Comments From the Classroom | Extension Activities
These three news hounds are Isaac, the news anchor; Molly, the meteorologist; and, Jake, from the camera crew. They travel all over the United States to cover unusual and exciting events. This time they are headed for the Great Piney Woods Balloon Festival in eastern Texas, where they will tape a thrilling race called the Ring Grab. Little does Isaac know that Molly has arranged for them to cover it from the air, in their own balloon...
Comments From the Classroom
The News Hounds in the Great Balloon Race is a clever and fun way to practice map skills! My class loved the storyline! We did a lot of map activities such as measuring distance with a scale, identifying physical features and aerial views, and discussing the different kinds of maps in the book. There’s a geography challenge in the back of the book that I used as a quiz. I was also able to tie the book into my weather unit using the weather map in the front of the book. In writing, I had the class use a map that they had drawn and write their own “News Hounds” Story! The book was a great motivator and I would highly recommend it to any elementary teacher!
Kathy L. Dera
Fifth Grade Teacher
Kingston, NY
The News Hounds in The Great Balloon Race was a hit with my third grade students. As an elementary school librarian, I am always looking for the opportunity to reinforce curriculum topics in the library and when I can use a good story, all the better. My students thoroughly enjoyed Isaac and his crew as they traveled to our state (Texas). The book is presented as a “geography adventure” and includes suggested questions and activities from the author to assist in curriculum reinforcement, but it is also an enjoyable and humorous story as well. The students enjoyed pouring over maps and locating the places in the story. Being a former New Yorker myself, I enjoyed the opportunity to provide some information on the Hudson Valley (home of the WDG-TV News Team). My students all asked: “Where will the next On the Trail report be from?”
Mary Ellen Robison, LMS
West Memorial Elementary
Katy, Texas
Extension Activities
- The News Hounds travel from New York to Texas. Investigate both states. What are their nicknames? Capital cities? State bird? Flower? What physical features can be found in these states?
- Have the students look at a U.S. map. Imagine that you are traveling from New York (any city) to Texas (any city). Locate them on the map and plan various "legs" of the trip. Where would you stop along the way? Do you cross any time zones? Calculate mileage.
- Molly, the WDG-TV meteorologist tells the News Hounds that the weather is hot in Texas. Ask the students to compare the climates of Texas and that of home. Have the students take turns being the class meteorologist, giving a daily weather report.
- Examine the road map that Jake shows to Isaac, and using the map scale, calculate the distances between various cities. For example, what is the distance between Lubbock and Amarillo? Laredo and Houston? Dallas and Galveston? Using the same map, ask questions such as: Is Dallas north or south of Waco? Is Odessa east or west of Longview? Etc.
- Ask the students: If you were driving to Texas from your home state, would you be traveling north, south, east or west?
- The WDG-TV News Team covers unusual and exciting events. What happens in your community that would be a good story for the News Team?
- Take the geography challenge at the end of The Great Balloon Race.
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