Subjects
Subject(s)
Arts & Humanities
--Language Arts
Mathematics
--Measurement
Science
--Physical Science
----Physics
Social Studies
--Current Events
--Geography
Grades
Grades 2-up
News Content
A windsled serves as one Wisconsin islands wintertime school bus.
Anticipation Guide
Before reading, share with students a U.S. map and ask them to identify the location of the Great Lakes. Ask: Which of the Great Lakes appears to be the largest one? (Lake Superior) What land areas border Lake Superior? (Minnesota to the west, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the south, and Canada [Ontario] to the north and east) If you are able to project images from the Web, you might share this Wisconsin road map. Scroll all the way to the north to point out the location of Bayfield at the tip of the land mass that juts into Lake Superior. Sharing this map information will establish the place" of this weeks News for Kids article.
News Words
Next, introduce these words that appear in the News Word Box on the students printable page: air-powered, plowed, engine, houseboat, and resident. Discuss the meanings of any of those words that might be unfamiliar. Then ask students to use one of those words to complete each of these sentences:
Read the News
Click for a printable version of this weeks news story Students Slide to School on Air-Powered Sled.
|
More Facts to Share
You might share these additional facts with students after they have read this weeks news story.
Comprehension Check
Recalling Detail
Think About the News
Discuss the Think About the News question that appears on the students news page. You might use the think-pair-share strategy with students to discuss this question. If you use this strategy
Follow-Up Activities
Language arts visualizing text. Have students read aloud the paragraph of the news story that describes how the windsled looks. (The windsled looks like a houseboat) After reading, have students draw a quick illustration of the windsled as they visualize it. After students have a chance to show their illustrations, share a photo of the actual Madeline Island windsled.
Science create your own hovercraft. Follow these instructions for a hands-on activity that will demonstrate how air can power a craft like the windsled. If you dont plan to do the activity with your students, you might share the video so they can better understand the principles behind the air-powered windsled; and so they can try the activity at home. Ask: Do you think someday air might power cars? Share with students this article about an air-powered car that is due to debut in the streets of India this summer.
Language arts compound words. Ask students to identify the two compound words found in the news article. (windsled, houseboat; some students might identify Bayfield as a compound word [it is] or suggest that school bus should be a compound word [it shouldnt be]) Have students tell which two small words make up each of those compound words. Then have pairs of students work together to create lists of ten compound words. Challenge them to think of compound words that are interesting or not so common. (Here is a good source list of compound words.) After the student pairs complete the task, have them share their lists. Which words do students in the class think were the best (most uncommon or interesting) compound words?
Math measurement. Let students take their rulers outdoors. Pair up students, provide them with chalk, and have them draw an outline on asphalt that illustrates the dimensions (25 feet long and 14 feet wide) of the windsled. Help students visualize what it might be like to have 20 students aboard" the windsled by letting the class stand inside one of the outlines.
Assessment
Use the Comprehension Check (above) as an assessment. Or have students work on their own (in their journals) or in their small groups to respond to the Think About the News questions on the news story page or in the Comprehension Check section.
Lesson Plan Source
Education WorldNational Standards
LANGUAGE ARTS: English
MATHEMATICS: Measurement
GRADES Pre-K - 2
NM-MEA.PK-2.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-MEA.3-5.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-MEA.6-8.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-MEA.9-12.2 Apply Appropriate Techniques, Tools, and Formulas to Determine Measurements
SCIENCE
GRADES K - 4
NS.K-4.2 Physical Science
GRADES 5 - 8
NS.5-8.2 Physical Science
GRADES 9 - 12
NS.9-12.2 Physical Science
SOCIAL SCIENCES: Geography
GRADES K - 12
NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms
NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions
NSS-G.K-12.3Physical Systems
NSS-G.K-12.4 Human Systems
NSS-G.K-12.5 Environment and Society
See recent news stories in Education Worlds News Story of the Week Archive.
Article by Ellen Delisio and Gary Hopkins
Education World®
Copyright © 2008 Education World
03/05/2008