Text Type: Nonfiction/Informational
Page Count: 24
Word Count: 1,214

Book Summary
Imagine riding in a car at a speed of 200 miles per hour! This is the speed at which NASCAR drivers move. Their incredible custom-built cars are part of a major class of competitive events that has evolved over time. Readers will learn about these specialized vehicles and racing techniques that lead to NASCAR championships. Photographs support the text.

About the Lesson

Targeted Reading Strategy

• Ask and answer questions

Objectives

• Use the reading strategy of asking and answering questions to understand text
• Cause and effect
• Understand the use of commas in a series
• Identify and understand the use of prefix un- and suffix -ful

Materials

• Book -- The World of NASCAR (copy for each student)
• Chalkboard or dry erase board
• Ask and answer questions, cause and effect, commas, prefix and suffix worksheets

   Indicates an opportunity for student to mark in the book. (All activities may be completed with paper and pencil if books are reusable.)

Vocabulary

• Content words: aerodynamics, axle, bhp, chassis, component, cylinders, downforce, drag, fuel injection, logo, NASCAR, nitrogen, sponsor, stock cars, turbo

Build Background

• Write the word NASCAR on the board. Ask students to tell what they already know about this organization and its events.
• Write the words that NASCAR stands for on the board (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). Explain that NASCAR is a major competitive series of events in which cars race around a track.

Preview the Book

Introduce the Book

• Give students their copy of the book. Guide them to the front and back covers and read the title. Have students discuss what they see on the covers. Encourage them to offer ideas as to what type of book it is and what it might be about.
• Show students the title page. Discuss the information on the page (title of book, author's name).

Introduce the Reading Strategy: Ask and answer questions

• Discuss how asking and answering questions while reading can help readers understand and enjoy reading the information in a book.
  Think-aloud: From what I see on the cover and title page, it appears as though this book is all about NASCAR and its events. I'm curious about what it is like to be inside a NASCAR car. I wonder how different it is from the cars I ride in every day. I'm also curious to know how someone learns to be a NASCAR driver. Maybe they have to go to a special school before they can participate in an official NASCAR event. Before reading, several questions often come to mind about the topic. As I read, I enjoy looking for answers to my questions, which often sparks further curiosities and questions to answer while reading.
• Create a chart on the board similar to the one on the ask and answer questions worksheet. Introduce and explain the ask and answer questions worksheet to students. Ask students to tell what about the topic of NASCAR sparks their curiosity. Have them write their questions in the first section on their worksheet. Invite them to share some of their questions and write them on the class chart.
• As students read, encourage them to use other reading strategies in addition to the targeted strategy presented in this section. For tips on additional reading strategies, click here.

Introduce the Comprehension Skill: Cause and effect

• Review or explain that a cause is an event that makes something happen, and the effect is what happens because of, or as a result of, the event. Create a two-column chart on the board with the headings Cause and Effect. Write the following sentence on the board under the heading Cause: I hit a baseball through a window.
• Model identifying cause-and-effect relationships.
  Think-aloud: If I hit a baseball through a window, the window might break. I might have to pay for the window by taking money out of my savings account. If I had to take money out of my savings account, I wouldn't have enough money to buy the item I was saving money for.
• Write the effects of the cause on the chart on the board. Point out that sometimes a cause can have more than one effect.

Introduce the Vocabulary

• Write the following words from the content vocabulary on the board: aerodynamics, chassis, downforce, and logo.
• Give pairs or groups of students several pieces of blank paper. For each word, have them write or draw what they know about the word. Have groups discuss and create a definition for each word using prior knowledge.
• Review or explain that the glossary and dictionary contain a list of vocabulary words and their definitions.
• Model how students can use the glossary or a dictionary to find a word's meaning. Have students locate the glossary at the back of the book. Invite a volunteer to read the definitions for aerodynamics and downforce in the glossary. Have students compare the definitions with their prior knowledge of the words.
• Show students the image on page 14. Point out how the air flows around a NASCAR car (aerodynamics).
• Have students follow along on pages 13 and 14 as you read the sentences in which the words aerodynamics and downforce are found to confirm the meaning of each word. Repeat this process with the remaining vocabulary words using the images on page 11.
• For tips on teaching word-attack strategies, click here.

Set the Purpose

• Have students read to find out about NASCAR. Encourage them to ask and answer questions while reading.

Student Reading

• Guide the reading: Have students read to the end of page 7. Encourage those who finish early to go back and reread.
• When students have finished reading, have them circle any questions on their ask and answer questions worksheet that were answered.
• Model answering a question and filling in the second column of the ask and answer questions chart on the board.
  Think-aloud: Before reading, more than one question came to mind about this book. I was curious about what it is like to be inside a NASCAR car. I also wondered how someone learns to be a NASCAR driver. While reading, I happened to answer some of these questions. I found out that the inside of a NASCAR car can reach temperatures of up to 150 degrees. Drivers have to wear special suits to keep them cool and safe. I still don't know how someone learns to be a NASCAR driver. I'll keep looking for the answer to this question as I read. The information I read also sparked new curiosities about the topic. I found it interesting that each NASCAR team builds a new car for each race. I wonder whether these teams have to follow certain rules when building and designing their cars or whether they can be as creative as they want. I also wonder how expensive it is to build one of these cars. I will write these questions on the chart.
• Ask students to write answers for the circled questions and additional questions they raised on their ask and answer questions worksheet. Invite students to share the information they learned and the questions they generated as they read the book. Write shared responses on the class chart on the board.
• Introduce and explain to students the cause and effect worksheet. Read aloud to students the first cause on the worksheet (NASCAR cars travel at high speeds and must ensure the safety of the driver.) Ask students to reread page 5 in their book. Discuss with them the effect of this cause. (Every component is specially engineered.) Have students write the effect on their worksheet.
• Ask students to read the second effect on their worksheet. (A NASCAR race may cover from 250–500 miles.) Have students work with a partner to identify the cause of this effect and write it on their worksheet. (Tracks vary in length.) Discuss their responses.
• Check for understanding: Have students read page 8 through the end of page 14. Have them circle any questions on their ask and answer questions worksheet that were answered. Then have students write the answers on their ask and answer questions worksheet. Invite them to share the questions they generated while reading and the information they learned.
• Have students identify and write the third effect and fourth cause on their worksheet. (This helps teams find small advantages that lead to championships; This ensures that teams stay within rules for height, width, shape, and aerodynamics.) Discuss their responses.
• Have students read the remainder of the book. Remind them to look for and write answers to their questions written on their worksheet. Encourage them to add any new questions they might have to the worksheet.

    Have students make a question mark in their book beside any word they do not understand or cannot pronounce. Encourage them to use the strategies they have learned to read each word and figure out its meaning.

Reflect on the Reading Strategy

• Ask students what words, if any, they marked in their book. Use this opportunity to model how they can read these words using decoding strategies and context clues.
• Reinforce that asking questions before and during reading, and looking for answers while reading, keeps readers interested in the book. It also encourages them to keep reading to find answers to their questions and helps them understand and enjoy what they read.
• Think-aloud: I wanted to know whether NASCAR teams have to follow certain rules when building and designing their cars or whether they can be as creative as they want. I learned that NASCAR has strict regulations that teams must follow when designing cars. I didn't find the answer to my question about how expensive it is to build one of these cars. I'm still curious about this. I'm also curious about which NASCAR team's car has won the most competitive events. I will write the questions I'm still curious about on the ask and answer questions chart.
• Point out to students that all of their questions may not have been answered in this text. Brainstorm other sources they might use to locate additional information to answer their questions. Invite students to fill in the last column with information they still would like to know about NASCAR.
• Ask students to share questions they added to their ask and answer questions worksheet while reading.

Reflect on the Comprehension Skill

• Discussion: Review with students the information on their cause and effect worksheet. Discuss how stopping to identify cause-and-effect relationships helped students remember the facts and betther understand the information in the book.
• Independent practice: Have students complete the cause and effect worksheet. If time allows, discuss their answers.
• Enduring understanding: In this book, you learned how a team of people work together to create a car to compete in NASCAR races. Now that you know this information, how can teamwork help to successfully accomplish some tasks?

Grammar and Mechanics: Commas in a series

    Have students turn to page 8 and circle all the commas in the second sentence. Point out each item separated by a comma.

• Explain to students that whenever items are listed together, commas called serial commas are used to separate each item in the list. Point out that listed items can be nouns, verbs, adjectives, or entire phrases.
• Tell students that the last item in a list often is preceded by the word and and that a comma is placed before the word. Point out that this rule applies only when there are at least three items in the list.

    Have students turn to page 12. Ask them to identify the list in the last sentence and circle the serial commas. Have them identify how many items are separated by commas in the list (four).

• Check for understanding: Write the following words on the board: pencils, paper, notebooks, crayons. Have students use the words to write a sentence using serial commas on a separate piece of paper.
• Independent practice: Introduce, explain, and have students complete the commas worksheet. If time allows, discuss their responses.

Word Work: Prefix re- and suffix -ful

• Write the following sentence on the board: The team then tests the car, dismantles and checks it, and rebuilds it in time for the day of the race. Point out the word rebuilds. Ask students to explain the meaning of the word.
• Erase the prefix re- from the beginning of the word rebuilds. Reread the sentence using the new word. Ask students to explain how the meaning of the sentence changed.
• Write the prefix re- on the board and discuss its meaning (again).
• Write the following sentence on the board: A NASCAR engine is extremely powerful--it is a V8 engine. Point out the word powerful. Have students locate the word powerful on page 16. Ask them to explain the meaning of the word. Write the suffix -ful on the board and discuss its meaning (full of).
• Check for understanding: Write the following words on the board: finish, write, thank. Have students identify the meaning of each base word. Then have them add the prefix re- to the words finish and write, and add the suffix -ful to the word thank (refinish, rewrite, thankful). Have students identify how the meaning of each word has changed.
• Independent practice: Introduce, explain, and have students complete the prefix and suffix worksheet. If time allows, discuss their answers.

Independent Reading

• Allow students to read their book independently. Additionally, partners can take turns reading parts of the book to each other.

Home Connection

• Give students their book to take home to read with parents, caregivers, siblings, or friends. Have them discuss their questions about NASCAR with someone at home.

Informational Report Writing Connection
Have students choose a professional competitive sport that interests them (tennis, swimming, and so on). Have them research the events and rules of the sport, and compile the information into a report.

Elements of Nonfiction Connection
Discuss the images and sidebars on pages 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 20. Invite students to consider the information presented in the images. Discuss the purpose of incorporating these images (to provide clarification and elaboration of information on nearby pages; to draw conclusions about information presented in the main body of the text). Ask students to explain why it might be beneficial to examine and understand these nonfiction elements in the text as they read.