5 4 5 strange sports with weird gear TG

5.4.5

Strange Sports
with Weird Gear
SUMMARY

This book discusses strange sports
that use unusual gear. It describes the sports
of curling, rhythmic gymnastics, and jai alai.

LESSON VOCABULARY

bluish
gymnastics
limelight
somersault
wincing

cartwheels
hesitation
skidded
throbbing

INTRODUCE THE BOOK
INTRODUCE THE TITLE AND AUTHOR

Discuss with
students the title and the author of Strange
Sports with Weird Gear. Based on the photos,
ask students what kind of information they
think this book will provide.

BUILD BACKGROUND

Discuss students’ favorite sports. Ask them to name some unusual
sports they know and describe why they think
they are unusual.
Ask students to describe a favorite
sport that is popular in their culture. Ask them
to describe how the sport is played and tell if
there is anything unusual about it.
PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES

As students
preview the book, action shots of sports will
probably immediately attract their interest.
Have students look at the photographs and
read the captions. Ask them how the photographs help them visualize what the author
is describing.

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DRAW CONCLUSIONS
VISUALIZE

READ THE BOOK
SET PURPOSE

Have students set a purpose
for reading Strange Sports with Weird Gear.
Keeping the author’s purpose in mind should
guide this idea.

STRATEGY SUPPORT: VISUALIZE

As students read
about unusual sports, visualizing gives them
a chance to combine what they already know
about sports with the new information about
sports in this book. Visualizing can also help
them compare and contrast different sports.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
PAGE 11

What conclusions can you draw about
why changes in curling were made? (Changes
were made because the curling stone used to
be very heavy and hard to get down the ice. It
was hard on the players.)

PAGE 12 What are the two main parts of rhythmic gymnastics? (dancing and gymnastics)
PAGE 23

What gear do jai alai players wear?
(wooden basket, gloves, and a helmet)

PAGE 20

What effect would playing jai alai with
no equipment have on its players? (The game
would be much harder and the players could

easily get hurt.)

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REVISIT THE BOOK
READER RESPONSE
1. Jai alai, curling, rhythmic gymnastics
2. Jai alai, because of the crack of the ball
against the wall and baskets
3. The suffix changes the meaning of each
word by converting an action verb to an
adjective.
4. Responses will vary.
EXTEND UNDERSTANDING

As students look at
the photographs, ask them why certain photos
interest them more than others. Ask students
how specific photographs aid in their understanding of the text.

RESPONSE OPTIONS
WRITING

Suggest that students choose one
of the sports in this book and imagine what

it would be like to play it. Have them write a
brief description of the experience using vivid
details.

SOCIAL STUDIES
CONNECTION
Students can learn
more about these or
other sports that interest them by
researching them on the Internet or at
the library.

Skill Work
TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY
Divide students into small groups. Have
each group write a funny sentence using
each vocabulary word correctly. Then have
each group read its sentences, leaving out
the vocabulary word. Have other groups race
to find which vocabulary word fits into the
sentence.

TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY
DRAW CONCLUSIONS

Remind students
that a conclusion is a sensible decision
reached after thinking about details or facts
in what is read. As they read, have students
write down important details about each

sport. Ask them to draw conclusions about
each sport based on the facts.
VISUALIZE Remind students that to
visualize is to create a picture in the mind.
As students read, suggest that they visualize
what it would be like to play each sport.

ADDITIONAL SKILL INSTRUCTION
CAUSE AND EFFECT

Remind students that
cause tells why something happened and
effect tells what happened. As students
read, have them think about what effects
the sports gear had on its players and how
they played the game.

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Name

Strange Sports

Draw Conclusions
A conclusion is a sensible decision reached after thinking about details or facts in what is read.

Directions Based on the equipment used in each sport, answer the following questions.

1. Does curling take a lot of strength?

2. Are rhythmic gymnasts hurt easily?

3. Can jai alai be dangerous?

4. Why are the ropes used by rhythmic gymnasts often made to look like snakes?

© Pearson Education 5

5. Which of the three sports would you like to try? Why?

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Strange Sports

Name

Vocabulary
Directions Write the word from the box that best matches each definition.

Check the Words You Know
bluish
gymnastics
limelight
somersault
wincing

cartwheels
hesitation
skidded
throbbing

1. the focus of attention
2. a touch of blue
3. exercises that use strength, agility, and coordination
4. shrinking one’s face or body in pain or disgust
5. slid
6. rolling over by turning heels over head
7. a pause
8. sideways handsprings

© Pearson Education 5

9. pulsating or beating strongly

10. Write a sentence using any vocabulary word from the box.

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