January 2002     Vol.3 Issue 1

All Lesson Plans

Sports

Suggested lesson plan for "Ball kids
are treated special at basketball games"

Readability: Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Ali Anderson, Wiley and Keegan O"Neill, Missouri Valley Conference, Oakville Middle School, Blades Elementary School, Waterloo, Ill., Southwest Missouri State, Springfield, Mo., Savvis Center
Other words: tournament, refreshments, furious, mascots, referee

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the names and words from the possible hard words list. Provide help where needed. Since it is a relatively easy article, have the young reader read the article aloud. Indicate questions will be raised afterward.

DURING READING: Provide words when need to keep reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Ask questions such as the following in order to check understanding and stimulate discussion.

1. What are the duties of a ball kid?
2. What kind of perks do they get for doing their job?
3. What kind of danger is involved in the job?
4. Do you think you would like to be a ball kid? Why or why not?

Profile

Suggested lesson plan for "Brothers
earn top conservation youth award"

Readability: Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Josh and Jacob Weller, Missouri Conservation Frontiers program, Conservationist, Rockwoods Reservation, Gambril Gardens retirement home, Wildwood
Other words: achievement, demonstrations, predators, quail, salamanders, tadpoles, habitat

BEFORE READING: There are thirteen items on the list of possible hard words. Have the young reader read all of them, with you providing any help that might be needed. If fewer than three items call for help, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six items require help, have the child read the article aloud to you. In seven or more cause a problem, you offer to read the article aloud. Also note that questions are to be discussed after the reading.

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

AFTER READING: Use questions such as these to promote discussion.

1. What is the purpose of the Missouri Conservation Frontiers program?
2. How many years had the two boys been in the program before earning the highest achievement award?
3. What sorts of things did the boys do to win their awards?
4. Do you think the Frontiers program is worthwhile? Why or why not?

Writing

Suggested lesson plan for "Local authors
give St. Louis kids writing tips"

Readability: Above sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Fred and Patricia McKissack, Kiersten Peltier, Louisiana, Amina Larara, Ramadan, Muslim, Tanecia Woods, Brittany Woods Middle School, Jackson Park Elementary School, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Kirkwood
Other words: video-conference,celebrated, rhyme, character, plantation

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the names and words from the list. Offer help where needed. Then ask him or her to read the article aloud to you, indicating you will help with any troublesome words. Indicate that questions will be asked after the reading.

DURING READING: Supply any words need to keep the oral reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as these to check comprehension and stimulate discussion.

1. What did the McKissacks ask the kids to do at the first video-conference?
2. What did the McKissacks use their book, "Christmas at the Big House, Christmas at the Quarters," to illustrate to the young writers?
3. What was the story of how "hush puppies" got their name?
4. What seems to be the most important thing about writing a book?
5. Have you tried to write poetry or a book-length story? How do you feel about writing?

Books

This month's book reviews

Is Harry Potter mania the same
thing as wizard mania?

When this reviewer ran across a kids' book in the bookstore called "So You Want to be a Wizard," it was compelling to compare and contrast it with the Harry Potter books. This was especially true since the author Diane Duane had published her book in 1983, several years before J. K. Rowling came along with hers. Suspiciously, the Duane book had been repackaged as a paperback and was on the bookshelves as a 1991 publication. Who had influenced whom?

Duane goes to much greater lengths to try to explain the magic of wizards in modern "scientific" terms than does Rowling. The heroine (Nita) and her partner (Kit) in Duane's book are innocent participants in a massive struggle between good and evil that is much more pervasive then the match between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter plots may move slowly in their action, but Duane's plots move even more slowly. The details and the pseudoscientific explanations become almost burdensome, unlike the color and humor in the background details provided in the Potter books.

To appreciate "So You Want to be a Wizard" calls for a better and more focused reader than one needs to be to enjoy "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." For the reader who really likes Duane's treatment of kid wizardry, there are five books in the series.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

A kids' biography of a sports celebrity
that is worthwhile reading

Kobe Bryant, after the 2000 Laker's championship game, is well known to all basketball fans. Matt Christopher's biography of Kobe brings in a lot of background information that most fans would be unaware of. For example, Kobe spent much of his childhood in Europe, as his former NBA player father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, played for an Italian team and was a big star in European basketball. In Europe, Kobe didn't get much of a chance to see NBA games, since they were not broadcast over there. Yet, his hero was Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The biography explains very well how Kobe developed as a player and chose to enter the NBA draft right out of high school, rather than go to college. The pros and cons of making such a decision are discussed in considerable depth. For any boy or girl interested in the game of basketball, "On the Court with Kobe Bryant" is a book not to miss.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

A book to help kids understand
real world "magic"

"Harry Houdini, Master Magician" by Dana Meachen Rau is a new entry in a paperback series called "Book Report Biographies", published by Franklin Watts, a division of Grolier Publishing, Inc. It's a story of a poor immigrant boy who, because of a tremendous drive to be successful, became a world famous magician of the late 19th and early 20th century. Although he achieved international celebrity status, he remained devoted to his mother, his wife, and his family members.

Houdini was not only an escape artist and illusionist, but he also wrote extensively about the history and the performance of magic, authoring books and founding his own magazine for magicians. He even learned to fly a plane to make that part of his image. Late in his career, he produced silent movies. He believed in constantly improving his skills to be the best in his profession.

The popularity of the Harry Potter books about magicians or wizards will likely motivate many kids to want to read about the "real" world of magic. This biography makes it clear that the magic acts we see performed require great skill but, nevertheless, are simply entertaining illusions.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

A good book for helping kids understand what the Civil War was like in Missouri

Jennifer Johnson Garrity, the author of "The Bushwacker" wrote the book while living in Germany with her family. An American citizen, Garrity has lived in Germany for thirteen years and became interested in the Civil War in Missouri while researching her grandmother's background. It is her first book but it is well written and the details of mid Missouri farm life in the 1860's show the extensiveness of her research. Even though it is a paperback, the layout and illustrations make this a book that kids may want to keep in their personal library.

Garrity does a good job of developing how deep the emotions ran on both sides as Missouri remained torn apart by the war. The kids who read this may very well want to visit Wilson's Creek battlefield at Springfield and Fort Davidson at Ironton, as well as other Missouri sites, that will help bring the Civil War alive for them as it took place in their home state of Missouri. Another bonus is that it is a book that many adults would find interesting reading as they read and share it with their middle school age children.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

News

Suggested lesson plan for "Steger kids sell Chinese calligraphy to aid Belize girl"

Readability: About sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Steger School, China, Belize, Webster Groves, Kenisha Whyte, SSM Cardinal Glennon Hospital, Dennis Tullman, Anthony Thompson, Christopher Goers, Madeline Harding, Australia, Hanna Pey, Eiffel Tower, Rachel Holden, Kalynn Kochin, Tsoo! Tsoo!
Other words: calligraphy, plight, demonstration

BEFORE READING: There are nineteen items in the possible hard words list. Have the young reader read the list while you help out with any words or names if help is needed. If three or fewer require help for pronunciation, suggest that he or she read the article silently. If four to six words are problems, ask the child to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more are troublesome, you volunteer to read the article aloud. In all instances, note that questions will be asked afterward.

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

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

1. Why were the sixth graders selling their calligraphy?
2. Why were the kids doing calligraphy in the first place?
3. Do you believe Christopher's story about the white spot behind a tiger's ear? If not, why?
4. Have you ever tried to use calligraphy? Do you think it would be fun to do? Why or why not?

Entertainment

Suggested lesson plan for "St. Cecilia
kids write, score and record music

Readability; Sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: St. Cecilia, Hispanic, Los Pasadas, Carmen Alfonso, Madeline Alfonso, Jim Ford, Katy Harr, Casey and Kevin Cavanaugh, Armando Leos, Allison Crudden
Other words: liturgical dance, traditional, curriculum, multiplication tables, accompaniment, emphasis, guitar, percussion

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read all the terms from the list. Help out where needed. If there are problems with no more than three words, have the child read the article silently. If four to six are missed, suggest the child read the article aloud. If seven or more missed, you volunteer to read the article aloud. Note that questions will be raised afterward in all instances.

DURING READING: For the child reading silently, offer to help with any terms if asked. For the child reading aloud, supply any words needed to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud, model smooth, fluent oral reading.

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

1. What is so unusual about the St. Cecilia School's music program?
2. Why is Spanish featured along with English songs?
3. Who seemed to bring about the special emphasis or music at St. Cecilia's and why did he think it was important?
4. What's hard about writing the words for a song after the music is written?
5. Would you like your school to have a similar music program? Why or why not?

Outdoors

Readability: About sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, World Bird Sanctuary, Liz Lyons, Lewis and Clark Expedition, House Springs Lions Club, Riverview
Other words: annual, informational, consultant, re-enactors, eagle talons, limestone formations, binoculars, peregrine falcon, satellite

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read all the names and words from the list. Provide help where needed. If three or fewer cause a problem, have the child read the article silently. If four to six cause problems, have the child read the article aloud. If seven or more are problems, you offer to read the article aloud. Indicate questions will be raised afterward.

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

AFTER READING: You can use questions such as these to stimulate discussion and/or check understanding.

1. What kinds of help are provided to keep you warm and help you view the birds on Eagle Days?
2. Who gets an advance look at the eagles before Eagle Days begins officially?
3. What kinds of activities go on in addition to just watching the eagles?
4. Have you been to see the eagles? Would you like to go see them? Why or why not?