Image of a purple monster truck next to a red sports car
Shutterstock.com (All Images)
Alike and Different,

Which Do You Want to Drive? Monster Truck or Race Car?

Monster trucks are big. Race cars are fast. They are both fun to drive! You are a kid. But you can dream. Which one would you like to drive?

By Erin Kelly
From the December 2023/January 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will identify similarities and differences between race cars and monster trucks.

Lexiles: 380L
Featured Skill: Comparing Texts,
Vocabulary: flames, wheelie, engine, sleek, racetrack
Common Core Standards
  • RI.1.3 Describe the connection between two ideas or pieces of information in a text RI.1.5 Know and use various text features to locate information in a text RI.1.6 Distinguish between information from words and information from images RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas RI.1.9 Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic RI.1.10 Read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1 SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade-1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups L.1.4.A Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase
TEKS Standards
  • Social Studies (15) Science, technology, and society. The student identifies individuals who created or invented new technology and understands how technology affects daily life, past and present. The student is expected to: (B) describe how technology has affected communication, transportation, and recreation.

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clickable image of nosey, the dachshund, with instructions to click and listen to the article

Monster Trucks Rule!

Do you want to drive a monster truck?

Cool Looks

Image of a monster truck crushing two cars

Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images

Wow! Your monster truck looks cool. It has flames on it. It has four TALL tires. They are taller than you.


Fun Moves

In your monster truck, you drive over cars. The tall tires crush the cars! 

Now you do a wheelie. The front wheels lift off the ground.  


A Great Feeling

Image of a Monster Truck performing a Wheelie

Marcelo Chello/ZUMAPRESS.com/Newscom

You spin your monster truck. The fans all cheer. 

The engine is loud. But you don’t care. You are driving a monster truck. There is nothing better. 


Race Cars Rule!

Do you want to drive a race car?

Cool Looks

Photo of a sport car driver racing fast

Joe Portlock - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

Race cars zoom around a racetrack.

Your car has a sleek shape. This lets it go super fast! It has four fat tires. They grip the racetrack.  


Fun Moves

You race around the track. Your car goes 200 miles an hour! 

Now you want to pass another car. Just push a button. You zoom past it. See ya!


A Great Feeling

Image of a sports car driver cheering and wearing full gear

Shutterstock.com

You race faster now. The fans all cheer. 

The car is hot inside. But you don’t care. You are driving a race car. There is nothing better.


PDF
Close-Reading Questions

Answer close-reading questions about the article “A Night of Danger.”
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Multimedia
video (1)
Video
Skill Power: Compare and Contrast

Skill Power: Compare and Contrast
Slideshows (1)
Slideshow
Vocabulary Slideshow: What Do You Want To Drive?

<p>Unlock challenging vocabulary words with great visual and audio support.</p>

Vocabulary Slideshow: What Do You Want To Drive?

Unlock challenging vocabulary words with great visual and audio support.

1 of 6
Activities (0) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities

More About the Article

English Language Arts Focus

Compare and contrast

Science Focus

Engineering and technology

Vocabulary

flames, wheelie, engine, sleek, racetrack

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

Whole Group; Small Group

Pairings and Text Connections

  • From the Storyworks archive: "Picture This: Go, LEGO Car!,”  September 2023; “Picture This: From First Car to Flying Car,” December 2022/January 2023
  • Suggested books: Fly Guy Presents: Monster Trucks by Tedd Arnold; I’m Fast by Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan

Before-Reading Resources

  • Video: Skill Power-Compare and Contrast (5 minutes) This fun how-to video explains how and why we compare and contrast.
  • Vocabulary Slideshow (5 minutes) flames, wheelie, engine, sleek, racetrack

Suggested Reading Focus

Compare information from text and images (20 minutes)
  • Tell children they will be comparing monster trucks  and race cars. They will look  in the text and at the photographs to find ways the vehicles are the same and different.
  • Starting with the first category (Cool Looks), discuss how each vehicle is the same and different. 
  • Compare the monster truck  and race car photos. What information can you learn by looking at the photos? 
  • Compare the monster truck  and race car photos. What information can you learn by looking at the photos? 

After-Reading Skills Practice

  • Skills: Compare/contrast (15 minutes)

Extension Activity

Skills: Making words (10 minutes)

  • Write the phrase “monster truck” on chart paper. Tell students to mix up the letters in the words to make new words. They can use some or all of the letters (e.g., ten, rest, run, rot) to make their words How many can they make?
  • Then repeat with “race car.”

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