for each word in bold. Then circle the letter next to the correct definition of the word. Write the circled letters in the blanks in the puzzle. We did the first one for you.

1. The dancers first encountered each other at the Quest Learning Center near Los angeles, California. They named their group after the center. J smiled at C met

2. Dancer Daniel Ryan Conferido also plays and writes music! he composed one of the songs the group danced to on America’s Best Dance Crew. O wrote L liked

3. an enormous number of people voted after the show’s finale. almost 20 million fans called in! L large K silly

VOCabuLary WITH CONTexT CLueS

MAURiCE R. Robinson, FoUndER oF sCHolAsTiC inC., 1895-1982 • EdiToRiAl: Editor: Sarah Jane Brian • Senior Editor: Christy Damio • Executive Editor, Media: Marie Morreale • TE Writer: Peg Van Kleef • Copy Chief: Renee Glaser • Copy Editor: Veronica Majerol ART: Senior Art Director: Albert Amigo • PRodUCTion: Production Editor: Anthony Giammanco • Manager of Digital Imaging Technologies: Marc Stern • Senior Digital Imager: Bonnie Ardita • Photo Editor: Linda Eger • MAGAZinE GRoUP: Scholastic Classroom and Library Publishing President: Greg Worrell • VP, Editor in Chief: Rebecca Bondor • Associate Editorial Director: Amanda Miller • Creative Director: Judith Christ-Lafond • Executive Production Director: Barbara Schwartz • Executive Editorial Director, Copy Desk: Craig Moskowitz • Publishing Systems Director: David Hendrickson • Executive Director of Photography: Steven Diamond • CORPORATE: President, Chief Exec. Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Scholastic Inc.: Richard Robinson. • Original contributions to Scholastic ACTION magazine or to contests, projects, and special features sponsored by Scholastic ACTION magazine become the property of Scholastic Inc. Contributions cannot be acknowledged and cannot be returned. Copyright ©2009 by Scholastic Inc. All Rights Reserved. For subscription information, call 1-800-Scholastic. Material in this issue may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or format without special permission from the publisher. SCHOLASTIC, ACTION, and associated designs are trademarks/registered trademarks of Scholastic. Inc. Printed in the U.s.A.


Want to know more about us? Contact 1-800-SCHOLaSTIC or e-mail the editors at [email protected].

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4. America’s Best Dance Crew forbids groups from performing with more than 7 dancers. Quest Crew has 10 members in all, so 3 of its dancers didn’t appear on the show. M wants to have H doesn’t allow

5. Dancer Ryan feng likes to show how loyal he is to the group. he dyed half of his hair purple, which is the Quest Crew color. I strongly supportive R talented

Answers are in the Teacher’s Edition.

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