August 2002     Vol.3 Issue 8

All Lesson Plans

Entertainment

Suggested lesson plan for "Kid's
skateboard park design gets BIGGER"

Readability: Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Nick Stevens, Maryland Heights, Holman Middle School, Creve Coeur Park, California, France, Spain, Ranken-Jordan Rehabilitation Center, Chris Ludwig, Debbie Green, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater2, PlayStation2, Mary Vaughn, Tom Clancy
Other words: facility, competitions, pyramid, obstacles, presentation, destined, espionage, trophy

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of names and words. Offer help as needed. If no more than three items call for help, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six items cause a problem, suggest that the young reader read the article aloud. If seven or more cause problems, you offer to read the article aloud. Explain that questions will be raised afterward.

DURING READING: For the silent reader, offer to help out with any words if asked for help. For the one reading aloud, supply troublesome words fairly quickly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud, model expressive and fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Questions such as the following can be used to promote discussion.

1. Why was Nick Steven's original plan made even bigger?
2. Why didn't the rest of his class go along with Nick's planned project?
3. What did one company do to insure that Nick's plan for a skateboard park would be carried out?
4. What did Nick say he was more interested in than being a designer?

News

Suggested lesson plan for "Special kids
focus for new Hazelwood Mall"

Readability: About sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Kirby Middle School, Public Broadcasting System, Sesame Street, Barney and Friends, Ernie the Muppet, Barney the Dinosaur, David D'Onofrio, Binnie and Smith's Crayola Works, Ron Semaio, Larry Costello, T. R. Carr
Other words: emphasis, collaboration, restaurant, kiosks, incredible

BEFORE READING: Ask the young reader to read the possible hard words list from above. Help out with any words that cause a problem. Then suggest that the young reader read the article aloud and be ready to discuss it afterward.

DURING READING: Help out with words as needed to keep the reading as fluent as possible.

AFTER READING: Use questions to check understanding and to stimulate discussion. Some examples follow.

1. What was unusual about the way this new mall was planned in the first place?
2. Why would families stay three or four times as long in a mall like this one as they would in a regular mall?
3. Why is the Hazelwood mayor excited about the new mall?
4. From what you have read, what do you think you would like best in the mall? Why?

Books

This month's book reviews

A book by an author who knows kids
and tells a good story with a message to it

Andrew Clements, author of "The Janitor's Son," writes about middle grade kids like he can see inside their heads. His first two books, "Frindle" and "The Landry News" have been popular with kids and praised by reviewers. In his third book, Clements tells the story of a young boy who is made to feel ashamed of his father's work and embarrassed by being in the same school building where his dad is the janitor. The boy acts out by committing an act of vandalism on a school desk. As a consequence of being caught and punished, he finds out that his dad in reality is a war hero who has deliberately chosen the kind of work he does and uses the opportunities it offers to help out other people.

There are a number of messages in the book for a young reader. One is don't be quick to rush to judgement. Another is to not give in to peer pressure from those who are governed by prejudices. What makes Clements a great children's writer, though, is that he gets his messages across while telling an interesting and totally believable story.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

A horror novel for kids who like
really gory movies and books

Obviously, not everybody had the same tastes in reading. Stephen King's novels and movies wouldn't be such blockbuster sellers unless there were lots of adults who liked to read bloody and gory books and see the movies based on their plots. Some kids go through a phase where they like to gross out each other by talking about kids' versions of such movies and books. It doesn't necessarily mean that they will go through life wanting only to read about and view blood and gore.

Paul Zindel writes horror stories for kids. "Rats" is one of his more recent publications in that genre. There is an attempt at social value and justification in the paperback. A kid heroine is involved in saving her neighborhood and, perhaps, the country. Clearly, there is an environmental message in the story. But a reader has to wade through some really graphic blood and guts scenes in order pick up any such message or messages. This book is one for select audiences - readers who enjoy being "grossed out" by what they read. Caution - this one is not a bedtime story.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

For the young reader who is into helping endangered species, especially dolphins

A twelve-year-old gets to go on the adventure of a lifetime with her marine biologist parents. The family is embarking on a funded research project to study dolphin behavior. It just happens that the captain of their sailing vessel is newly divorced and at the last minute is forced to take his daughter with him on the voyage. The captain's daughter, because of her resentfulness and mean behavior, is a source of dissonance on the otherwise blissful voyage. The heroine has to win over her unhappy shipmate and turn her into a dolphin admirer. Of course, at the same time, the normal trials of a sea voyage on a relatively small sailing vessel also have to be dealt with.

"Dolphin Diaries" presents a good mixture of adventure, respect for nature's creatures, and a treatment of interpersonal human relations with which a young reader can identify. The publishers report a fourth grade reading level for this paperback. The interest level ought to range well beyond that age range.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

A famous horror story retold
as a "Cracked Classic"

The paperback "Trapped in Transylvania," a book in the "Cracked Classic" series, purports to tell the Brom Stoker story of "Dracula." The author, Tony Abbott, apparently feels there is some merit in retelling the stories of some old novels through the eyes of a couple of today's sixth graders. Since the retelling is farcical and filled with sixth grade humor, he might be on to something. If his purpose is to introduce certain classics early before most kids are likely to read the originals and, thereby, promote the reading of the books later by the kids, the strategy seems to be a legitimate one.

If you have seen old moves like "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein," you have a fair idea of the nature of this book.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

Sports

Suggested lesson plan for "Road to national track meets started early for two"

Readability: Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Kyra Sullivan, Tylor Brock, University City, O'Fallon, Knoxville, Columbia, Lauren Fisher, Whitney Thomas, Melissa Ennis, Royal Knight, Omaha, McCluer, Fort Zumwalt High School, "Fosbury Flop", Vincent Bingham
Other words: pentathlon, preliminaries, classification, endurance, scholarships

BEFORE READING: To get an indication of how difficult the reading might be for the young reader, have him or her read the list of names and terms. Provide help as needed with the list. If no more than three terms seem to cause difficulty, have the young reader read the article silently. If four to six terms are missed, suggest that the child read the article aloud. If seven or more are missed, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three cases, inform the child that questions will be raised after the reading.

DURING READING: For the one reading silently, offer up front to help with words if asked for help. For the one reading aloud, supply words as needed to keep the reading fluent. If you are reading aloud, model expressive and fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Check for understanding and stimulate some discussion by using questions similar to the following:

1. What is included in the pentathlon?
2. Why won't Tylor compete in one of the national events?
3. Describe the kinds of training activities the two athletes go through.
4. What do the kids hope to earn through their athletic skills when they finish high school?

Music

Suggested lesson plan for "Normandy Kids
get extra lesson at music camp"

Readability: Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Normandy, Jackie Parks, McKinley Elementary School, Southeast Missouri State University, Thomas Greene, Gary Walker, Adam Wells, Jeremy Harris, Kelly Knox, Andrea Black, Tamisha Grant, Eric Robinson, Eric Humphreys, Cape Girardeau
Other words: predominately, instrumental, concentrated, trombone, dormitories, mingling, situation

BEFORE READING: There are twenty items on the possible hard words list. Ask the young reader to read the list and you offer help where needed. If no more than three items cause difficulty, ask the child to read the article silently. If four to six items are missed, ask the child to read the article aloud. If seven or more words are missed, you offer to read the article aloud. Make known that questions will be asked in all three cases after the reading.

DURING READING: For the silent reader, offer help with words only if asked. For the one reading aloud, offer help where needed to keep the reading fluent. Where you read aloud, model fluent and expressive oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as those that follow to check comprehension and promote discussion.

1. What did the music teacher want for the kids he sent to music summer camp?
2. How much practice did the kids get at the music camp?
3. Where did the kids sleep when at the summer music camp?
4. How could attendance at camp possibly save the kids' parents money later on if the kids wanted to go to college?

History

Suggested lesson plan for "St. Louis
first came under U.S. control in 1803"

Readability: Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Louisiana Purchase, France, Spain, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Jacqueline Chambers, Bicentennial Committee, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Boneparte, New Orleans
Other words: international, transaction, significant, negotiating, watershed, authorized, flourishing

BEFORE READING: Ask the young reader to read the list of names and words from the list above. Help out with any troublesome words. If no more than four cause a problem, ask the reader to read the article silently. If five to seven cause a problem, ask the child to read the article aloud. If eight or more are problems, you volunteer to read the article aloud. In all instances, indicate that questions will be raised afterward.

DURING READING: For the silent reader, offer to help with any words if asked. For the child reading aloud, supply words as needed to keep the reading fairly fluent. If you read aloud, model smooth and expressive oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check for understanding and/or stimulate discussion.

1. Why is the Louisiana Purchase considered a significant event is U.S. history?
2. What was the U.S. trying to buy in the first place?
3. Why is the purchase considered to be "quite a bargain"?
4. What was St. Louis like at the time of the purchase in 1804?
5. Would you like to have the traveling exhibit come to your school? Why or why not?

Health

Suggested lesson plan for "Cool Valley
kids get health lessons early"

Readability: Fifth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Sneakers, BJC Health Systems, Chereice White, Leroy Lee, Samone Harris, Darrius Lardge, Haylee Ross, Berkeley Falcons
Other words: dietician, oxygen, hydrogen dioxide, respiratory, skeletal, circulation, extra-curricular, aerobic, anaerobic, broccoli

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read all the items from the list of possible hard words. Provide help where needed. Afterward, ask the child to read the article aloud and be ready to discuss it after the reading.

DURING READING: Supply words fairly quickly if needed to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Check comprehension and promote discussion of the article by using questions similar to the following.

1. List some of the things that kids were supposed to learn from the Sneakers after-school class.
2. What is the respiratory system?
3. Can you tell the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercises?
4. What was Leroy Lee's attitude toward eating vegetables?
5. Do you think you could profit from the Sneaker's program at your school

Profile

Suggested lesson plan for "Highland, Ill.
kid's response to Sept. 11 tragedy"

Readability: Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Miles Toenyes, Edwardsville, Breeze, Yorkshire, Madison, Clinton, Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Marshall Faulk
Other words: residential, identification, purebred, memorabilia, competitive, allegiance

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Offer help with any that cause a problem. Suggest to the reader that he or she read the article aloud to you and be prepared to discuss it afterward.

DURING READING: Supply any words fairly rapidly if needed to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Raise questions such as the following to stimulate discussion.

1. What was the key business decision that Miles made that resulted in more money being raised for the Red Cross?
2. What two additional things lead the lemonade stand to be so successful the first day?
3. Can you tell two other "good deeds" that Miles did to gain attention as a "young achiever"?
4. What are some other things that Miles does that show that he is really a busy kid?