May 2004     Vol.5 Issue 5

All Lesson Plans

Broadway Diary

Suggested lesson plan for "Neil
Shastri makes Broadway debut"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Neil Shastri, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Munna, Bombay Dreams, Bollywood, Broadway Theater, Sappington Elementary School, Muriel Kester, Tanvir Gopal, Chinatown, Statue of Liberty, David Letterman
Other words: accomplished, betray, hectic, matinee, awesome, dinosaur, rehearsals, realistic

BEFORE READING: There are twenty items in the list of possible hard words. Have the young reader read the list. Provide assistance if needed, but keep track of the number of items calling for help. If no more than three items need assistance, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six items are problems, ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more items cause problems, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out 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 troublesome words fairly quickly in order to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud, model fluent, expressive oral reading.

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

1. Why has Neil not seen the Statue of Liberty yet, even though he's been in New York for over two months?
2. Why do two boys share the role of 'Munna?"
3. Why does Neil mention David Letterman in his interview?
4. Would you like the chance to play in a Broadway show? Why or why not?

Lewis & Clark

Suggested lesson plan for "A rush to graduate
so kid can take two-year tour"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Belleville, Ill., Josh Loftis, George S. Anderson, George Shannon, Camp Dubois, Roxanna, Justin Karpan, Jane Pratt, Pierre Marquette State Park, Nate Voss
Other words: reenactment, replica, previous, primitive, technology, proceeded

BEFORE READING: To determine how easy or difficult the young reader will find the article, have him or her read the list of names and words. Provide help as needed but keep track of the number of items that require help. If no more than three items require assistance, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six items require assistance, ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more items need help, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out that questions will be raised afterward.

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

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

1. How long will the reenactment journey take and what route will it follow?
2. What does it mean to say the reenacters will be "roughing it" on the journey?
3. Why was it "pretty cool" that a musket could be fired three times in a single minute?
4. How would you feel about going on the two year journey?

Books

This month's book reviews

A boy and his dog book that starts out
with the boy being dog phobic

"A Dog Called Kitty" by Bill Wallace has won children's book awards in Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. First published in 1980, it has been republished as an Aladdin Paperback in 1992. In the story, a little dog, named "Kitty," helps a young Oklahoma farm boy overcome his fear of dogs. Later, the boy bravely saves his pet from a pack of vicious big dogs as the little pet tries to defend his young master. Not only a good dog story, the paperback describes family values of the early twentieth century.

A story of beautiful Mackinaw Island
and its place in the War of 1812

Gloria Whelan's "Once on this Island" is a historical novel that brings to life the events that surrounded the British invasion of the upper Midwestern part of the U. S. in 1812-1814. The setting is well-described, the events are historically accurate, and today's young readers will find it easy to identify with the young characters in the book. There is just enough treatment of boy-girl romance to appeal to pre-teens and early-teenagers.

Two boys of middle school age
confront racial issues that divide them

Andrew Clements, a best-selling author of children's books, examines covert racial prejudice in a new paperback titled, "The Jacket." The plot turns on a false accusation leveled by a white boy against a younger black boy. Was the accusation really justified? Or did it stem from an underlying, if unacknowledged, racial bias on the part of the white accuser? The situation is one most middle school kids could identify with. One published review cited on the book's cover calls it "an excellent story to open honest group discussion."

A detailed and realistic portrayal of
the life of young Buffalo Bill Cody

Author, E. Cody Kimmel, imagines that somehow her family was related to the great western hero, Buffalo Bill Cody. She has turned her life-long interest in the famous frontiersman into the writing of a series of children's books that detail his life. Based on this the first book in the series, subtitled "To the Frontier," Kimmel's writing is as factual as any writing about a legend can be. Her graphic descriptions of the times and the frontier settings would seem to make the little books excellent background reading for children.

Not only does Kimmel move away from the many overly-fictionalized accounts of Bill Cody's life, but she does a good job for helping kids understand the Missouri Compromise and the friction between the Jayhawkers and the Bushwhackers in pre-Civil War Kansas. Such background is essential for young students trying to understand the history of their home state of Missouri.

Sports

Suggested lesson plan for "Basketball
success for Comet Girls"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Katie Dierdorf, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sarah Sullivan, Duschesne High School, Kayla and Alyse Gordon, Courtney Champagne, Mehlville High School, University of Connecticut
Other words: contributions, invitational, bracket, penetrate

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed. Since the article is fairly easy, just ask the young reader to read it aloud to you and be ready to discuss it afterward.

DURING READING: If any of the names or words seem to stump the young reader, supply them fairly quickly in order to keep the oral reading reasonably fluent.

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

1. Why will Sarah Sullivan find it hard to match her first two years in playing high school basketball?
2. How is it that girls from different high school teams can play for the Comets?
3. How do we know that not all good girl basketball players have to be exceptionally tall?
4. What do the girls do to make themselves stronger as players?

Bike Riding

Suggested lesson plan for "Two kids
start family bike ride season"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Amanda and Alex Vonderheyden, St; Libory, Ill., Edwardsville, Georgena Terry, Lance Armstrong, Duluth, Minn., Lake Superior, Carlinville, Wildwood Middle School, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, P-T Cruiser, Daimler-Chrysler, Les Wolk, Mercedes
Other words: atmosphere, tandem, overcast, cylinders

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed but keep track of the number of items requiring help. If no more than three items cause problems, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six items seem to be problems, ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more items cause trouble, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, note that questions will be raised after the reading.

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

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

1. Why was the first ride of the season called the Spring Chicken's Ride?
2. What do you think a tandem bike is?
3. How did Alex get rewarded for one of his early car design drawings?
4. Would you like to participate in this kind of bicycle riding experiences? Why or why not?

Read, Right, Run

Suggested lesson plan for
"A follow on Read, Right, Run"

Possible hard words: Proper names: St. Luke the Evangelist School, Spirit of St. Louis Marathon, U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials, Julie Cronin, Eli Clampett, St. Joseph's Academy, Eragon, Clair Laufketter, Noah Panicola, Rose Murphy, Joe Graff, Carolyn Landwehr,
Other words: sponsored, expanded, dumpster, coordinator

BEFORE READING: Most of the items on the possible hard words list are proper names. Have the young reader read the list and help out with pronunciations as needed. Then ask the child to read the article aloud to you and be prepared to discuss it afterward.

DRIING READING: Provide any help necessary to keep the oral reading smooth and fluent.

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

1. What three things are required of participants in the Read, Right, Run event?
2. What are some of the books that the kids mentioned and are you familiar with any of them?
3. What were some of the good deeds mentioned?
4. Have you or are you interested in participating in the Read, Right, Run events? Why or why not?