Lesson Plans for LANCE ARMSTRONG level T
Expand on the Reading

Writing Connection
Ask children to research challenging vocabulary in the story: chemotherapy, cancer, gritty, Triathlon, obstacle, diagnosis, athleticism, survivor, testament. Ask children to write the definitions for the words in their Word Journal. Then have them work with a partner to develop three paragraphs, one paragraph for each of the three words. Ask volunteers to share their definitions and their paragraphs.

If computers with Internet connections are available in the school, have children research Lance Armstrong and bicycle racing using the Web sites listed on pages 23 and 24. Ask children to choose a particular site, read and take notes on the information, and then summarize what they’ve learned and share it with the class. If computers are unavailable, have children use books and magazines to research bicycle racing, Olympic events that feature cycling, and the Tour de France. Ask them to present their information to the class.

Geography Connection
Place a United States map and a world map in prominent places in the classroom. Using yarn or string, locate the city and state where Lance Armstrong was born (Plano, Texas). Locate where he trained with the U.S. Olympic Development team (Colorado Springs, Colorado). Using information from the photo captions, locate other cities where Lance competed, such as Monterey, California (page 8). Put the dates of each important event and the name of the event on index cards and attach them to the end of the yarn or string. Using the same activity, find cities and countries on the world map where Lance competed—Moscow, Spain, Paris, France. Mark the dates and events on index cards and attach by yarn or string to the map. Encourage children to research the Tour de France—for example, the race route includes cycling through other countries in addition to France, although the race always finishes in Paris. Ask: What other countries are involved in the race?

Reading Independently
Allow children to read the book independently or with a partner. You can also encourage them to read other books of their choice at the appropriate level. As they read, ask them to think about experiences they have had that are similar to Lance’s.

Home Connection
Have children take the book home to share with their family. Provide the family with suggestions for working with their child: helping with challenging vocabulary, discussing the importance of good health and strong determination, etc. If the family has a computer and Internet service, suggest they help their child research one of the Web sites in the story—for example, the Lance Armstrong Foundation or any one of the sites listed on pages 23 and 24. Ask children to be prepared to discuss with the class what they learned when they shared the book with their family.

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.
  • Monitor children as they read aloud to check for understanding and to see if they are using bookmarks, Think Alouds, and other reading/comprehension strategies appropriately.
  • Monitor the book discussions: observe children’s use of Question Guides to participate in the discussions.
  • Observe and monitor children’s abilities to follow directions and expand their thinking, to do research and then summarize the information they have learned.
  • Check the Skills and Comprehension Activity Sheets for understanding and completion.


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