November 2004     Vol.5 Issue 11

Suggested lesson plan for "Kids
skip school to see XPrize flight"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Garin Kessler, Anthony Stack, Mojave Desert, Wydown Middle School, Doug King, Richard Branson
Other words: feasibility, technician, intrigue, miniature, billionaire

BEFORE READING: To acquaint the young reader with the words in the article, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Help with pronunciation where needed. Then ask the young reader to read the short article aloud to you and be prepared to discuss it afterward.

DURING READING: If there are still any names or words that interfere with fluency, provide them fairly quickly.

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

1. Why did the kids think it was okay to skip school for the XPrize launching?
2. What was the purpose of the White Knight aircraft?
3. Why didn't the Spaceship One need a heat shield like the NASA spacecraft?
4. If someone provided you with a ticket to go into space on the new space craft, would you be interested in going? Why or why not?