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The 1960's
 John Glenn

John Glenn
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.87

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    elite, strenuous, launched, military, bolts, supporter, orbit, spacecraft, fighter, astronaut, planes, goal, backup, officer, capsule, member
     content words:    Space Race, Both Russia, United States, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Muskingum College, New Concord, Naval Aviation Cadet Program, Marine Corps, World War II

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John Glenn
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     The Space Race was heating up. Both Russia and the United States had successfully launched satellites into orbit. Both countries had launched a man into high altitudes without reaching orbit. The President of the United States had given a goal to the American people. He motivated American space scientists to place a man on the moon by the end of the 1960's.
 
2     John Glenn was willing to do his part to see that President Kennedy's goal was met. John was born in July of 1921. He grew up in Ohio. He didn't go to one of the military academies as Alan Shepard had. He studied to be an engineer at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. In 1942, he went through the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. When this was completed, he was commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps. He loved flying fighter jets during World War II. He remained in the Pacific islands after World War II flying patrols. He decided to stay in the Marines. He became a flight instructor and traveled from Texas to Virginia to Korea. He decided to attend test pilot school and help develop newer and faster planes to be used for battle. At one time, he held the speed record for flying from one coast of the United States to the other. He made the flight in just three hours and twenty-three minutes.
 
3     In 1959, John Glenn became a member of a very elite group. He was selected to be a member of the Mercury astronauts. He was thrilled with the opportunity. After strenuous training, the Mercury astronauts were ready for space. Glenn was not chosen to pilot the first manned space flight. That honor went to Alan Shepard. John Glenn was chosen as a backup in case Shepard couldn't go.

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