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The Teaching Center for each issue will be available two weeks before the issue date.
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Go to the Teaching Center for "Hungry for Help," February 10.
Click here for the answer key.
In This Issue
In this issue, your class will read about the recent accomplishments of the U.S. auto industry. Students will also learn about Henry Ford and the Model T.
News Brief: A boy hosts his own sports radio show.
News Brief: Experts find the world’s tiniest frogs.
Brain Builders: Ride On! (Read a Graph)
Click here to download the third of four reading assessments to share with students.
Download the tracking guide here.
Encourage students to enter Weekly Reader’s Student Publishing Contest for a chance to win $500 and a trip to Washington, D.C. Click here for more information.
Common Core State Standard
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content.
Concepts of Comprehension©
VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
Vocabulary in Context means figuring out the meaning of a word by looking at the words and sentences around it. Reinforce this skill with the work sheet on page 3.
National Standards
SOCIAL STUDIES (NCSS)
Cover: Go, Cars, Go!
• Production, distribution, and consumption
• Science, technology, and society
Page 2: Sports Star
• Culture
• Individual development and identity
SCIENCE (NSES)
Page 2: Small Wonders
• Characteristics of organisms
• Organisms and environments
LANGUAGE ARTS (NCTE/IRA)
Teacher’s Guide (page 5)
• Students use strategies to comprehend text.
Motivate Reluctant Readers
In this issue, the story written for reluctant readers is “Sports Star.” After reading, ask students: If you could host a radio program, what might you talk about on the air? Why?
Online Exclusives
Digital Edition: an exciting multimedia version of the cover story, with videos, slide shows, and interactive features
Coming in the Next Issue: Feb. 24, 2012
Dino Drive: Experts discover dinosaur tracks along an ancient route.
TEACHING THE COVER STORY
Go, Cars, Go!
U.S. automakers are on the road to recovery.
Before You Read
Ask students: What are some of the companies that make cars? Do you think any of them are based in the United States?
Vocabulary
compete: to battle
design: to create
recovery: a return to normal
Background
• How did the Big Three U.S. automakers fare last year? If projections were correct, 2011 marked the first year since 2004 that all three companies were profitable. General Motors and Ford Motor Company both had profits topping $6 billion in 2011. Chrysler Group saw its retail sales increase by 45 percent compared with 2010.
• Which automakers produce the most cars? Toyota topped the world list in 2010, producing more than 7.2 million cars. The second-biggest producer, General Motors, made about 6.3 million cars in 2010.
• Which country produces the most cars? Of the more than 58 million cars made in the world in 2010, 13.9 million—nearly 24 percent—were made in China. Japan produced 8.3 million, and Germany made 5.6 million. South Korea and Brazil rounded out the top five. The United States came in seventh, producing 2.7 million cars.
• Where in the United States are the most cars made? Detroit is known as the Motor City for a reason. More cars are made there than anywhere else in the country. General Motors is located in Detroit, and Ford’s and Chrysler’s headquarters are just outside the city.
Think Critically
What kind of cars do you think people will drive 10 years from now? How might they be different from the cars people drive today?
Extend the Lesson
Create a car show in your classroom. Encourage students to brainstorm cars of the future. Then have each student create a picture of his or her vehicle, labeling important features. Students should also write a few paragraphs explaining when their vehicles will be used and what the benefits of their cars will be.
Web Resources
• For more details about the North American International Auto Show, go to www.naias.com.
• For more about Henry Ford and the Model T, visit www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/hf.
Lexile rating: 640L
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TEACHING THE NEWS BRIEF
Sports Star
A boy hosts his own sports radio show.
Before You Read
Ask students: What skills might a radio show host need? Why?
Vocabulary
analyze: to study
Background
• When did P. J. Whitaker start his career in radio? The student began hosting PJ Sports Talk in February 2011. The hour-long show airs on the Tan Talk Radio Network on Saturday afternoons. P. J. is no rookie when it comes to hosting his own show, though. He first started hosting a sports program on the Internet when he was only 5 years old.
• What is P. J.’s favorite topic to discuss? He enjoys talking about football. In fact, the fourth grader correctly predicted the outcomes of several games in the National Football League last season.
Think Critically
How might hosting a live radio show compare with hosting a show that is recorded in advance?
Extend the Lesson
Interview an athlete. Have each student think of his or her favorite athlete. Ask: What might it be like to interview that person? Then have each student write at least three questions to ask his or her favorite player.
Web Resource
For more about P. J.’s talk show, visit www.pjsportstalk.com.
TEACHING THE NEWS BRIEF
Small Wonders
Experts find the world's tiniest frogs.
Before You Read
Help students find Papua New Guinea on a map. Then ask: What animals might live in that country? Why?
Vocabulary
predator: a creature that hunts other creatures
Background
How did scientists locate the tiny frogs? Experts found the animals in southern Papua New Guinea by listening for their calls. The animals’ sounds can be heard from up to 80 feet away. Scientists crouched low to the ground to determine where the noises were coming from. They spotted two of the miniature creatures and scooped them up with their bare hands. Researchers discovered the other two species by sifting through leaf litter they had collected from the rain forest floor.
Think Critically
Why might scientists want to discover new species?
Extend the Lesson
Find frog facts. Have students use books or the Internet to find at least three facts about frogs. Then invite each student to share what he or she has learned with the class.
Web Resource
For kid-friendly information and fun facts about frogs, visit tinyurl.com/frogfacts.
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Click on each image to download a PDF of that activity. Click here for the answer key.
Use this activity to help students learn how to determine the meaning of unknown words.
Help students learn how to identify conjunctions by sharing this activity.
Use this activity to test reading comprehension.
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Grade 3 Teaching Centers and Issue Dates, 2011-2012
Senior Managing Editor: Clara Colbert
Senior Editor: Brooke Ross
Senior Associate Editor: Rebecca Zissou
Contributing Editor: Laura McClure Anastasia
Senior Group Art Director: Jeff Talbot
Senior Art Director: Claudia Ramirez
Associate Art Director: Raquel Hernandez
Designer: Nicole Hocutt
Manager, Copy Editing: Kim Paras
Senior Copy Editor: Sarah Chassé
Copy Editor: Troy Reynolds
Manager, Photo Department: Julie Alissi
Multimedia Researcher: Carrin Ackerman
Production Designer: Richard Gore
Operations Manager, Manufacturing: Christine DiLauro
Vice President, Operations: Marcia Smith
Senior Vice President, Editorial: Ira Wolfman
The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., President and Chief Executive Officer: Robert E. Guth
Executive Vice President, RDA: Lisa Sharples
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