LESSON 25 TEACHER’S GUIDE A Hero Weighs Informs.hmhco.com/.../grade/L25_a_hero_weighs_in_S.pdf ·...

Number of Words: 1,488

L E S S O N 2 5 T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

A Hero Weighs Inby Barbara A. Roenz

Fountas-Pinnell Level SScience FictionSelection SummaryDex and his family live in special domed space station on Mars. As a young teenager, Dex is expected to work outside the dome, in an airless environment. To prepare for this, Dex has to complete a weightless training program, but his fear prevents him from doing it. Dex fi nally overcomes this fear and he becomes a hero in the end.

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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Characteristics of the Text Genre • Science fi ction

Text Structure • Third-person narrative • Plot with detailed episodes• Details help the reader to determine the author’s purpose

Content • Life in a space station on Mars • Weightlessness• Overcoming fear

Themes and Ideas • Fear can prevent you from trying something new or accomplishing a goal.• People have different ways of approaching new experiences.

Language and Literary Features

• Descriptive language important to understanding setting and characters • Complex plot, creating suspense, leading toward confl ict resolution • Setting distant in time and space

Sentence Complexity • A mix of short and complex sentences• Multiple items in series• Questions in dialogue

Vocabulary • Many vocabulary words that require use of context or dictionary, such as encased, essential, virtual

Words • Many words with affi xes, such as allergic, weightlessness, Martian, disconnectedIllustrations • Lively drawings add interest.

Book and Print Features • Thirteen pages of text with illustrations• Italics for emphasis and to highlight characters’ thoughts

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

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Target Vocabulary

average – typical or normal, p. 7calculated – worked with

numbers to fi nd an answercenturies – periods of one

hundred years, p. 2dispute – to state that something

is not true, p. 3

insert – to put one object inside another, p. 13

inspector – a person who checks to make sure that things are working as they should be, p. 6

mechanical – a machine with movable working parts, p. 3

progress – improving, p. 4superior – better than other

things of its type, p. 6waste – to spend or throw things

away thoughtlessly, p. 4

A Hero Weighs In by Barbara A. Roenz

Build BackgroundHelp students use their knowledge of space exploration to visualize the story. Build interest by asking a question such as the following: What do you think you would enjoy about living on another planet? Read the title and author and talk about the cover illustration. Explain that this story takes place in the far-distant future on the planet Mars. Tell students that this story is science fi ction, a fantasy in which events are based on a combination of imagined and scientifi c ideas.

Introduce the TextGuide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions:

: Tell students that a boy named Dex and his family live in a protective dome on the space station. Suggested language: Turn to page 2 of this book. Here is a picture of Dex and his teacher Ms. Luna. What is Dex wearing? Look at Dex’s face. How would you describe his expression?

Page 3: Explain that outside the dome, there is no gravity on Mars. Ask: What might it feel like to be in a space without gravity? Tell students that Dex has just been practicing being in a space unit without gravity. Then read this sentence Dex was scared! Ask: What do you think the problem in this story might be?

Page 4: Tell students that people wanted to learn to grow plants on Mars.Ask: Why would growing plants be important?

Page 5: Read this sentence: Now, however, a century of research had made it possible to plant and harvest crops in greenhouses. Explain that teenagers had to help plant and harvest crops outside the dome. Ask: What might they need to know, and have, to work in this space?

Page 8: Explain that the boy in the illustration is Dex’s younger brother, Jace. Suggested Language: Look at the picture of Dex’s brother Jace. Ask: What do you think Jace might be thinking about?

Now turn back to the beginning and read about how Dex faces his fear.

2 Lesson 25: A Hero Weighs In Grade 4© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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ReadHave students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their understanding of the text as needed.

Remind students to use the Question Strategy and to think of questions as they read.

Discuss and Revisit the TextPersonal ResponseInvite students to share their personal responses to the story. Suggested language: How do you think Dex managed to overcome his fear? How do you think Dex will act in the future when confronted with situations that frighten him?

Ways of ThinkingAs you discuss the text, help students understand these points:

Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text

• Dex lives on a space station on Mars and is required to work in a place without gravity.

• Dex hasn’t been able to pass the training requirement because he’s scared of being in the anti-gravity unit.

• After he helps his brother get out of the anti-gravity unit, Dex realizes that he’s not afraid of being in it anymore.

• Fear can prevent someone from trying to do something new or different.

• You may have to take risks in order to overcome a fear.

• People who are different from each other can learn from each other.

• The suspense builds throughout the story until the problem is solved at the end.

• The author uses italics to stress some words and to highlight the characters’ thoughts.

• The author includes lots of details about science to help the reader understand the story.

© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Choices for Further Support• Fluency Invite students to choose a passage from the text to use for readers’ theater.

Encourage them to stress words written in italic print, read at a rate that is not too fast or too slow, and to use expression that would sound as if each character was actually speaking.

• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas.

• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using examples from the text. Draw student’s attention to these words on page 5: weightless, breathless, and airless. Point out that all three words contain the suffi x -less. Have students explain the meaning of the suffi x and the meaning of each word. Then discuss how the addition of the suffi x –less changes the nouns weight, breath, and air to adjectives.



Writing about ReadingCritical ThinkingHave students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 25.8.

RespondingHave students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader’s Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill.

Target Comprehension SkillAuthor’s Purpose

Target Comprehension Skill Remind students that they can determine an author’s

purpose for writing a story by looking at and analyzing details in the story. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a “Think Aloud” like the one below:

Think Aloud

On page 5, the author writes “Unfortunately, the marvels of Martian agriculture frightened Dex breathless!” On page 9, it states that Granddad had told Dex a story about a man whose weightless suit failed and he ended up as the “man in the moon.” Both of these details are entertaining. Add these details to the chart to contribute to the author’s purpose of entertaining.

Practice the SkillHave students share an example of another story in which text details demonstrated that the author’s purpose was to entertain the reader.

Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the TextHave students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings.

Assessment Prompts• Why is Dex opposed to the weightlessness training requirement?

• Which words in the last paragraph on page 7 help the reader understand what exaggerating means?

• When the author says that the “adults’ eyes were glued to the screen,” on page 10, she means

________________________________________________________________.



15

RespondingTARGET SKILL Author’s Purpose What

was the author’s purpose in writing this book? What other text details support her purpose? Copy and complete the chart below.

Text detailStudents were demonstrating Planetary Pizza, made from a cheese called Mars Moos.

Text detail?

Text detail?

Write About It

Text to World Imagine that you had to write a paper on life in another country. Brainstorm topics that would be important to include. Organize the topics into correct outline form.

Purpose To entertain

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Critical ThinkingRead and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text How are Jace and Dex different?

2. Think within the text What is the purpose of the required

training Ms. Luna is giving Dex?

3. Think beyond the text What features of this story make it

science fi ction? How is it like or unlike other science fi ction

stories you’ve read?

4. Think about the text Why do you think the author includes

Granddad’s story? What does it tell the reader about Dex?

Making Connections In this story, many things are done differently in the Mars colony. Think of an activity you like to do. Invent a new way to do the same activity on Mars in the future.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

10Critical Thinking© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Lesson 25B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 2 5 . 8

Grade 4, Unit 5: Change Is All Around

Name Date

A Hero Weighs InCritical Thinking

Jace is wild and rushes into things. Dex is more careful.

The Mars colony needs all its members to help with planting and harvesting crops

outside the dome.

The story is science fi ction because it takes place in the future, in a colony that

has been created on Mars. Unlike many other science fi ction stories, this story

deals with kids who are growing up and going to school in space.

The author includes the story to explain why Dex was afraid of the a-g unit. Dex

did not understand that his granddad was teasing him, and he could probably

imagine himself fl oating away in space too.

Possible responses shown.

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First Pass

English Language DevelopmentReading Support Check regularly on students’ oral reading to determine accuracy, fl uency, and comprehension.

Idioms The story includes idioms that might be unfamiliar. Explain the meaning of expressions such as population had mushroomed (page 3), stop bouncing off the walls (p. 8), and eyes were glued to the screen (page 10).

Oral Language DevelopmentCheck student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’ English profi ciency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.

Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced

Speaker 1: Who is this story mainly about?

Speaker 2: Dex

Speaker 1: How does Dex feel about being in the anti-gravity unit?

Speaker 2: scared

Speaker 1: How does Dex become a hero?

Speaker 2: by saving Jace

Speaker 1: What is Dex’s problem in this story?

Speaker 2: Dex is afraid of being in the weightless training unit.

Speaker 1: Why does Dex need to go into the weightless training unit?

Speaker 2: He needs to be able to help with farming activities outside the protective dome.

Speaker 1: How does Dex overcome his fear of the anti-gravity unit?

Speaker 2: Dex’s little brother Jace goes into the anti-gravity unit on his own and panics. When Dex sees Jace, he knows that he has to save him. He puts on a spacesuit and goes into the unit. He saves Jace and realizes that he wasn’t even scared.



Name Date

A Hero Weighs In Thinking Beyond the Text

Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in two paragraphs.

Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal knowledge to reach new understandings.

In this story, Dex becomes a hero. Why would you call Dex a hero? Do you think it was difficult for Dex to become a hero? Why or why not? Include details to support your answer.


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Lesson 25B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 2 5 . 8

Name Date

A Hero Weighs InCritical Thinking


Critical ThinkingRead and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text How are Jace and Dex different?

2. Think within the text What is the purpose of the required

training Ms. Luna is giving Dex?

3. Think beyond the text What features of this story make it

science fi ction? How is it like or unlike other science fi ction

stories you’ve read?

4. Think about the text Why do you think the author includes

Granddad’s story? What does it tell the reader about Dex?

Making Connections In this story, many things are done differently in the Mars colony. Think of an activity you like to do. Invent a new way to do the same activity on Mars in the future.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.


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001

Student Date Lesson 25

B L A C K L I N E M A S T E R 2 5 . 1 2

A Hero Weighs In • LEVEL S A Hero Weighs InRunning Record Form

Behavior Code Error

Read word correctly ✓cat 0

Repeated word, sentence, or phrase

®cat

0

Omission —cat 1

Behavior Code Error

Substitution cutcat 1

Self-corrects cut sccat 0

Insertion the

ˆcat 1

Word told Tcat 1

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

10 The following Thursday, everyone gathered at Mars Middle

School for family night. The teachers and students had worked

hard to arrange presentations.

In the cafeteria, seventh graders were demonstrating Planetary

Pizza, which was made with a super cheese called Mars Moos.

In the gymnasium, sixth graders were performing gymnastics

on space foam. (Some students bounced almost 40 feet into

the air.) In the library, fifth graders (including Dex) were using

the school’s space cams to take visitors on a virtual tour of

Pluto.

Mrs. Johnston, Dex’s granddad, and Jace had arrived just as

Dex’s class was about to begin their virtual tour.

Comments: Accuracy Rate (# words read correctly/102 ×

100)

%

Total Self- Corrections


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