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Welcome to issue 3 of Know Your World Extra. Scroll to the bottom of the page for additional activities for your students.

Background Information About Issue 3
Feature-Is It Really Real?
Before Reading: Our feature story talk to real life ghost hunters, and asks the students to decide if they think ghosts are real. We spoke with ghost hunters from South Jersey Ghost Research and the International Ghost Hunters Society who claim to have made contact with ghosts. These ghost hunters say real ghosts appear as smoke or shadows. The ghosts might also move objects or turn lights on and off.
Tap Prior Knowledge: Ask students what they think about ghosts. Are ghosts real?
Background Information:
-South Jersey Ghost Research was founded in 1955. It was originally called The Ghost Hunters of America.
-Ghost hunters use tools such as digital cameras and voice recorders to try to record ghosts.
-Part of being a ghost hunter is determining whether what is being reported is a real ghost or a hoax.
-Skeptics don't believe in anything "scientific" that cannot be reproduced in a lab.

Debate It!-Power Ball
Before Reading: Athletes today break all sorts of records, but some claim that the records shouldn't count if the athlete is using steroids. There has been controversy in particular concerning Bary Bonds's record. Our debate asks if records should count if the athlete is using steroids.
Tap Prior Knowledge: What are steroids? What do steroids do? Which athletes have been caught using steroids? What are some of the side effects of using steroids?
Background Information:
-Barry Bonds has the home run record, with 762 home runs. He beat Hank Aaron's previous record in August, 2007.
-Bonds claimed he was given a cream to rub on his muscles, and he didn't know it was a steroid.
-Steroids can be taken orally, injected, or rubbed onto the skin.
-Athletes who take anabolic steroids use them for performance enhancement and muscle growth, but it is illegal to take steroids for these reasons.
-Some of the side effects of steroids include: rage, acne, heart palpitations, ulcers, and even death.

Readers' Theater-The Monkey's Paw
Before Reading: The Readers' Theater is an adaptation of W. W. Jacobs's short story "The Monkey's Paw." In this story, the paw allows people to make three wishes. The wishes come true, but they are taken literally, often with dire consequences. The moral of the story is "be careful what you wish for."
Tap Prior Knowledge: If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? How might that wish be taken the wrong way? What could you wish for that would have no bad consequences?
Background Information:
-The story was first published in 1902.
-"The Monkey's Paw" was parodied on The Simpsons in a Halloween special.
-Many of W. W. Jacobs's other stories were humorous.

Reality Check-Who's the Boss?
Before Reading: Many teens must watch their younger siblings or other children. Our Reality Check teaches some rules on how to be a responsible babysitter.
Tap Prior Knowledge: Have you ever been a babysitter? What are some rules to remember when you are in charge of children? What would you do if there was an emergency while you were babysitting?
Background Information:
-The American Red Cross offers babysitting classes to teach teens how to be good sitters.
-Babysitters should get all the important contact information, such as the parents' cell phone numbers, where the parents can be reached, the doctor's number, etc.
-Never leave a child in the bath alone.

What's So Funny
In issue 3, we showed you some winners of our What's So Funny page, which featured a camel drinking from a water bottle. Here are more of our favorite entries:

  • "I would have preferred sparkling." Beth Phillips, Mathews, VA
  • "Dude, I can't drink this like this, I need straw." Miguel Pachoco, Eaglegrove, Iowa
  • "Ooh, I wish that kid didn't jump on me." Now I have to refill. Dylan Smith, Reading, PA
  • "I need to fill up my tank!" Crusita, Washington
  • "My hump will be full tonight." Alexandra Rudnick, La Canada, CA

Check back next month for new What's So Funny entries!

Extra Activities
Our teacher's guide offers activities to enhance the articles in the issue. Download additional activities here and here, along with the answers.

Download the Write-a-Rap contest entry form here.

Your opinions matter! Is there something you want to see on the Web site? Do you have any questions or comments about the issue? E-mail us at kyw@weeklyreader.com. We want to hear from your students too. In every issue, we'll publish letters to the editor.

If you are not currently a subscriber, click here to get this great high-interest magazine for secondary students who read at below grade level.
 

Sincerely,

Jessica Livingston

Associate Editor

Know Your World Extra

 
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