Lesson Plan - 2024 Year in Review

Watch the Video
Watch “What You Need to Know About Hurricanes” and ask: What damage can a hurricane cause? Then watch “Simone’s Moves” and discuss why many say Simone Biles is the “greatest of all time.”

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• splintered
• stressful

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about which 2024 news event they think was most important.

1. Based on the article, why do many sports fans call Simone Biles “the GOAT”?
Many sports fans call Simone Biles “the GOAT” because she has won 11 Olympic medals. That’s more than any other American gymnast.
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2. According to Miles Kexel, how was his town affected by Hurricane Helene?
Miles Kexel explains that his town—Asheville, North Carolina—was seriously damaged by Hurricane Helene. Miles says that the storm knocked down trees and power lines, broke telephone poles, and caused bridges to cave in. He notes that the hurricane caused people to lose electricity, cell service, and water.
^{(RI.3.7 Cause and Effect)}

3. What are three facts you can learn from the map on page 7?
Sample response: You can learn from the map that Hurricane Helene traveled through three states, that Hurricane Milton traveled through Florida, and that both storms came from the Gulf of Mexico.
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FEATURED SKILL: Vocabulary
How well do your students recall this year’s Words to Know? Find out by having them complete the crossword on the skill builder “Words to Remember.”
^{(RI.3.4 Vocabulary)}