Text Type:
Factual / Biography
Reading Level
O
Word Count:
1034
Pages:
20
Text Summary
Sally Ride tells the story of the first American woman, and the youngest person, male or female, in space. The text includes information on Sally's life, education, and space travel. It also tells the reader what she is doing now that she is no longer an astronaut.
Lesson Objectives
Reading Strategies
Children should use a variety of strategies to determine word meaning and comprehend text. The targeted strategy for this lesson is: Using context clues.
If a word is unclear, but the rest of the sentence can be deciphered, readers can decode the unfamiliar written word by using the context to help them understand meaning. If the word is not part of the child’s lexicon, the context clues can help him or her interpret the meaning as well.
Word and Print Skills
Phonics
Consonant Digraphs
Identify and list consonant digraphs that are used in the text, Sally Ride.
Word Work
Words ending in -est
Identify and list words ending in -est from the text. This concept will be followed up later in this lesson plan, in the Word Work section.
Synonyms
Identify and list synonyms found in the text. This concept will be followed up later in this lesson plan, in the Word Work section.
Comprehension
You will likely address a number of comprehension skills as children work to understand the text. The targeted comprehension strategy for this lesson is: Summarizing after each section.
Visual Learning
Children will note details in the photos and photo captions that will help them understand the text.
Targeted Vocabulary Words
Content Words
Cape Canaveral
Challenger
space shuttle
flight engineer
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
weightless
satellite
Before Reading
Introducing the Book
Before handing out the book, introduce it by showing the front cover.
Ask: What do you see on the cover? What do you think the book will be about? What might the lady be doing? Turn the book over to the back cover. Ask: What other information does this give us about the book?
Building Background
Make a concept map with children about the abbreviation NASA. Write the word NASA in the center of the chalkboard. Draw lines from the center for additional ideas, and have children dictate what they already know about NASA. Write their input, and refer to it later, adding to the map as children read the story. If you like, leave the map up for an entire day, allowing children to contribute information as they think of it.
Using the Worksheet
Explain to children that at different stages during the reading they will have questions to answer on the worksheet that will summarize the section they have just read. They can use the concept map, as well as the text to help them answer the questions.
Reading Strategies
Ask: What can you do when you come to a word you don’t know? Have children use context clues,
and look for something in the word they know. Then have children reread the sentence, including the new word.
During Reading
Student Reading
Hand out the books and have children read quietly at their own pace. Remind children to read a section at a time and answer the summary questions on the worksheet as they go.
After Reading
Comprehending the Text
Refer to the questions of each section of the worksheet. Ask children to share their summaries of each section. Discuss each section summary with the class to verify what has been contributed, and to clarify main points that children may have missed.
Visual Learning
To help increase word recognition and reading fluency, help children develop an understanding of the relationship between picture details and the text. Have children look at the pictures in Sally Ride and describe what is being addressed in each page.
Building Skills
Phonics
Consonant Digraphs
Explain to children that a consonant digraph is a combination of two consonants that make a special sound. You cannot hear the sound of each consonant.
Use the following example from the story: ch as in challenger (page 4).
Ask: Can you find any words in the story that have consonant digraphs? What are they?
Can you think of any other words that have consonant digraphs?
Write children’s answers on a board.
Word Work
Words ending in -est.
Explain to children the sound that words ending in -est make. Ask children what the suffix -est means. Discuss what a suffix is. Explain that suffixes have meaning, just like other words, and that adding a suffix adds the meaning of the suffix to the root word.
Use the following example from the story: youngest (page 4).
Ask: Can you find any other words ending in -est in the story?
Can you think of any other words that end in -est?
Write children’s suggestions on a board.
Synonyms
Explain to children that synonyms are words that have the same, or nearly the same meaning.
Use the following example from the story: strapped / attached (page 5). Ask: Can you think of any other words that are synonyms to these words?
Write children’s suggestions on a chart.
Expand the Reading
Writing Connection
Have children pretend that they are Sally Ride. Have them write a diary entry for one whole day, showing what Sally Ride might have been doing and thinking.
Social Studies Connection
Compare and contrast what Sally did on the space shuttle with what she might have been doing back on earth. Ask children to think of the things that Sally might have missed while she was in space, and what she would have gotten out of the experience.
Reading Independently
Have children read the book independently or with a partner. You can also encourage them to read other books of their choice at the appropriate level.
Home Connection
- Have children take the book home to read with a family member.
- Have children write about their own ideas on space travel to share with the class the following day.
Assessment
- Monitor children’s responses in the Comprehending the Text section to assess how well they understand the text or story.
- Monitor reading to see if children are using the effective reading strategies.
- Assess children’s knowledge of words ending in -est, consonant digraphs, and synonyms.
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