Math Lesson

Ela Lesson

We will begin by reading a short passage, then we will answer the question.

Basketball Star LeBron James ew school in old neighborhood

Monday, July 30, was the first day of school for basketball superstar LeBron James. He was not one of the new students, though. James created a new school. It is in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. 

As a child, James didn't get the point of school. He felt like school did not mean anything. It was too far away. Sometimes, his mother had no car. He wasn't able to go to school those days. He missed 83 days of school in fourth grade. 

As he grew up, he learned how important school is. It helps people better their lives. This is why the basketball star and the LeBron James Family Foundation gave most of the money needed to start the school. 

Pt.2

Helping The Area Where He Grew Up 

This summer, James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, he wants to help the area where he grew up. 

At 8 a.m., 240 third- and fourth-grade students started at the I Promise School in Akron. It is less than an hour from Cleveland. The school aims to offer everything kids need when growing up low income like James did.

The students asked if "Mr. LeBron" was going to visit. Some parents who had lost jobs asked if the school could help them find new jobs. A homeless family asked if they could get help, too. 

The answers were yes, yes and yes. 

Pt.3

 

Working With Others To Meet Students' Needs 

Brandi Davis is the school principal. She said schools across the country can learn from her school. Davis said the school will offer "wraparound" help. This means the school works with others to meet the needs of students. They work with the family and friends. They also work with counselors. The students were randomly picked from a group whose reading levels were a year or two behind. 

Akron schools are some of the lowest-performing in Ohio. 

The school's "wraparound" services help reduce the worries many kids have. Their families often do not have enough money. The services help the families find jobs and housing. There is also a place to get meals. 

" 

Pt.4

Bicycles And Chromebook Computers 

When James grew up, he used his bicycle to avoid bad areas. So all the students get a bicycle. They also get a Chromebook computer. 

Teachers will also get help. The school gives teachers counseling if needed. James hired a trainer to help teachers work out. The school also provides all the supplies they need for teachers. 

At the end of the first day, James spoke to the school. A man shouted, "We love you!" 

"I love you too, man," James said. "No matter if I'm playing in Los Angeles or not, Akron, Ohio, is always home for me. Always.

Multiple Choice

1. Finish the sentence below.

One MAIN idea of the article is that ____.

• a. LeBron James is a famous basketball star from Ohio.

• b. LeBron James is the first basketball player to open a school.

• c. LeBron James is giving students bicycles and computers.

• d. LeBron James opened a school to help people from his hometown.

Multiple Choice

2. Which section from the article gives information about James' childhood?

• a. Introduction (paragraphs 1-3)

• b. “Helping the Area Where He Grew Up”

• c. “Working With Others to Meet Students’ Needs”

• d. “Bicycles and Chromebook Computers”

Open Ended

4. Would you like to attend the I Promise School? Why or why not? Use details from the text to support your answer.

"Sit back and relax while this robot mows your lawn"

This is the title of our next article

Passage pt.1

BEDFORD, Massachusetts — Robot vacuums have been around a while now. You might have seen one clean a living room. Maybe you wondered if a robot could cut your grass. Turns out, it can now. 

The company iRobot started by making the Roomba vacuum bot. It is an automated vacuum. It can be programmed to go around and clean the house. You don't have to spend time vacuuming now. 

For more than 10 years, iRobot had also worked on making a robotic lawn mower. It's finally finished. 

"Honestly, this robot drove me insane," said Colin Angle. He's the head of iRobot. Angle was showing off the mower called Terra on January 30. Angle said he was dead set on finishing this product. 

 

passage Pt.2

 Many Headaches 

The mower is flat and square. It looks simple. Still, creating the mower included many headaches. There were dead-end tests. There were challenges from astronomers studying space. 

iRobot started selling Roombas in 2002. Teaching a robot its way around an American yard was harder than inside a house.

The engineers tried everything. They also had to keep the mower a secret all these years, testing it behind tall walls at iRobot's office. 

.

Pt.3

The first problem was helping the robot know where it is. It can't get lost and miss spots in the yard. Satellite based GPS systems didn't work. Trees and houses blocked GPS, Angle said. 

The computer sight powering Roombas didn't work outside, either. Leaves and dirt blocked camera lenses. "We had given up," Angle said. "We probably gave up twice." 

Since 2016, iRobot has sold almost only vacuums. It does sell the Braava robotic mop. The mop isn't a big  seller, though. 

Robotic mowers became popular in Europe. That gave iRobot hope. There are differences, though. People set  up wires around their yards there. Like a fence, wires keep the robo-mowers in the yard. 

Pt.4

Angle said that works well in Germany. Backyards there are small, flat and box-shaped. That doesn't work in  the United States. Yards are larger. They have hills and curves, too. Angle's engineers finally tried using radio signals. It worked. The signals guide the mowers around the yard. Still, that idea upset astronomers. They said the radio signals could cause problems with their studies of space. 

The U.S. government's Federal Communication Commission approved iRobot's plan, though. The Commission  is called FCC for short. It is in charge of overseeing services like TV, the Internet and radio. 

pt.5

Cuts The Yard Every Day 

The quiet mower works slowly. Instead of the normal once-a-week cut, though, Terra can cut the yard every  day. 

The robot will first be sold in Germany. Terra will arrive in the United States in 2020. iRobot hasn't listed Terra's price yet. Some robotic mowers cost more than $1,000.

Multiple Choice

1. Read the section "Many Headaches."

Which detail explains why it was hard to make a robotic mower for yards in the U.S.?

• A. It looks simple. Still, creating the mower included many headaches.

• B. Backyards are small, flat, and box-shaped.

• C. Yards are larger. They have hills and curves, too.

• D. It is in charge of overseeing services like TV, the internet, and radio.

Multiple Choice

2. Read the paragraph from the section "Many Headaches."

Select the paragraph from the section that explains how engineers solved the problem of guiding the robotic mowers.

• a. iRobot started selling Roombas in 2002. Teaching a robot its way around an American yard was harder than inside a house.

• b. The first problem was helping the robot know where it is. It can’t get lost and miss spots in the yard. Satellite-based GPS systems didn’t work. Trees and houses blocked GPS.

• c. Since 2016, iRobot has sold almost only vacuums. It does sell the Braava robotic mop. The mop isn’t a big seller, though.

• d. Angie’s engineers finally tried using radio signals. It worked. The signals guide the mowers around the yard.

Multiple Choice

3. What does the article’s introduction (paragraphs 1-4) show the reader?

• a. A comparison between a robot vacuum and a robot mower

• b. A list of steps in the process of inventing a robot mower

• c. A description of the problems with owning a robot mower

• d. A series of ways lawns can be affected by a robot mower

Open Ended

4. Do you think robotic machines like robotic vacuums and robotic lawn mowers are a good idea? Why or why not?