HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. 1-Lesson 5Have you ever seen a building that is so tall, it looks like it stretches up high
into the sky? These buildings are called skyscrapers. Thousands of people can live
or work in these tall buildings. Some skyscrapers can hold as many people as a
large town or a small city does. All these people must have water and electricity.
They must have heat and air conditioning. They must have stairs and elevators.
Because of this, building a skyscraper is a huge job with many important steps.
The planning for a skyscraper must be done very slowly and carefully. A
lot of work must be done before anyone can start to build. The architects, or
people who decide what the building will look like, need to ask themselves many
questions like these: Will the skyscraper be tall and skinny? Will it be short and
wide? How many windows will it have? How many stairs and elevators will it need?
Then the architects must answer all these questions. They draw pictures and
compose a plan to show what the skyscraper will look like.
Once the skyscraper has been designed, the builders have a plan. They know
what the skyscraper will look like when it is done. But now they have to build it.
Many people will help build the skyscraper. They will do many different jobs. So
the builders plan out what each of these workers will do.
Finally, the skyscraper can be built! The builders have to follow each step of the
plan in the right order. They cannot make any mistakes; if they do, the skyscraper
might not be a safe place. First, the workers dig a deep hole. They must dig
until they fi nd solid rock to build on. Then the builders place footings in the hole.
Footings are like big pads. They help to keep the weight of the skyscraper
even on each side so it doesn’t tip. Next, a frame is built. The frame is made of
concrete and strong steel beams. Slowly, workers add fl oors and walls to the
frame. Then they add wires and pipes for the water and electricity.
Soon the skyscraper is fi nished. It looks just like it did in the architects’ plan!
The building is ready for people or businesses to move in.
People are building new skyscrapers all over the world. Do you think you would
like to help build a skyscraper someday in the future?
COMPREHENSION What words help you understand the steps people
follow to build a skyscraper? Why does it take a lot of planning to build a
skyscraper?
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“Let’s use the seesaw fi rst,” said Jon to his sister, Nicole.
“OK, but then I want to try the swings,” replied Nicole.
Jon and Nicole had spent all morning helping their parents unpack. They were
ready to explore their new neighborhood, and Mom had agreed to take them to
the playground.
When they got to the playground, the children froze. This was not the playground
they had expected to fi nd. The swings were missing and the seesaw was broken.
The climbing structure needed to be painted, and many of the boards on it were
broken. There was no sand in the sandbox. Tall weeds grew everywhere, and the
whole place needed to be cleared of trash. There was no way that anyone could
play there.
Mom, Jon, and Nicole decided to go home and think about a way to fi x the
playground. “Why don’t we ask our new neighbors to help?” Mom suggested. “If
we work together, I bet we can fi x up that playground in one day.”
They got right to work talking to their neighbors and handing out fl iers. The
neighbors were also excited about the idea! Some offered to bring supplies like
trash bags, rakes, gloves, hammers, nails, shovels, and paintbrushes. Others gave
them money to buy paint, sand, wood, swings, and fl ower seeds. Everyone agreed
to clean up the playground the following Saturday.
When the day arrived, almost everyone in the neighborhood came to help. A
few of the adults started tearing down the broken wood. Jon and Nicole’s dad
sharpened his saw and cut new pieces of wood. Other adults painted the climbing
structure, put up the new swings, fi lled the sandbox, and repaired the seesaw.
Children picked up the trash and planted a fl ower garden.
The day was a huge success. The labor was tiring, but all the neighbors agreed
that the hard work was worth it. They laughed and shared stories and got to know
each other better. And in no time at all, the new playground was a clean and safe
place for children to gather and play.
COMPREHENSION What words in the story tell you the playground needs
fi xing? How do the neighbors work together to solve a problem?
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