Standards Correlations

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will identify cause-and-effect relationships in a text.

Key Skills

cause and effect, text features, vocabulary, central idea and details, key details, interpreting text, critical thinking, narrative  writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The text tells how 16-year-old Marco Vidone became the only boy on his school’s cheerleading team and inspired others to follow their dreams.

 

Structure: The text is written from the first-person point of view and includes cause-and-effect structures.

 

Language: The language is conversational.

 

Knowledge Demands: No prior knowledge is needed.

 

Levels

Lexile: 600L-700L 

Guided Reading Level: R 

DRA Level: 40

SEL Connection

This article and lesson promote social awareness and self-awareness skills.

Lesson Plan: The Only Boy on the Team

Essential Questions

  • What are gender roles? How can challenging gender roles inspire others?
  • How can pursuing your passions help you overcome fears and doubts? 

Literature Connection

  • Nonfiction: Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different by Ben Brooks
  • Graphic novel: The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag
  • Novel: The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane

1. Preparing to Read 

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the article in their magazines or at Action Online. Then preview the text features by asking the following questions:

  • Read the article’s title and subtitle (the text beneath the title). How might other people’s opinions stop someone from doing what they love? Answers may vary. Students might say that a person might hesitate to do what they love if they’re worried about others making fun of them or their family or friends disapproving. Doing anything different from what people expect can be scary because you don’t know how others will react.
  • What do the pictures of Marco on p. 22 tell you about him? Use the captions for clues. The pictures and captions on p. 22 tell us that Marco has a dog named Molly and that he took part in dance performances as a kid.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the terms (in unison, gender roles, outcast, pursuing) aloud and discuss their definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow. 

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

  • Set a purpose for reading. Tell students that after reading, they’ll analyze cause-and-effect relationships in the story. Point out the activity at the end of the story. 
  • Encourage students to pause at the end of each section so they can monitor their comprehension. Prompt them to take note of sentences they think tell them important ideas in each section, as well as any words or sentences they don’t understand.

2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

Read the article. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (20 minutes)

  • Why was Marco nervous about trying out for the cheerleading team? (cause and effect) Marco was nervous because he would be the only boy on the team, and he worried about being judged or not fitting in. 
  • How did Marco’s teammates make him feel welcome? (key details) Marco’s teammates accepted him without hesitation and supported him during practice. Their trust and teamwork helped him feel like he belonged.
  • What does the section header “Different Is Good” mean to you? (interpreting text) Sample answer: “Different is good” means that being different from others can be a strength. By embracing who he is and defying stereotypes, Marco discovered new opportunities and inspired others.
  • How did Marco’s family help him follow his dream? (key details) Marco’s family encouraged him to pursue cheerleading. His stepbrother motivated him to try out, and his mom celebrated his success.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • Marco pursued cheerleading even though it was uncommon for boys. Why do you think it’s important to follow your interests, even if they are different from what most people expect? Following your interests allows you to stay true to yourself and find happiness in what you love. It can inspire others to feel confident about doing what they enjoy, even if it’s different from what others think is normal.
  • Marco says that trust is important in cheerleading. How do you think building trust with others can help people feel more confident and connected in any group or activity? Sample answer: Building trust allows people to feel supported and safe, knowing that others believe in them. This can boost confidence and make you care about your teammates, making teamwork and collaboration more effective no matter the activity.

3. Skill Building and Writing

  • Assign students to work in small groups to complete the Spotlight Skill Workout: Cause and Effect activity.
  • Go further: Use our Central Idea and Details Skill Builder, available in higher and lower level versions. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders.)
  • Writing prompt: Marco became the only boy on his school’s cheerleading team and proved that being different can be great. Imagine Marco’s story as a movie. Write a scene in which Marco tries out for the cheerleading team. What does he have to do? How does he feel? Use anything you know about cheerleading, as well as your imagination.

Learn-Anywhere Activity

An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom

Project the task below on your whiteboard or share it with students in your LMS.

Different Is Good

In the article’s final section, “Different Is Good,” Marco makes it clear that he’s glad he became the only boy on the cheerleading team.  Doing something that wasn’t expected brought him friendships and happiness. 

What about you? What’s something you have tried (or would like to try) that  people wouldn’t expect from you? It might be playing a certain sport, playing a certain instrument, or developing a skill like baking, sewing, or coding.

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions below to write a paragraph about the activity that interests you. If you feel comfortable, exchange papers with a classmate so you can learn something about each other.

  • What is the activity that interests you?
  • Why does it interest you?
  • Why might people not expect you to be interested in this activity?
  • Have you tried the activity? If so, what happened? If not, do you plan to try it?

Language-Acquisition Springboard

Explore the prefix uni- to boost comprehension.

After reading the article, draw students’ attention to the vocabulary box. Point out the phrase “in unison” and discuss its meaning. Then let students know that the prefix uni- means “one” or “single.” So to do something in unison is to do it as one.

Tell students that when they see a word that starts with uni-, they can usually assume its meaning has to do with something being the only one of its kind or with many things being all the same (as if they are one). Write or project the below list of words that start with uni-. As a class or in small groups, look up the meaning of the words. Have students write their own definitions using the word one or single. We’ve included an example.

  • unicorn: a horse with one horn
  • unicycle:
  • uniform:
  • union:
  • unique:
  • unite:
  • universe:

Looking for more ELL support? Download our full lesson plan and scroll to p. 5 to find questions that will help your ELLs respond to the text at the level that’s right for them.

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