Aim High: Astronaut Training SUMMARY This selection gives a brief history of space travel, beginning with the Russian satellite Sputnik and the dog who was the first living being to fly in space Readers then learn of the specific training required to become an astronaut or a mission specialist LESSON VOCABULARY accomplishments gravity role focus monitor specific INTRODUCE THE BOOK INTRODUCE THE TITLE AND AUTHOR Discuss with students the title and author of Aim High: Astronaut Training Draw students’ attention to the cover photo, and have them describe what they can tell about the selection based on the picture Note the content triangle, which reads Science Discuss what this suggests about the book BUILD BACKGROUND Ask: What images come to mind when you hear the word astronaut? Do you think the images you have of space travel are realistic? Encourage students to imagine living in a zero-gravity environment PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Have students take a few minutes to go over the photos, captions, and chart on page 15 Ask them to discuss what these features tell them about the selection Ask: Do photos seem more scientific than illustrations? Why or why not? What does the chart on page 15 suggest about the author’s purpose? 100 5.5.3 AUTHOR’S PURPOSE MONITOR AND FIX UP READ THE BOOK SET PURPOSE Guide students to set their own purposes for reading the selection Students’ interest in space travel, flight, astronomy or another branch of science should guide this purpose Invite them to use the pictures to come up with questions they would like to have answered, such as How astronauts eat food in zero gravity? Why are these astronauts in the jungle? Could I become an astronaut? STRATEGY SUPPORT: MONITOR AND FIX UP Encourage students to jot down any points that confuse them as they read Suggest they reread for better understanding or seek clarification from an outside source COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS PAGE What paragraph on this page gives the best clues about the author’s purpose? (the last paragraph) PAGE Look at the sentence What was their focus? Write a sentence that asks this same question in different words (Possible response: What was their aim?) PAGE 10 Alan B Shepard went into space but not into orbit What is the difference between being in space and being in orbit? (Possible response: You can fly up into space briefly and come back down; but you can only orbit if you stay in space and fly around the planet.) PAGE 15 What might be one reason that pilot astronauts need excellent vision, while mission specialists need only very good vision? (Possible response: The pilot is responsible for flying the shuttle and for everyone’s safety; she or he must be able to see perfectly all the flight instruments as well as what’s outside the windows.) Aim High: Astronaut Training 16911_LRD_TG_100-101 100 11/17/05 8:58:10 AM REVISIT THE BOOK READER RESPONSE Possible response: to inform readers about the history of space travel and what it takes to be an astronaut Responses will vary but should focus on astronaut training and class work Sentences will vary Responses will vary EXTEND UNDERSTANDING Invite students to put the information contained in the chart on page 15 into another type of graphic tool, such as a Venn diagram or a web Ask them to compare their charts with the chart in the article Which presents the information in the clearest way? RESPONSE OPTIONS WRITING Suggest that students imagine setting foot on Mars or another planet Ask them to describe what they see and feel Remind them to include any interesting details, such as how they communicate and breathe, the color of the sky, the shape of the horizon, whether they feel frightened or thrilled, and so on SCIENCE CONNECTION Have students research a recent event or development that they find interesting in the history of space travel Encourage them to use NASA’s official Web site or other upto-date sources Ask them to present a brief summary, including pictures or other graphic aids, of what they learned Skill Work TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY Have students look at classroom sources or on the Internet to find examples of each vocabulary word in a sentence Allow students to cite different forms of the word, (accomplish for accomplishments) Divide students into two groups Have one group create clue sentences about the vocabulary words such as This word means the same as Have the other group guess the answer If students cannot guess correctly after the first clue sentence, ask the first group to offer a second clue sentence TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY AUTHOR’S PURPOSE Tell students that an author’s purpose is the reason or reasons she or he has for writing (persuade, inform, entertain, or express) Remind students they must often infer the author’s purpose, based on clues in the text Aim High: Astronaut Training, for example, contains many facts about space travel history Ask: What does this suggest about the author’s purpose? If the author’s purpose were to entertain, would the selection be different? MONITOR AND FIX UP Tell students that monitoring and fixing up is the process by which they keep track of their own understanding of the text as they read They should notice if the text stops making sense and ask such questions as What does this mean? Why did the author include this? ADDITIONAL SKILL INSTRUCTION GRAPHIC SOURCES Review with students that graphic sources (photos, captions, charts) enhance or condense information provided in the text Discuss the chart on page 15, pointing out that it presents in shorthand form information from the text, and information not in the text Ask: What you learn from this chart that you not learn from the text? Aim High: Astronaut Training 16911_LRD_TG_100-101 101 101 11/17/05 8:58:11 AM Name Aim High Author’s Purpose • An author’s purpose is the reason or reasons an author has for writing • Four common reasons are: to persuade, to inform, to entertain, to express ideas Directions Read the paragraphs below Then answer the questions on the lines below Y ou have been waiting for this! From your seat on the beach, you watch the space shuttle roar into space Your family lives near Florida’s Cape Canaveral That’s where the launch has taken place From the beach near your home, you have a great view of the liftoff You wonder what it would be like to be blasting into space right now Onboard the shuttle are seven astronauts from the United States and Russia Right now, they are headed for the International Space Station (ISS) Upon arrival, they will deliver supplies What would you say is the author’s main purpose in writing the first paragraph? Explain your answer What purpose does the author have in the second paragraph? How you think the author’s two purposes might work together? © Pearson Education Explain your answer 102 16911_LRD_TG_102-103 12/2/05 12:42:39 PM Aim High Name Vocabulary Directions Draw a line from each word to its definition Check the Words You Know accomplishments gravity role focus monitor specific accomplishments a the force that pulls things to Earth focus b exact; definite gravity c computer screen that displays data monitor d to concentrate; an area of study or observation role e a purpose or use of someone or something specific f successes, achievements; skills © Pearson Education Directions Write two sentences on the lines below about Aim High: Astronaut Training Use as many vocabulary words as you can 103 16911_LRD_TG_102-103 12/2/05 12:42:40 PM ... Write two sentences on the lines below about Aim High: Astronaut Training Use as many vocabulary words as you can 1 03 16911_LRD _TG_ 102-1 03 12/2/ 05 12:42:40 PM ... purposes might work together? © Pearson Education Explain your answer 102 16911_LRD _TG_ 102-1 03 12/2/ 05 12:42 :39 PM Aim High Name Vocabulary Directions Draw a line from each word to its definition Check... this chart that you not learn from the text? Aim High: Astronaut Training 16911_LRD _TG_ 100-101 101 101 11/17/ 05 8 :58 :11 AM Name Aim High Author’s Purpose • An author’s purpose is the reason or reasons