High-Interest/Low-Readability Nonfiction Amazing People by Kathryn Wheeler Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Inc. Greensboro, North Carolina
Credits Editors: Ashley Anderson and Carrie Fox Layout Design: Van Harris Inside Illustrations: Nick Greenwood Exploring the Arctic The Arctic is filled with danger. Many people wanted to be the first to stand at the North Pole. By the beginning of the 1900s, more than 800 explorers had died trying to get there. An explorer named Robert Peary was sure that his team could make it. He might not have been so sure if he had not had the help of Matthew Henson. Henson was an experienced guide and explorer who worked for Peary. Henson had spent years learning about this cold, frozen world. He knew the language of the Inuit, the native people of the Arctic. He knew how to build igloos. He knew how to hunt for food in the snow and ice. He even knew how to drive a dogsled team. Cover Design and Illustration: Nick Greenwood Each time Peary and Henson tried to reach the North Pole, something stopped them. One time, they almost starved to death. Another time, they could not reach the North Pole because the ice had melted. Peary lost eight of his toes because of frostbite. It seemed that they would never succeed. In 1908, Peary said that his team would try one last time. He insisted that Henson go with the team. Peary was sure that they could not make it without Henson. So, Matthew Henson prepared for another trip to the frozen world of the Arctic. Henson planned their trip very carefully. This time, the team left stores of food in igloos along the way. They would eat this food on the way back. Henson was the best dogsled driver on the team. So, he took the lead. He made a trail for the others. On April 6, 1909, Matthew Henson waited for the other sleds to catch up. He did not need to go any farther. He was standing at the very top of the world. Henson, Peary, and their crew had made it to the North Pole. They were the first people to triumph over this world of ice and snow. 25 2007, Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Inc., Greensboro, North Carolina 27425. The purchase of this material entitles the buyer to reproduce worksheets and activities for classroom use only not for commercial resale. Reproduction of these materials for an entire school or district is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced (except as noted above), stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (mechanically, electronically, recording, etc.) without the prior written consent of Carson-Dellosa Publishing Co., Inc. Printed in the USA All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-60418-408-2
Table of Contents Introduction........................................................ 4 Warrior Queen Isabella of Castile.................................... 5 Golf Champion Tiger Woods........................................ 7 Painter in Danger Elisabeth Vigée-LeBrun........................... 9 Speaking for Animals Henry Bergh.................................11 A Mind for New Ideas Thomas Edison.............................. 13 A Voice for Democracy Aung San Suu Kyi.......................... 15 Music of the World Yo-Yo Ma...................................... 17 An Uphill Ride Lance Armstrong................................... 19 A Brave Conductor Harriet Tubman................................ 21 Balancing Act Charles Blondin..................................... 23 Exploring the Arctic Matthew Henson............................. 25 Saving History Sima Qian......................................... 27 The Sun at the Center Galileo Galilei.............................. 29 Racing for the Story Nellie Bly..................................... 31 Secrets of the Sea Robert Ballard.................................. 34 Guiding Star Sacagawea........................................... 37 On the Road for 30 Years Abu Ibn Battuta.......................... 40 When Harry Was Born J. K. Rowling................................ 43 The Unbroken Code World War II Code Talkers..................... 46 A Flying Team Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh..... 49 End of the Darkness Helen Keller.................................. 52 Trapped in Antarctica Ernest Shackleton........................... 55 Record Setters..................................................... 59 Answer Key........................................................ 63
Warrior Queen For 10 years, the army fought. It won the kingdom of Granada piece by piece. And, at the head of the army was a woman. She wore armor. She rode a white horse. She was a warrior and a queen. Her name was Isabella of Castile. In the 1400s, women never rode into battle. Isabella was not an ordinary woman. She was not even an ordinary queen. She was the ruler of a piece of Spain called Castile. Her husband, King Ferdinand, ruled another kingdom of Spain. It was called Aragon. They ruled Spain together with equal power. Then, the two rulers decided they would drive the Moors, people who had come from Africa, out of Granada. Granada was a kingdom to the south of their territories. All of these kingdoms were put together to make the new country of Spain. Isabella was brave. She also made sure that she had things her own way. She set up schools. She put together a big library of books and writings. She had her daughters taught along with her son. One of her daughters married King Henry VIII and became Queen of England. Today, we especially remember Isabella for one choice she made. She chose to help an explorer named Christopher Columbus. He wanted to sail west across the ocean to reach the Indies. Isabella helped him pay for his ships and supplies. One year later, he came back from the New World. He brought gold and Native Americans. Isabella declared that the native people must be treated well. She even wrote this in her will so that it would be clear to her husband after she died. During the time she lived, no other woman ruler had this kind of power. Isabella fought hard to unite the country of Spain. She was not afraid to be a ruler and a leader in a world led by men.
Name Date Warrior Queen Answer the questions below. 1. The story describes all of these things EXCEPT a. how many daughters Isabella had. b. which kingdom Isabella ruled. c. how Isabella led troops into battle. d. how Isabella helped Columbus. 2. Read the following sentence from She was a warrior and a queen. What is another word for warrior? a. president b. scholar c. frightener d. fighter 3. One of Isabella s daughters married and became Queen of. 4. When Columbus brought Native Americans back from the New World, Queen Isabella declared that 5. How was Spain created? a. The people voted to unite the kingdoms into one country. b. Isabella ruled one kingdom, Castile, and Ferdinand ruled another kingdom, Aragon. c. Isabella and Ferdinand won the kingdom of Granada and added it to their other two kingdoms. d. b. and c. 6. Read the following sentence from During the time she lived, no other woman ruler had this kind of power. What is another word for woman ruler? a. legislator b. prince c. governor d. queen 7. Circle three words that describe Queen Isabella. quiet bold meek weak brave determined. CD-104182 Amazing People Carson-Dellosa
Golf Champion When Tiger Woods was six months old, he watched his father hit golf balls. Baby Tiger pretended to swing a golf club, too. That was the start of his amazing life as a golfer. In 1978, Tiger was on TV when he was two years old. He hit golf balls with Bob Hope, a famous comedian. When Tiger was three years old, he played nine full holes of golf. His score was better than that of many adults. A golf magazine did a cover story about Tiger when he was only five years old. Sometimes, children who are good at something do not keep doing it when they grow up. That was not true for Tiger! He became a professional golfer when he was 20 years old. During his first year, he won two tournaments. The next year, 1997, he won the Masters, one of the four major tournaments in golf. He was named Player of the Year that year. That was only the beginning. Tiger is known around the world. He stunned the golf world when he won three of the four major championships in 2000. He won the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship. Early the next year, he won the Masters again. He is the only golfer in history who has won four major events in a row. Tiger holds another record. Each professional golf match has prizes. In 2000, Tiger won more than $9 million in one year! That is more money than any other golfer has won in a single year. He has won over $50 million since he started. Even more amazing than the prize money is the fame that Tiger has earned. Few golfers have ever won so many tournaments at such a young age. Many young people are interested in golf for the first time because of Tiger Woods.
Name Date Golf Champion Answer the questions below. 1. Which of the following is the BEST description of Tiger Woods? a. Tiger Woods is a golfer. b. Tiger Woods is known around the world for his amazing talent as a golfer. c. Tiger Woods was on TV when he was only two years old. d. Tiger Woods has earned millions of dollars playing golf. 2. Read the following sentence from He stunned the golf world when he won three of the four major championships in 2000. What is another word for championships? a. contests b. studies c. athletes d. tests 3. Which of the following is an opinion? a. Tiger Woods won four major championships in a row. b. Tiger Woods is the most amazing golfer who ever lived. c. Tiger Woods holds the record for the most money earned in one year. d. Tiger Woods started playing golf when he was very young. 4. When he was years old, Tiger became a professional golfer. 5. The next year, Tiger Woods won the tournament and was named. 6. In 2000, Tiger broke another record when he earned in one year. 7. Read the following sentence from Tiger holds another record. Which of the following is the definition of record as it is used in the sentence? a. a flat disk with music on it b. an outcome that has never been beaten c. papers used in a legal case d. to tape sounds or images CD-104182 Amazing People Carson-Dellosa