HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. 2-Lesson 14Few people would have thought that Wilma Rudolph would grow up to
become a track star. When she was young, Wilma had to overcome diffi cult
challenges in her life. She worked hard to face those challenges and beat them.
Wilma Rudolph was born in Tennessee in 1940. As a child, she had many
illnesses. One of these illnesses was polio. The polio damaged Wilma’s legs.
She could not walk. Doctors thought that Wilma would never walk again.
Eventually, she got better. But one of her legs was very weak. Wilma could
only walk with the help of a metal leg brace and special shoes.
Wilma’s family would not let her give up hope. Her brothers and sisters
rubbed her weak leg to help it grow stronger. Wilma’s mother helped her do
leg-lifting exercises. Wilma worked hard to walk again. By the time she was
twelve years old, she could walk without her leg brace and special shoes.
That’s when Wilma decided that she wanted to play sports.
In high school, Wilma became a basketball star. She was a fast runner
and scored many points. One day, a college track coach saw Wilma play
basketball. He asked her to run with his track team at the college. Wilma
began to train with the college team. She was very fast.
When Wilma was only sixteen years old, she made the Olympic track and
fi eld team. The Olympics is a worldwide contest. The best athletes from
countries around the world compete at different sports.
Wilma returned from her fi rst Olympic games with a bronze medal. Her team,
the USA, had come in third place in a relay race. But Wilma knew she could
succeed and earn a gold medal. She knew that she could come in fi rst place.
For four years, Wilma trained hard at the college. In 1960, she made the
USA Olympic team again. She ran so fast that she defeated all the opposing
athletes. None of the women who ran against Wilma could beat her.
Wilma came home in triumph. She was the fi rst American woman to earn
three gold medals at the Olympics. She was such a star that her hometown
held a parade for her.
Wilma spent the rest of her life working as a teacher and coach. Her story
continues to bring hope to young athletes around the world.
COMPREHENSION In what ways did Wilma face challenges in her life?
What words help you understand what Wilma was like as an athlete?
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Laura Ingalls Wilder was a beloved author of young adult books. She is best known
for her “Little House” series, which includes Little House on the Prairie and On the Banks
of Plum Creek. These stories are based on Laura’s real-life experiences growing up in the
Midwest.
Laura Ingalls was born in Wisconsin on February 7, 1867. There, she lived with her
family in a little log cabin. The cabin was in a spot that was known as the Big Woods.
When Laura was a child, her family moved many times.
When Laura was a baby, her family moved to the state of Missouri. But they didn’t stay
there long. One year later, they moved to Kansas. Laura’s parents devoted themselves to
making a nice home for their family. They worked hard to build a house. They also planted
crops for food. But before long, the Ingalls family moved back to the Big Woods.
Laura and her sister were glad to be back in the Big Woods. Their grandparents,
aunts, uncles, and cousins lived there. The children were happy playing with their
cousins and going to school.
But a few years later, the Ingalls family moved again, to Walnut Grove, Minnesota.
The family lived in Walnut Grove for about fi ve years. Laura felt a great affection for the
town. She loved Walnut Grove. Laura’s book On the Banks of Plum Creek is based on
the family’s life there.
Later, when she was fi fteen years old, Laura started teaching school. Then she
married a man named Almanzo Wilder. They soon had a daughter named Rose. The
fi rst years of their marriage were diffi cult. Farming was hard, and Almanzo got very
sick. He couldn’t work very much anymore. So the Wilders had to move. They found a
home in Missouri. They appreciated the new chance. Laura began writing for magazines
and newspapers. And she told her daughter stories about her life.
When Rose grew older, she became a famous writer. Rose always remembered her
mother’s stories. She told Laura that children would enjoy reading her stories, too. So
Laura wrote her fi rst book, Little House in the Big Woods, about where she grew up in
Wisconsin. The book is fi lled with emotional stories of Laura’s early life. It was published
in 1932. Laura later wrote seven more books. She endeared herself to readers all over
the world. People loved her, and to this day, they still do.
COMPREHENSION What words help you understand that this passage is
about someone people loved? How would you describe Laura Ingalls Wilder?
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