Dear Family, This year, your child will use Scope, a magazine published by Scholastic and created to help middle school students become strong, joyful readers. Scope features nonfiction, fiction, dramas, debates, infographics, poetry, and grammar. The magazine will come to the classroom eight times per year.

In class, students will use Scope to build reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills. You can play an important role in enriching your son’s or daughter’s learning at home. Here are a few ideas: 1. Look through the online magazine together. Ask: Which articles did you read at school? Which one did you find most interesting? Why? 2. Read an article together, and have your child choose one new word from it. He or she can then explain the word’s meaning to the family. Have a competition to see who can use it the most in conversation! 3. Read the debate article together. Ask: Which side do you agree with? Why? 4. Watch a video together.

At Scope Online, you can find videos that go with the articles. Watch one with your child and talk about what you find interesting. With each issue, you will get specific ideas for what you can do at home. But the most important thing is to simply enjoy spending time with your son or daughter while exploring the magazine.

Even though your middle school student might be asserting more independence than in the past, reading together remains a wonderful activity to share. If English is not your first language, talk about the articles in the language you’re most comfortable with.