January 2004     Vol.5 Issue 1

All Lesson Plans

Lewis & Clark

Suggested lesson plan for "Big family-friendly
Lewis and Clark exhibit to open"

Possible hard words: Proper names: National Bicentennial Exhibit, Philadelphia, Denver, Portland, Smithsonian Institution, Tim Grove, Hidatsa, Shoshone, Sacagawea, Bellefontaine Cemetery
Other words: encountered, grouse, coyote, antelope, interactive, negotiator, territorial, virtual

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help where needed and keep track of the number calling for that help. If no more than three items require help, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six terms are missed, ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more call for help, you offer to read the article aloud to the child. In all three instances, indicate 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 child reading aloud, supply any words fairly quickly that cause hesitation or difficulty in order to keep the reading reasonably fluent. If you read the article aloud, model smooth, fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check comprehension and promote a discussion of the article.

1. What are some of the theme areas of the Lewis and Clark exhibit?
2. Describe the interactive exhibit that tests your negotiating skills.
3. Which of the explorers lived to be quite old and is buried in a St. Louis cemetery?
4. Of all the parts of the exhibit, which one holds the most interest for you? Why?

Science

Suggested lesson plan for "Claymont
team wins robot league meet"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Claymont Elementary School, Lego, Victoria and Katherine Kaiser, Grant McConnell, J. D. Hankammer, Brad Baber, Haleigh Smith, Madison Bechmann, Scott Tucci, Sara Krachmalnick, Kyle Bailey, Jordan Smith, Monsanto., Mary Buck
Other words: computerized, previous, helicopter, catapult, windshield wiper, accomplishments, upgrade

BEFORE READING: To get some feel for how difficult the young reader might find the article, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed but keep track of the number of items requiring your assistance. If no more than three words require your help, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six words require help, ask the child to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more terms call for assistance, you volunteer to read the article aloud to the child. Remind the reader 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 child reading aloud, provide troublesome words rather quickly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read the article aloud, model smooth, fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check comprehension and stimulate a discussion of the article.

1. What component tends to make Legos "high tech"?
2. What advantage did some of the competing teams have over the Claymont team in the Lego contest?
3. Where did some of the mentoring or technical help come from for the Claymont team?
4. How did the kids augment the Lego kit given to them by the Lego Company for the competition?

Movies

Suggested lesson plan for "From
Normandy beaches to documentary film"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Alex Townsend, International Film Festival, France, Nazi, Battle of the Bulge, Paul Golden, Everett Schutheis, Lee Berkel, Phillip McKnight, Paul Rogers, Roy Creek, Los Angeles, Tuskegee Airmen, Lambert International Airport, Missourians, Clayton High School
Other words: version, documentary, intense, indescribable, bunkers, shrapnel, compiled, encouragement

BEFORE READING: To get some feel for how easy or difficult this article is likely to be for a young reader, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. You provide help as needed and keep count of the items that require your assistance. If no more than three call for help, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six items call for help, ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more items require help, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out that questions will be asked after reading and that the article will be discussed.

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

AFTER READING: Use question such as the following to check comprehension and stimulate a discussion of the article.

1. What were the two major sections of Alex Townsend's war documentary film?
2. How did Alex secure the names of veterans to interview for his film?
3. What were the three increasingly improved versions of his filming efforts?
4. What additional projects are Alex considering?
5. Do you have any interest in film preparation? Why or why not?

Books

This month's book reviews

A mystery story with a focus on friendship and acceptance

Eleven-year-old Ben is the narrator in "Dangling." He, of course, is left dangling when his best friend, Ring, appears to have drowned in the river while on a family picnic. Ben had been considered seriously introverted before Ring and his weird behavior had come along and brought Ben out of his shell. It is only when the mystery behind Ring's disappearance is resolved that both Ben and the reader find out that Ring's life had been one of "dangling" also.

As a foster child, Ring had been handed from family to family without any real home. His current foster parents had been in the lengthy process of trying to adopt Ring and provide him with a real home. However, in crossing state lines in pursuit of employment and taking Ring with them, they were in violation of his home state's child welfare laws. Ring's staged drowning and disappearance was a ploy on his part to keep his potential adoptive parents out of trouble with the law. But the real heart of the story is concerned with the unique friendship that had grown up between Ben and Ring. Its reinstatement makes for a genuine happy ending.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

An orphaned young girl struggles to adapt to
living with a harsh and judgmental aunt

Jessie Hass, author of "Unbroken," admits to finding her inspiration for the novel from an autobiographical account of a young woman of the 1880's published by the University of Massachusetts Press in 1995. The novel's title, "Unbroken," on the face of it, refers to the young Morgan colt that the orphaned girl inherited and needs to train to provide her with the means to continue her schooling. Less obviously, of course, it also refers to the young heroine's efforts to remain "unbroken" as she endeavors to make her way in a seemingly hostile environment.

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

A good story for kids built around
their fascination with spiders

Ralph Fletcher, the author of "Spider Boy," begins every chapter in the book with giving facts, some of them rarely known, about spiders. But actually, the spider theme is just to entice young readers to read about such things as adjusting to new surroundings, boy-girl friendship, and dealing with bullies. The boy-girl relationship is complicated even further by presenting a Caucasian boy and an African-American girl as the pair. Are they just friends or are they boyfriend and girlfriend? Or does it really make any difference?

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

A story combining horror, magic, space
and time travel, and humor all in one

Bruce Coville is a popular kids' author. He likes to put his characters in improbable situations with monsters, werewolves, ghosts, etc. Often, in his books his heroes tend to exhibit cool humor and the plots reach for shock value. "The Monsters of Morley Manor" could be viewed as a parody of the various genres of writings that it incorporates. Coville's success underscores that there are a lot of kid readers that like his style of writing. So for a young reader that appreciates tongue-in-cheek humor and exaggerated plot situations, "The Monsters of Morley Manor" would provide fun reading. What can be wrong with a book where the kids "stay cool," "do the right thing," and end up "saving the Earth?"

• Buy this book from Amazon.com

Music

Suggested lesson plan for
"Lots of music, lots of instruments"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Amy Rosenthal, Kenneth R. Mares Scholarship, Webster University Community Music School, Sarite Brown, Suzuki, Susan McDonald, Sandra Geary, John Burroughs, Aspen, Colorado, Accolay, Bach, Debussy, Deuxieme Arabesque, Chopin, Nocturne in C-sharp Minor, St. John's Mercy Medical Center
Other words: piano, flute, viola, cello, spokesperson, duet, recital, orchestra, complicated, associated, ensembles, quartets, extra-curricular, radiologist

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the lengthy list of possible hard words. You provide help with the names and words as needed and keep track of how many call for assistance. If no more than five call for help, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If six to eight require help, ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you. If nine or more items cause difficulty, you offer to read the article aloud to the young reader. In all three instances, point out that questions will be raised after reading and the article will be discussed.

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

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

1. What were Amy's first two instruments and how young was she when she started with each of them?
2. What comes along with winning the Kenneth R. Mares Scholarship?
3. Why does Amy get more nervous at recitals than she did at an earlier time?
4. What other kinds of activities is Amy involved in other than music?
5. Do you think it is a good idea for Amy to have career plans other than as a musician? Why?

Lifestyle

Suggested lesson plan for "Kids
expand their understanding of art"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Jeffrey McGhee, Terrance Joyner, Jamia Union, Keeven Elementary School, Raven Beverly, Marshall Faulk, Heidi Lung
Other words: expand, decorative, portrayed, landscape, portrait, rigid, flimsy, incorporate, architect

BEFORE READING: Consider using this article as just an oral reading activity. To help the young reader with any possible unfamiliar words and acquaint him or her with the topic, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed. Then ask him or her to read the article aloud.and be prepared to discuss it afterward.

DURING READING: Provide any words that seem to stymie the reader rather quickly in order to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Use question such as the following to check comprehension and promote a discussion of the article.

1. Besides looking at art, what were some of the other things the kids did at the Art Museum?
2. How does Asian art and American art compare?
3. Do you think an architect needs to know about art? Why or why not?
4. Would you like to participate in a program at the art museum? Why or why not?

Sports

Suggested lesson plan for
"Basketball success with new, old blood"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Chris Rosehill, John 'Simon, Terrell Collins, Byron Ferrer, Nepal, John Brandenburg, Jason Smith, Wesley Kemp, Chris Sloan, Billikens
Other words: recruits, atmosphere, academic, integrated, immediate, previous

BEFORE READING: Consider using this article as an oral reading exercise. Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words in order to prepare for reading the article. You help out with names and words where needed. After that, ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you and be ready to discuss it afterward.

DURING READING: Supply any words that cause the reader to pause in order to keep the reading as fluent as possible.

AFTER READING: Use questions to check comprehension and stimulate a discussion of the article. Examples follow.

1. What seems to be the reason for the Gateway Basketball Club's six straight years of national tournament play?
2. How does Byron Ferrer describe the "chemistry" on the team?
3. What is the coach looking for beyond just basketball talent?
4. How many colleges scholarships have Gateway players earned since 1999? Why do you think Gateway players have a special advantage for winning college scholarships?

Profile

Suggested lesson plan for "Lots
of changes in Illinois Achiever's life"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Lydia Bishop, Fairview Heights, Ill., Belleville East High School, Pontiac Junior High, Methodist, Nebraska, Mississippi, West Virginia, Montana, Michigan, Pastor Shane Bishop
Other words: dedication, designation, prosecuting, attorney, appreciate

BEFORE READING: Consider making this just an oral reading activity. To acquaint the young reader with the vocabulary in the article, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Help with any names or words causing difficulty. Then ask him or her to read the article aloud and note that questions will be raised about the article afterward.

DURING READING: If the young reader shows signs of trouble with any word, you supply the word fairly quickly in order to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check comprehension and promote a discussion of the article.

1. What change in career choice did Lydia make between middle school and high school?
2. What numbers played a difference in Lydia's perceptions of the difference between her middle school and high school?
3. What volunteer work caused her to change her career plans?
4. How did her swimming accident and injury change her view of life?