Lessons & Units :: Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building 2nd Grade Unit

Paired Text Questions: "Ride of the Century" and Sky Boys

Lesson Plan

Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building | AD950L

Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building
Learning Goal
Integrate information from the non-fiction passage “Ride of the Century” and the book Sky Boys to write or speak more knowledgeably about historic construction projects.
Necessary Materials
Provided:
  1. Questions
  2. Non-fiction reading passage “Ride of the Century”

Not Provided:
Sky Boys
 
  • Questions 1 and 2 refer to the non-fiction passage “Ride of the Century.” Questions 3 and 4 refer to the book Sky Boys. Questions 5 and 6 refer to both the passage and the book.
  • Student versions of the questions are in the 'Texts & Materials' tab.
 
Part 1: “Ride of the Century”
 
Read the passage “Ride of the Century” out loud to your students. Alternatively, students can read the passage independently or as a group.
 
Question 1: Why was a subway system built in New York City?
 
Sample student answer: A subway system was built because city officials thought it would help people get around faster and move into outer areas.
 
Question 2: Is the subway system in New York City more or less important today than it was in 1900? Explain why.
 
Sample student answer (may vary): The subway system in New York City is more important today than it was in 1900. Back then it was one line used by 150,000 people a day. Now it is 24 lines used by 7.6 million people a day.
 

Part 2: Sky Boys

 
Reading aloud “A Note About the Story” on the next-to-last page of the book is recommended.
 
Question 3: Why was the Empire State Building built?
 
Sample student answer: Mr. Raskob wanted to build the tallest skyscraper in the world.
 
Question 4: Why was the Empire State Building a symbol, or sign, of hope?
 
Sample student answer (may vary): In dark times it showed that people could do anything.
 

Part 3: “Ride of the Century” and Sky Boys

 
Question 5: What are three ways the subway system and the Empire State Building are alike?
 
Sample student answer (may vary):
  • They were both built in New York City.
  • They were both built in the 20th century.
  • They are both important to the history of New York City.
 
Question 6: Think about what we read in “Ride of the Century” and Sky Boys. How can a big construction, or building, project change the way people live?
 
Students answer (may vary):
  • Building something can allow people to live in a new place.
  • Building something can give people hope.
  • Building something can make people proud.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

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User Comments

The lesson says use Ride of the Century but when I go to download it is Busy Beavers text. Can this be fixed?

Submitted by andersp on 7/14/16
Hello there! Thanks for pointing out the error. We have fixed this. Happy Teaching!
Submitted by ReadWorks Team on 8/16/16