Before Reading

Lesson Plans for LANCE ARMSTRONG level T

Before Reading

Introducing the Book
Direct children’s attention to the cover, the title page and the table of contents. Note the special Introduction box on page 5, and the section headings throughout the story. Explain how the section headings separate important parts of the story and how all the information in the section relates to the heading. Point out the photo captions. Beginning on page 18, point out the bulleted facts about the Tour de France followed by Tour de France Terms and other Tour de France facts on pages 22–24. Pose questions to children that will help to set a purpose for reading. Ask: Do the section headings help you to frame your thinking? Pause at difficult vocabulary and define—for example, cancer, chemotherapy. Provide correct pronunciations for Tour de France and Tour du Pont. Explain the Think Aloud strategy (asks children to verbalize their thoughts, questions, and connections as they read text line by line). Model how to use this strategy for remembering and connecting details in the story—for example on page 14: I guess that winning isn’t everything. We need to be grateful for many things in our lives, especially our health.

Building Background
Begin by talking with children about sports. Ask: How many of you participate in sports? Which sports do you play? For children who do not participate in sports, ask if they have a favorite team they watch on television or see at an outdoor or indoor stadium. Record their answers. Ask: Have you competed in sports, or watched your favorite team compete or play against other teams? When you or your favorite team wins, can you describe how it feels? What happens if you lose—how does it feel? If you lost, would you try harder the next time you played, or would you give up? How would it feel if you or someone on your favorite team became sick or hurt and could no longer participate in their favorite sport? Would you give up? Or do you think you would be determined to get better so you could play again?
Discuss what children would do and why. Explain that they are going to read a book about a man who competed as a cyclist, a person who rides a racing bicycle. He won many races and he also lost some. One day he became very ill with cancer, and he could no longer ride his bicycle or compete in races. Ask children what they would do if they were in the same situation. Say: Lance Armstrong was so committed to cycling and so determined to overcome his illness that he is now a world champion. He didn’t give up when he lost or when he became ill. His message is, "Don’t give up!"

Reading Strategies
Explain to children that they are going to make Question Guides to use as they read the story. Question Guides will create a reason for reading, encourage an investment in the book, stimulate discussions about the book, and serve as a review sheet for an assessment quiz. The Question Guides can span the entire reading process. First do the activity with the whole class to ensure understanding. Then help children to make their own Question Guides using five steps:

Skim the sections by reading the bold-faced headings and the captions for photographs.
Fold notebook paper in half, lengthwise.
Write the heading Questions on the left-hand side. On the right-hand side, write the heading Notes.
Formulate questions that previewing raises—questions that focus on the new information presented in the pages.
Leave space between questions so you can fill in after reading. This will allow room for notes collected during class discussions.

An example of Question Guides might begin as follows:

Questions
What is cancer?

Notes
A disease that spread to many parts
of Lance Armstrong’s body, including
his lungs and brain.

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