1. Explain to students that they will be voting on an issue. Voting is a great way not only to make decisions, but also to see how different people think about the same issue. This information can help them make decisions later.
2. In advance of the class, log onto the page for Scholastic News magazines 1 or 2, and click on the magazine cover that shows the issue you are reading currently. Cast your vote in the online poll by clicking on the “yes” or “no” button.

1. Read your current issues of Scholastic News magazines 1 or 2, depending on which grade you teach, and ask students questions about what they have read. Once you are confident of their comprehension, lead students to vote online.
2. Model clicking on one of the magazine covers in the “What Do You Think?” section. Model thinking aloud about which choice makes the most sense to you and click on the corresponding ”yes” or “no” button.

1. To participate in the poll, read the question aloud and discuss how the question relates to the story in the magazine. Then have students click on the button that represents their answer. You can have students vote individually, or you can agree to answer as a class.
2. A bar graph will appear on screen. It shows how readers have voted so far (including the vote just cast by the student). Talk with your class about how a bar graph gives information, paying special attention to the labels and the numbers on the vertical axis. Show students how to read the graph on the screen, asking them to figure out how many people have voted for each choice. Click on “What is a bar graph?” for a simple explanation.

1. When students have some experience in basic voting, explain that they now have a chance to vote with the older kids. Go to the Scholastic News Online home page and click on the “Vote Now!” box. Read the debate question together and discuss both sides of the issue (a brief summary of the debate will appear on screen). Topics are always debates that are of specific interest to kids.
2. Students may respond one at a time. They should click on “yes” or “no,” scroll down to indicate their grade, gender, and home state, and click on the “Vote Now!” button to enter their vote. Or if you prefer, click on “Vote as a class, too!” and enter your results collectively.
3. A pie chart will appear on screen. It shows the results of the poll so far. Explain that a pie chart or circle graph is another way of showing information. Like a bar graph, it makes it easy to see information at a glance.
4. Use the options beneath the pie chart to show results by gender, grade, or state.

1. In advance of the class, print the “Print a Fun Page” activity so each student has a copy.
2. As a class, read the directions on the top of the activity page. Have students fill in the printables either individually or in pairs. Once complete, the “Print a Fun Page” should be handed in for assessment.

1. Choose a topic and click on the link to access the audio feature. The first section of the text will automatically be read aloud. Once the audio is finished, the student can either click “next” or choose to listen to the section again by clicking on the “Hear It Again” icon.
2. A “Sound It Out” vocabulary list will appear at the end of the activity that shows all the hard-to-read words from the issue's text. Students can click on the “LISTEN” icon next to each word to hear that word pronounced. The student gains extra practice with these words by hearing them pronounced in isolation.
3. Have students copy the “Sound It Out” words in their notebooks. Encourage students to draw a picture next to each new word. Drawing engages students visually and kinesthetically in order to help them remember words.

1. Explain to students that they will be hearing a sentence read aloud. As each word in the sentence is pronounced, it will turn red in the text. They should follow the words as they hear the sentence.
2. Explain that they will then be asked a question. The voice reading the sentence will ask students to identify a certain word in the sentence. If they choose the wrong word, they will hear a beeping sound. When they choose the right word, the game goes to the next sentence. They can play the game many times before the sentences repeat themselves.

1. Have students make a list of the words they clicked on. Then have them use the words in a sentence different from the one on the “I Can Read” activity.
2. Give a spelling test with the list of words

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