dear teacher: Thank you for choosing

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1 September 2009 ISSN x SEPT OCT NOV/DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY dear teacher: Thank you for choosing SuperScience to help you share the wonders of the natural world with your students. We re back with all your favorite features, like Cool Science Jobs, fictional science mystery plays, and fascinating nonfiction articles. And our Teacher s Edition has a new look! It s packed with even more teaching resources to help you save time and get the most from your subscription. We now offer four reproducible skills pages, which are leveled to allow for greater differentiation in the classroom. Every issue will include two lower-level skills pages and two higher-level skills pages, which are all designed to reinforce reading comprehension, graph, or map skills and general scientific principles. Elizabeth Carney, Editor superscience@scholastic.com This month s experiments were tested by fifth-grade teacher Melvyn Rettenmund. SKILLS & STANDARDS page article Curriculum skills National Standards 4 Science Mystery: The Case of the Foul Play 6 Feature: Path of the Jaguar 10 Hands-0n: Habitat Hunt 11 Careers: Disease Epidemiologist 12 Feature: Getting Goosebumps 15 Hands-0n: Spooky Sounds Scientific Inquiry: manipulating variables; observing; gathering data; drawing conclusions; interpreting results. Physical Science: chemical change Language Arts: reading fictional passages Life Science: populations; ecosystems; reproduction and heredity Earth Science: rain forests; habitat destruction; deforestation Language Arts: reading comprehension Scientific Inquiry: manipulating variables; observing; gathering data; drawing conclusions; interpreting results Life Science: population and ecosystems Life Science: body systems; infectious disease; hygiene Language Arts: reading comprehension Life Science: body systems; human behavior; central nervous system Language Arts: reading comprehension Scientific Inquiry: manipulating variables; observing; gathering data; drawing conclusions; interpreting results Physical Science: changes in matter Grades K-4: Properties of objects and materials Grades 5-8: Properties and changes of properties of matter Grades K-4: Characteristics and changes in populations Grades 5-8: Populations, resources, and environments Grades K-4: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Grades 5-8: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Grades K-4: Science as a human endeavor Grades 5-8: Science and technology in society Grades K-4: Characteristics of organisms Grades 5-8: Structure and function in living systems Grades K-4: Properties of objects and materials Grades 5-8: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry A SUPPLEMENT TO SUPERSCIENCE SuperScience Teacher s Edition SEPTEMBER 2009 T1

2 PAGE 4 physical science THe case of the foul play ESTIMATED TIME: 40 minutes, plus 24-hour wait time Read a fictional science mystery to learn about how absorbent chemicals can clean air. Then, experiment and use deductive reasoning to solve the mystery. What are some uses for a chemical that can clean foul-smelling scents from the air? (Possible answers: It could be used to freshen areas that develop stinky odors, like closets, garbage cans, and refrigerators.) s Why do you think Mark or Kyle would sabotage his own teammate? (Answers will vary.) What would have been a better way for Mark or Kyle to handle his frustrations with the basketball team? (Answers will vary but could include: Mark and Kyle could have put in extra practice to show Coach Marta that they were working on their game.) Conclusion Baking soda helps regulate ph, the measure of how basic or acidic a substance is. When baking soda comes in contact with an acidic or a basic order, it neutralizes the extreme ph in the air and absorbs the offending scent. This is how baking soda can keep sour (acidic) smells from accumulating in your refrigerator. Since Mark was the one using baking soda for science lab, he s the culprit. RESOURCE Use baking soda s unique chemical properties for these children s crafts activities. PAGE 6 earth Science Path of the jaguar Read how a scientist determined that the most effective way to protect jaguars might not be the most expected. Background Jaguars, tigers, leopards, and lions make up a biological group called Panthera. They re commonly called great cats. Besides their great size, these cats have other differences that set them apart from smaller felines. Only great cats are capable of roaring, and they can purr only while breathing out. Other cats, like house cats, can purr continuously. All great cats are either endangered or threatened. Poaching, habitat loss, and loss of prey are their major threats. How might it be important to understand an endangered animal s biology and behavior before you try to save it? (Answers will vary.) Why does Alan Rabinowitz think protecting jaguar migration paths would be more helpful than simply creating more jaguar sanctuaries? (Answers will vary but should include: Studies of jaguar DNA show the animals must travel long distances to breed and spread their genes. To keep jaguar populations healthy, they need safe routes to travel from habitat to habitat.) RESOURCEs For more about threats to jaguars and conservation efforts, visit this World Conservation Society site. Visit this site for jaguar facts at a glance. POSTAL INFORMATION: SCHOLASTIC SUPERSCIENCE MAGAZINE (ISSN x; in Canada, 2-c no ) is published 8 times during the school year: monthly September, October, January, February, March, April, May, bimonthly November/December by Scholastic Corp., P.O. Box 3710, 2931 East McCarty St., Jefferson City, MO Periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, MO and at additional offices. PUBLISHING INFORMATION: U.S. prices: $6.75 each per year for 10 or more subscriptions to the same address. 1-9 subscriptions, each: $29.95 student, $29.95 Teacher s Edition, per school year. Single copy: $5.50 student, $6.50 teacher. To order SuperScience, call SCHOLASTIC Communications relating to subscriptions should be addressed to SCHOLASTIC SUPERSCIENCE MAGAZINE, P.O. Box 3710, 2931 East McCarty Street, Jefferson City, MO or call toll-free: SCHOLASTIC; or go online to www. scholastic.com/custsupport. Communications relating to editorial matters should be addressed to Elizabeth Carney, SCHOLASTIC SUPERSCIENCE MAGAZINE, 557 Broadway, New York, NY address: superscience@scholastic. com. Canadian address: Scholastic Canada Ltd., 175 Hillmount R, Markham, ON L6C 1Z7. Copyright 2009 by Scholastic Corp. All Rights Reserved. Material in this issue may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or format without special permission from the publisher. To order SuperScience, call SCHOLASTIC PRINTED IN THE U.S. T2 SuperScience Teacher s Edition SEPTEMBER 2009 Pull-out reproducibles

3 GRAPH and map SKILL Name: Date: Wildlife Hot Spots In Path of the Jaguar, pages 6 to 9, you read about a region of the Earth that has unique biodiversity. This means that the region has many plants and animals that can t be found anywhere else. Conservationists call places like these biodiversity hot spots. Use the map and graph below to answer the questions. Source: Conservation international PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT 2009 BY SCHOLASTIC INC. Major Regions Containing Threatened, Unique Species Number of Threatened, Unique Species Tropical Andes 1. Which region has the highest number of threatened, unique plants and animals? Mesoamerica C Madagascar B Tropical Andes D Sundaland 2. True or false: Polynesia/Micronesia and Mesoamerica combined have more threatened wildlife than the Tropical Andes. True False Polynesia/ Micronesia 3. Which biodiversity hot spot is located entirely north of the equator? Sundaland C Madagascar B Tropical Andes D Mesoamerica NORTH AMERICA Mesoamerica Tropical Andes Mesoamerica Madagascar Sundaland Region SOUTH AMERICA EQUATOR EUROPE AFRICA ANTARCTICA ASIA Sundaland Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Polynesia/ Micronesia 4. True or false: The Tropical Andes have more than twice as many threatened and unique wildlife species as Madagascar. True False 5. Which biodiversity hot spot is located southeast of the continent of Africa? Polynesia/Micronesia B Mesoamerica C Tropical Andes D Madagascar Polynesia/ Micronesia AUSTRALIAA SuperScience Teacher s Edition SEPTEMBER 2009 T3

4 GRAPH SKILL Name: Date: Wise About Water In Water Worries, on page 3, you read about the push to calculate water footprints so people and companies can make water-efficient choices. Using the graph below, answer the questions about comparing water footprints. Amount of Water Used for Selected Household Fixtures and Foods Item Eggs (per egg) Salad Cereal with Milk Dish Washing by Hand Apple Bread (two slices) Baked Potato Energy Efficient Dishwasher Shower (per minute) Low-Flow Shower (per minute) Gallons of Water 1. For breakfast, Mike has two eggs and two slices bread. What is the water footprint of Mike s breakfast? 2. Maria takes 10-minute showers. How many gallons of water does she use during a regular shower? 3. Maria s mother installs a low-flow showerhead in the bathroom. Now, how many gallons of water are used during Maria s shower? 4. Jim has a salad and a baked potato for dinner. Then, he washes the dishes by hand. What is Jim s water footprint for this situation? 5. What would Jim s water footprint be if he had the same dinner but washed the dishes with an energy-efficient dishwasher instead? PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT 2009 BY SCHOLASTIC INC. Source: GOOD MAGAZINE T4 SuperScience Teacher s Edition SEPTEMBER 2009

5 Reading Comprehension PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT 2009 BY SCHOLASTIC INC. Name: Date: Fact or Opinion? PAGES 2-3: NEWSBLASTS Directions: Determine whether each of the following statements is a fact or an opinion. 1. Lim Ding Wen knows six programming languages. 2. Lim Ding Wen is going to be a successful computer programmer someday. 3. Octopuses are believed to be intelligent and have good memories. TRUE OR FALSE FIX-IT PAGES 6-9: PATH OF THE JAGUAR Directions: Is each statement below true or false? If a sentence is false, re-write it to make it true. 1. To keep jaguar populations strong and healthy, scientist Alan Rabinowitz wants jaguars to be put on the endangered species list. 2. When scientists found out that there are no subspecies of jaguars, it became clear that jaguars breed throughout their range. 3. Poaching is the biggest threat to jaguars and the reason that jaguars have lost more than half their population in the last 100 years. MATCHINg 1. Fight or flight 2. Amygdala 3. Hormones 4. Prefrontal cortex Be a Quiz Whiz PAGES 12-14: GETTING GOOSEBUMPS Directions: Match the word(s) in the left column with the correct phrase in the right column. a. Chemical messengers that control body functions b. The region of the brain behind the forehead that plays a role in thought, perception, and memory c. Two almond-shape structures in the brain that process emotion d. The body s physical response to a stressful event PULl-OUT REPRODUCIBLE SKILLS SuperScience Teacher s Edition SEPTEMBER 2009 T5

6 READING COMPREHENSION Name: Date: No-Sweat Bubble Test Directions: Read each question below, then use the article Getting Goosebumps (pp ) to determine the best answer. Completely fill in the bubble next to the correct answer. 1. Why is fear one of humans strongest emotions? A There are many scary things. B Identifying things that can hurt us is important for human survival. C Fearful people make friends easily. D It s fun to be scared sometimes. 2. Which part of your brain processes emotions, like fear? A prefrontal cortex B brain stem C amygdala D hormones 3. According to R.L. Stine, what do kids like best about Goosebumps books? A the characters B the drawings on the covers C getting scared while reading them D being able to collect the whole series 4. What part of the brain takes control if a suspected danger turns out to be a false alarm? A amygdala B prefrontal cortex C cerebrum D neurons 5. What is a person with acrophobia afraid of? A spiders B small spaces C heights D needles 6. Which of the following is NOT a symptom of the fight-or-flight response? A rapid breathing B heart pumps more blood C tense muscles D stomach digests more food 7. Which quality would be important for horror book authors? A can write vivid descriptions B can sense what other people would consider frightening C enjoys thinking about scary things D all of the above PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT 2009 BY SCHOLASTIC INC. T6 SuperScience Teacher s Edition SEPTEMBER 2009

7 PAGE 11 careers PAGE 12 life Science disease epidemiologist Read how a scientist tracks the spread of diseases. Background Not all epidemiologists study infectious disease. Some study lifestyle factors, such as eating fatty foods or smoking, that can affect health or cause an illness. Some epidemiologists specialize in a certain area of interest, such as cancer or heart disease. Dr. Howell specializes in diseases that are passed from mammals to humans. Just as humans have genes that give us different eye or hair color, each flu virus has its own genes that make it unique. The swine flu virus has genetic material from pigs, birds, and humans. What kind of health problem do you think is the most preventable with the right knowledge and precautions? (Answers will vary but could include: Complications from smoking or using drugs, health problems from poor eating habitats.) s What do you think James Howell meant when he said, By explaining the facts of a disease, we help prevent people from panicking...? (Answers will vary. ) How can members of the news media fuel panic over epidemics? How could the media help prevent panic and cover the news responsibly? (Answers will vary. ) RESOURCEs Check out this Web site to learn more about what an epidemiologist does. Invisible Enemies: Stories of Infectious Disease, by Jeanette Farrell (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005), takes a look at seven infectious disease. It tells the story of their causes and how breakthroughs in their treatment came about. Getting goosebumps Learn how the brain processes fear and why some people enjoy a good scare, while other prefer safer entertainment. Background Scientists say that once you learn to be afraid of something, the memory is always in your brain. To overcome something you dread, your brain has to form new memories to override the old ones. Why are some people naturally more fearful than others? Scientists aren t actually sure. One idea is that more fearful individuals have a weaker connection between the two brain areas that control fear. Another possibility is that fearful people have a unique DNA structure that makes their brains learn fear more easily. Is there anything that used to scare you but doesn t anymore? If so, how did you stop being afraid of that thing or situation? (Answers will vary.) R.L. Stine has said that kids enjoy safe scares and like to know there will be a happy ending. Why do you think this is so? Do you think Stine s books would be as popular if they ended tragically? (Answers will vary. ) RESOURCEs Visit this link for more on R.L. Stine and the entire Goosebumps series. The California Science Center offers this online exhibit on fear and the brain. SuperScience Teacher s Edition SEPTEMBER 2009 T7