A guide for using our resources

Students will compare ice-skating long ago with ice-skating today.

Vocabulary: blades, metal, rink

Social Studies Focus: long ago and today

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RI.1.1 key details; RI.1.4 vocabulary; RI.1.5 nonfi ction text features; RI.1.7 use visuals; RI.1.10 informational text; SL.1 participate in conversations

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

Paired Text: Bobby Orr and the Hand-MeDown Skates by Bobby Orr

  • This story follows hockey star Bobby Orr when he was a young boy and dreamed of having new ice skates.

Word Hunt: they, of, over

  • Write the word they so everyone can see it. Use a marker to circle the word they and challenge students to find and circle the word in the article.
  • Choose a different color marker and repeat for the words: of and over.

Comparison Chart: Long Ago and Today

  • Label the top of a chart with “long ago” and “today.” Write down guiding topics on the left: what skates look like; where people skate; why people skate.
  • As you read, record learned information in the chart.

Hands-On Activity: Ice-Skating Letter

Skill: key details, writing, drawing

Materials: skill sheet, pencil, markers

  • Students can imagine themselves as ice-skaters from long ago.
  • Pass out the skill sheet and ask students to recall what they learned from the article to write about iceskating many years ago.
  • Before students begin writing, ask guiding questions for them to consider: How long ago is it? Thousands of years ago? Hundreds of years ago? What would your ice skates be made of? Where would you be skating and why?
  • Students can also imagine what it would be like to live long ago and imagine what skates will look like in the future. What kind of ice skates would you wish to have?