May 2004     Vol.5 Issue 5

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?