4th Grade Summaries Theme 5
Happy Birthday, Dr. King!
Summary 1:
Uh oh! Jamal got a note from the principal. He had been fighting with
another boy over who would sit in the back seat of the bus. When his mother sees
the note, she is upset. But when Grandpa Joe finds out, he’s angry with Jamal. And
if that weren’t all, the Martin Luther King, Jr., assembly is coming up at school.
Jamal goes to talk with Grandpa Joe to find out why he is angry. Jamal says
he is so sorry about fighting and promises not to do it again. Then Grandpa Joe
explains that when he was a young man living in Montgomery, Alabama, African
Americans had to ride in the back of city buses. One day in 1955, an African
American woman, Rosa Parks, sat in the front of the bus and refreshed to move.
She was arrested. Leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., helped African
Americans in Montgomery to organize and stop riding the buses. Finally, the law
was charged.
Jamal’s father tells him that he once saw Dr. King speak in person. He
reminds Jamal that Dr. King spoke of using peaceful ways to make things change.
Jamal starts to think. Suddenly he has an idea for a short play for the school
assembly. It’s about two boys who fight to sit in the back of the bus. They don’t
understand Dr. King’s ideas. Then they learn how fighting is not the way to get
things done. The class puts on Jamal’s play!
Poem: How to Be a Hero
Return someone’s lost wallet.
Help fix a flat tire.
Spend time with a friend who’s sad.
Help put out a fire.
Stand up for what’s right.
Always be fair.
Every day do something
To show that you care.
Summary 2:
Jamal and another boy got into a fight on the school bus. They both wanted
to sit in the back of the bus. Jamal got in trouble at school because he was fighting.
The principal sent a note home to his parents.
Jamal’s grandfather was upset about the fight. Grandpa Jo explained how
things were when he was growing up. He wasn’t allowed to sit in the front of the
bus, just because he was African American. He always had to sit in the back.
Martin Luther King, Jr. didn’t think it was fair that people were separated by
their color. He helped African Americans organize a boycott of the buses. It lasted
for more than a year. Dr. King organized many other peaceful protests. He wanted
to change the unfair laws. A few years later, the laws were changed.
Jamal learned from his grandfather. He had an idea for a play. His class
could perform the play at the school assembly, which celebrated of Dr. King’s
birthday. Jamal’s play was about two boys who don’t understand Dr. King’s
teachings. They fight over who gets to sit at the back of the bus. They learn that
fighting is not the way to change things.
Gloria Estefan
Summary 1:
Gloria Estefan was born in 1957 in the country of Cuba. When she was two,
her family moved to Miami, Florida. When Gloria was ten, her father got very
sick. Her mother went to work as a teacher. Gloria took care of her father and
sister. To escape from her troubles she listened to music, sang, and played the
guitar.
While in college Gloria became the lead signer of Emilio Estefan’s band, the
Miami Sound Machine. Gloria married Emilio in 1978. Gloria’s father died two
years later.
At first Gloria sang only songs in Spanish. The Miami Sound Machine
became famous in Latin America. Then Gloria started to sing in English and her
band became big in the Untied States too. They had many hit songs.
In 1990, Gloria met President George Bush at the White House. She
received an honor for her work with young people. The next day, Gloria was in a
bus accident and her back was broken. Doctors didn’t know if she would ever work
again. But Gloria never gave up. The nest year, she was back on stage.
Gloria is a famous singer but she never forgets people in need. She has
helped many children in trouble and raised money for people hurt by Hurricane
Andrew. Gloria Estefan is a true “star with a heart.”
Poem: A Sing-Along
I come join us for a sing-along.
We will sing your favorite song.
Choose a tune that’s soft and slow.
Or pick a fast song that you know.
Clap your hands and stomp your feet
Or snap your fingers to the beat.
Let your body rock and sway.
Singing is more fun that way!
Summary 2:
Gloria Estefan was born in Cuba in 1957. In 1959, she moved to Miami,
Florida. When Gloria was ten years old, her father got sick. Gloria took care of her
father and her younger sister. She helped her family as much as she could.
Music was very important to Gloria. When she was in college, Gloria
became the lead singer in Emilio Estefan’s band, the Miami Sound Machine. When
Gloria finished college, she got married to Emilio. They worked together in the
band and recorded many songs. Gloria sang in Spanish and in English. The band
became popular all over North and South America. They had many hits.
In 1990, Gloria was in an accident. Her back was broken. The doctors didn’t
know if she could ever work again. They thought she might be paralyzed. But she
had surgery, and she got better. The next year, she was performing again.
Gloria Estefan has done a lot of work to help people. She helped promote
drug prevention among young people. She raised money for people who were hurt
by hurricane and for the American Cancer Society. In 1990, President Bush gave
Gloria an honor for her volunteer work.
Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man
Summary 1:
In 1903 one the greatest players in the history of baseball was born: Henry
Louis Gehrig. From the start, Lou was excellent at sports and worked hard at
school. He didn’t miss a single day of school for eight years in a row. In high
school he was the star of the baseball team.
In 1923, the Yankees saw Lou hit two runs in a college game. They quickly
signed him up to play on their team. From 1925 to 1939, he played in 2,130 games
without missing a single one. Twice Lou was picked as the Most Valuable Player
in the league.
But in 1938, something started to go wrong. Lou couldn’t swing as hard as
he could before. He worked harder, practiced more, and ate better. But he kept
getting weaker and feeling more tired. He decided to stop playing, for the good of
his team.
A month later, doctors said that Lou had a deadly disease. Although he
couldn’t play, Lou still went to all the games with his team. The mayor of New
York City announced that July 4, 1939, would be Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day.
Fans came to cheer for Lou and to hear him say how lucky he felt.
Lou Gehrig died three years later. On the day of his funeral, the Yankee
game was canceled because of rain. It was a sad day for New York City and for
everyone who admired Lou Gehrig.
Poem: Ball Game
The pitcher throws a fast ball.
The batter swings too high.
The baseball hits the catcher’s mitt.
“Strike!” the umpire cries.
The batter steps back to the plate.
The pitcher has good aim.
The batter hits it high and long.
His home run wins the game!
Summary 2:
Lou Gehrig was a great baseball player. He was born in New York City in
1903. Lou always studied hard. He didn’t miss a day of school for eight years. He
was the star of the baseball team in high school.
In 1923, Lou joined a professional baseball team. The team was the New
York Yankees. From 1925 to 1939, Lou never missed a baseball game. He played
in 2,310 games in a row. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the league
twice.
In 1938, something happened to Lou. He couldn’t hit the ball as well as he
could before. He couldn’t throw the ball. He couldn’t catch. Sometimes he fell
down. The next year, he was even worse. So he decided to stop playing for his
team. When Lou went to the doctor, he found out that he had a deadly disease.
The mayor of New York City made July 4, 1939 Lou Gehrig Appreciation
Day. That day, Lou talked to the fans. Instead of complaining that he had a terrible
disease, he told them how lucky he was. He said he had been lucky in baseball. He
spoke of all the people who had been good to him. Lou Gehrig died two years
later. He will always be remembered for being an example of good sportsmanship.