Jumping to the Fire Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will characterize Naomi Mills, a smokejumper who works with a team to extinguish forest fires.

 

Social Studies Focus:

community workers

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, writing, character traits

 

Page 4 Skill:

read a diagram

 

Vocabulary:

smokejumpers, extinguish

 

CCSS:

RI.2.1 key details; RI.2.2 identify the main topic; RI.2.4 determine meaning of words; RI.2.7 diagrams; RF.2.4 read on-level texts; W.2.2 writing; SL.2.1 collaborative conversations; SL.2.3 ask and answer questions

 

Lexile Level:

490L

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Provide students with some background on firefighter jobs.

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video "Be a Fire Safety Expert." After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What is one thing you learned about fire safety?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue and discuss the cover. Can students predict who will put out the fire in the middle of the forest? What clues can be gathered from the cover?
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on page 2: “Think about why being a smokejumper is hard work.” Encourage children to think about this prompt as they read.

Read together (20 min.)

Pass out the Read and Think printable. Use it to check comprehension as you read the issue together, pausing to ask the questions. 

Review vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are smokejumpers and extinguish.

Assessment: Reading Quiz

Pass out the Reading Quiz to review key concepts from the issue and assess students’ proficiency on key nonfiction reading skills.

Send a Girl! The True Story of How Women Joined the FDNY by Jessica Rinker (20 min.)

All readers will enjoy this true story of perseverence and grit. Imagine thinking a woman isn’t courageous, brave, or strong enough to be a firefighter! Meet Brenda Berkman, who proved women can be firefighters!

  • Students can practice identifying firefighter tools and other items found at a firehouse with the “Firehouse Search and Find” game.

You can use our printable worksheets to focus on important ELA skills. Here’s how.

ELA Focus: Vocabulary (15 min.)

  • Use the Word Work printable to deepen students’ understanding of the words smokejumpers and extinguish. 

Editor’s Pick: Writing (15 min.)

  • Students can imagine they are smokejumpers and recall details from the article by answering Scholastic News’s interview questions with the Be the Smokejumper! skill sheet.

ELA Focus: Character Traits (15 min.)

  • The What is Naomi Mills Like? skill sheet provides scaffolding for students to identify Naomi Mills’s character traits and back them up with examples.

Here are two past issues you can use to extend your lesson on firefighter jobs:

  • “Firefighter Jobs,” October 2017. Students will discover the different jobs that firefighters do.
  • "Saved From the Smoke,” October 2019. Students will examine how a high-tech tool helps firefighters do their job safely.

You can find a higher-Lexile-level and a lower-Lexile-level version of the article online here:

  • Higher-Lexile level: 590L
  • Lower-Lexile level: 430L