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Reading Comprehension Worksheets
The 1960's
Ready, Set - The Space Race Begins

The 1960's
The 1960's

Ready, Set - The Space Race Begins
Print Ready, Set - The Space Race Begins Reading Comprehension with Fifth Grade Work

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Print Ready, Set - The Space Race Begins Reading Comprehension

Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 7
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.97

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    centrifugal, Wernher, radiation, launched, competitive, orbit, satellite, scientist, propel, entire, gravity, conquer, equipment, natural, battle, travels
     content words:    Soviet Union, United States, Explorer I., Van Allen Belt, United States Congress, National Aeronautics, Space Administration, Space Race

Ready, Set - The Space Race Begins
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     For thousands of years, man has looked up into the sky in wonder. What was out there beyond their home? Were there warriors out there who had died bravely in battle? Were there dragons and monsters? What were the stars made of? How hot is the sun? Is there life on other planets? Was there a man in the moon? It wasn't until the mid 1950s that scientists developed the technology needed to explore the mysteries of space.
 
2     Scientists can be very competitive, just like athletes. It was understood in the scientific world that the first country to conquer space would become the most powerful country on Earth. The Soviet Union and the United States became the top contenders in this space race.
 
3     Think of some of the problems connected to exploring space. The next time you are in an open field, pick up a rock and throw it as high and as hard as you can. What happens to the rock? It will go a short distance and then fall back to Earth. How then, can scientists propel a heavy object into the sky and have it stay there for long periods of time? Years of research and study had to go into this problem.

Paragraphs 4 to 7:
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The 1960's
             The 1960's

United States
             United States


    American Government  
 
    Black History and Blacks in U.S. History  
 
    Children in History  
 
    Government Careers  
 
    Hispanic Heritage  
 
    How Can I Help?  
 
 
    Immigration  
 
    National Parks and Monuments  
 
    Native Americans  
 
    Presidents of the United States  
 
    Women's History  
 

United States History
    A Nation Divided
(1840-1861) 		 
 
    A New Nation
(1776-1830) 		 
 
    After the Civil War
(1865-1870) 		 
 
    American Revolution  
 
    Cold War
(1947-1991) 		 
 
    Colonial America (1492-1776)  
 
    Lewis and Clark
(1804-1806) 		 
 
    Pearl Harbor  
 
    Spanish American War (1898)  
 
    The 1890's  
 
    The 1900's  
 
    The 1910's  
 
    The 1920's  
 
    The 1930's  
 
 
    The 1940's  
 
    The 1950's  
 
    The 1960's  
 
    The 1970's  
 
    The 1980's  
 
    The 1990's  
 
    The 2000's  
 
    The Civil War
(1861-1865) 		 
 
    The Great Depression
(1929-1945) 		 
 
    The United States Grows
(1865-1900) 		 
 
    The War of 1812  
 
    Wild, Wild West  
 
    World War I
(1914-1918) 		 
 
    World War II  
 

50 States

             Fifty States Theme Unit

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