LESSON 2 TEACHER’S GUIDE

The Apollo Moon Rocks

by Luna Fracchia

Fountas-Pinnell Level R
Informational Text
Selection Summary
Since ancient times, people have been curious about the moon.
Scientists have studied the moon and astronauts have traveled to the
moon to collect moon rocks and dirt. Next, scientists hope to send
people to live on the moon.
Number of Words: 1,430

Characteristics of the Text

Genre • Informational text
Text Structure • Information presented in ten short sections
Content • Moon exploration
• Similarities and differences between Earth and the moon
Themes and Ideas • For centuries, people have been curious about the moon
• Space exploration opens new doors to understanding the universe
Language and • Description but no figurative use of language
Literary Features
Sentence Complexity • Some dependent clauses
• A few longer sentences: “This diagram shows how the moon seems to change shape from
day to day as it moves across the sky.”
Vocabulary • Technical vocabulary: orbits, astronauts, command module
Words • Some three-syllable words: operator, astronauts, communicated
Illustrations • Photographs and other graphic features (diagrams, timeline)
Book and Print Features • Table of contents
• Twelve pages of text
• Bulleted text for moon facts
• Callouts in different color type indicate key points
• Captions and labels for illustrations
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

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 The Apollo Moon Rocks by Luna Fracchia

Build Background
Help students use their knowledge about the moon to visualize the selection. Build
interest by asking a question such as the following: What about the moon interests you
the most? Read the title and author and talk about the cover photograph. Explain that this
informational text provides facts about the moon and space travel to the moon.

Introduce the Text

Guide 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:
Page 3: Tell students that this selection describes what people have learned about
the moon. Suggested language: Turn to page 3. The chapter heading tells us that
the moon was once a mystery to people on Earth. What do you think early peoples
wondered about the moon?
Pages 4–5: Explain that people studied the moon. Suggested language: Look at
the bulleted list on page 4. The list includes facts that people learned about the
moon. One thing they learned was why the moon seems to change. Look at the
diagram on page 5. What about the moon seems to change?
Pages 6–7: Explain that in 1969, astronauts traveled by spaceship to the moon.
Two of them landed on the moon. The third, Michael Collins, was the operator of
the control module, the part that remained in space. What do you think were the
responsibilities of the operator?
Now turn back to the beginning to read more about what people have learned by
studying the moon.

acute – extremely sharp or keen
adjusted – changed and
improved, p. 7
axis – a real or an imaginary
straight line that goes through
the center of a spinning object,
p. 4
delicate – fragile
Target Vocabulary
flawed – has mistakes
function – to work or operate,
p. 14
operator – someone whose job is
to use or control a machine or
vehicle, p. 6
simulate – to imitate something
in a way that is very close to
the real thing, p. 7
tethered – tied to something else
to keep it in a limited area
version – a form of something
that varies from other forms of
the same thing

Grade 5 2 Lesson 2: The Apollo Moon Rocks

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 Read
Have 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 ask questions as

they read.

Discuss and Revisit the Text

Personal Response
Invite students to share their personal responses to the text.
Suggested language: If you had the opportunity, would you want to travel to the moon?
Why or why not?

Ways of Thinking
As you discuss the text, help students understand these points:
Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text
• By studying photographs, • Wondering about something • The chapter headings indicate
scientists learned how the moon can inspire people to learn more the content.
moved in the sky. about it.
• Captions for photographs,
• By studying samples of moon • The more people have learned callouts, and bullets stand out as
rock dirt, scientists learned about about the moon, the more they they appear in a different color
the surface of the moon, how old want to know. font.
the moon is, and the type of rock
• Science and technology have • The timeline and diagrams
the moon is made of.
aided and supported moon organize and portray information
• Scientists have also been able to research. clearly.
compare and contrast the moon
and Earth.
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.

Choices for Further Support

• Fluency Invite students to choral read and interpret the text with their voices.
Remind them to read at a rate that is appropriate to the text, a rate that is not too
fast or too slow.
• 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. Have students identify the base word and the suffixes in the
word weightlessness. Discuss the meaning of the word parts and the meaning of the
word. Have students identify the base words and prefixes and/or suffixes in order
to explain the meanings of the following words: endless, unanswered, unmanned,
youngest, and constantly.

Grade 5 3 Lesson 2: The Apollo Moon Rocks

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 Writing about Reading
Critical Thinking
Have students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 2.7.

Responding
Have 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 Skill

Text and Graphic Features Remind students that they can use the
information provided in the graphic features to help them better understand what they
read in the text. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a “Think Aloud”
like the one below:

Think Aloud

The dates at each end of the timeline are 1950 and 2000. Each text box
along the timeline is labeled with a date, and the dates go in order from
left to right. Photographs illustrate the information in most of the text
boxes. So, the purpose of this timeline is to show the key events of moon
exploration from 1950 to 2000. Add this purpose to the chart.

Practice the Skill

Have students share examples of other selections they have read that have included
graphic features to support the text.

Writing Prompt: Thinking About the Text

Have students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when
they think about the text, they reflect back on the text. They should notice and evaluate
language, genre, literary devices, and how the text is organized.

Assessment Prompts
• This selection is mainly about

________________________________________________________________.
• How does the author organize the information in this selection?
• Which sentences on page 12 support the idea that Earth is different from the moon?

Grade 5 4 Lesson 2: The Apollo Moon Rocks

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 English Language Development
Reading Support Pair advanced and intermediate readers to read the selection softly,
or have students listen to the audio or online recordings. Remind students that the word
Apollo in the title refers to the name of the many space missions made to study the moon.

Vocabulary The text includes some words that might be unfamiliar to students. Explain
the meaning of words such as reflects (page 4), phases (page 5), mission (page 6), and
samples (page 9). Discuss these words in context. Then have students use the words in
sentences.

Oral Language Development

Check student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’
English proficiency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.
Beginning/Early Intermediate
Speaker 1: What is this selection
mostly about?
Speaker 2: the moon
Speaker 1: What word names people
who travel on space missions?
Speaker 2: astronauts
Speaker 1: What did astronauts collect
to learn about the moon?
Speaker 2: moon rocks and dirt
Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced
Speaker 1: What is one way that the Speaker 1: What methods have
moon is similar to Earth? scientists used to learn about the
moon?
Speaker 2: Earth and the moon are both
made of the same rock materials. Speaker 2: They have taken and
studied photographs of the
Speaker 1: What is one way that the moon. Astronauts have gathered
moon is different from Earth? moon rocks and dirt to study.
Speaker 2: Moon rocks don’t change, Speaker 1: How do scientists
but rocks on Earth are changing all the
hope to study the moon in the
time. future?
Speaker 2: They hope to be able
to live on the moon in order to
study it.
Lesson 2
BLACKLINE MASTER 2.7
Name Date

Critical Thinking The Apollo Moon Rocks

Critical Thinking

Read and answer the questions. Possible responses shown.

1. Think within the text Why does the moon look like it changes
shape?
because of the way light falls on it

2. Think within the text How are the Earth and moon the same?
They have the same structure and are made of the same rock.

3. Think beyond the text Describe how you think the astronauts felt
about their experience on the moon. Include what you think their
feelings were about completing the many tasks and walking on the
moon.
I think they were excited to be the first people on the moon and

proud to do such an important job.

4. Think about the text Explain how the headings and pictures help
you to understand the story.
The headings tell what the sections are about, and the pictures
help you visualize moon travel.

Making Connections Scientists plan to return to the moon in 2020 and have
humans stay. Imagine you will be on that team, and write about what you
think it would be like to live on the moon. Describe what you would see and
hear. Discuss what you think would happen while you were there.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Critical Thinking 9 Grade 5, Unit 1: School Spirit!

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 Name Date

The Apollo Moon Rocks

Thinking About the Text
Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in one to two
paragraphs.

Remember that when you think about the text, you reflect back on the text.
You notice and evaluate language, genre, literary devices, and how the text
is organized.

The author of this selection included graphic sources such as diagrams and
a timeline, and used captions and labels to describe them. Why do you think
the author decided to present some information this way? Choose one of the
graphic features used in this selection and explain how it clarified
information for you.

Grade 5 6 Lesson 2: The Apollo Moon Rocks

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 Lesson 2
BLACKLINE MASTER 2.7
Name Date

Critical Thinking The Apollo Moon Rocks

Critical Thinking

Read and answer the questions.

1. Think within the text Why does the moon look like it changes
shape?

2. Think within the text How are the Earth and moon the same?

3. Think beyond the text Describe how you think the astronauts felt
about their experience on the moon. Include what you think their
feelings were about completing the many tasks and walking on the
moon.

4. Think about the text Explain how the headings and pictures help
you to understand the story.

Making Connections Scientists plan to return to the moon in 2020 and have
humans stay. Imagine you will be on that team, and write about what you think
it would be like to live on the moon. Describe what you would see and hear.
Discuss what you think would happen while you were there.

Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.

Grade 5 7 Lesson 2: The Apollo Moon Rocks

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 Lesson 2
Student Date BLACKLINE MASTER 2.11

The Apollo Moon Rocks • LEVEL R The Apollo Moon Rocks

Running Record Form

page Selection Text Errors Self-Corrections

6 For centuries, people dreamed about traveling to the moon.

In 1969, this dream became a reality. The American space

mission Apollo 11 carried the first human beings to the moon.

After a four-day trip through space, astronauts Neil Armstrong

and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., landed on the moon’s surface. A

third astronaut, Michael Collins, remained in orbit. Collins was

the operator of the command module. The command module

would take the astronauts home.

7 The landing module remained on the moon’s surface for

21 hours and 38 minutes. Outside the module, the astronauts

quickly adjusted to walking on the moon.

Comments: Accuracy Rate Total Self-

(# words read Corrections
correctly/99 × 100)
%

Behavior Code Error Behavior Code Error

1414248

Substitution cut 1
Read word correctly ✓ 0 cat
cat
Self-corrects cut sc 0
cat
Repeated word, ® 0
sentence, or phrase cat Insertion the 1
cat
—
ˆ
Omission cat 1 Word told T 1
cat

Grade 5 8 Lesson 2: The Apollo Moon Rocks

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