One Giant Leap: The Story of Neil Armstrong

by Don Brown

2001

Status

Available

Genres

Nonfiction

Collection

M. Earth Science

Publication

Clarion Books (2001), Edition: Illustrated, 32 pages

Description

Discusses the life and accomplishments of astronaut Neil Armstrong, from his childhood in Ohio to his famous moon landing.

User reviews

LibraryThing member cry6546

This biography of Neil Armstrong begins by demonostrating that Neil found his curiosity of space early in life when his father would watch airplanes with him. Neil then dreamed about space. He was able to become an astronaut after testing rocket-powered airplanes in the Navy. On July 20, 1969, Neil

Armstrong was the first man to step on the moon.

This biography is great for children because it shows how a young boy's dream came true. The illustrations will help the children connect the story to them. It was written similar to a fictional story, but in reality is nonfiction which may capture the reader's attention.

One activity could be to create a person out of construction paper and glue. We could then put the major facts on an index card and glue it to the shirt of the person. Another activity could be the children drawing a picture of what they could see in space. Another possible activity is to have them write about their dream, why it is their dream, and how they can accomplish it.

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LibraryThing member tracyslaybaugh

One Giant Leap is a short biography on Neal Armstrong. The biography begins when Neal is two years old and talks about his early love of flying. The book then gives a few other details about his life before ending with his Saturn Flight and walking on the moon.

I liked this biography because it

shows children how Neal started with a love of flying and then turned that in to eventually flying in space and walking on the moon.

This would be a good book to use when your class is talking about space flight and astronauts. You could also use this book along with other biographies to talk about great Americans and their accomplishments.

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LibraryThing member KristieK

This is a book about the first man to walk on the moon. It starts when Neil Armstrong was a child who could only dream about flying. It tells how he eventually became a pilot and then an astronaut.

I really liked this book. It was very informational while entertaining.

Extensions:
1. I would have

each student draw a picture of what they would like to do on the moon.
2. After their picture is completed, I will have them write a list of what things they might need if they were going on a trip to the moon.

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LibraryThing member kerrik

This is about a boy who loved different aircraft from a young age. Neil Armstrong started by loving airplanes. He was so intrigued by them, that he often dreamt about them at night. He got his student pilot's license at age sixteen. He eventually became an astronaut and went to the moon.

This was a

great example to show kids that their dreams can come true. If you put your mind to it, you can become what you are passionate about.

It would be neat to take a field trip to a plantarium. My students could write a journal about what they would do if they were able to go to the moon.

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LibraryThing member reneefletcher

One Giant Step is the story of an ordinary little boy accomplishes his dreams with hard work and determination. Neil Armstrong was a normal little boy who grows up as the field of aviation grew up. He watched as it developed and became an instrumental figure in its development. This story shows how

one’s curiosity can become your passion in life, and that you can do great things if you pursue your dreams. When Mr. Armstrong walked on the moon, it not only was a national dream, but a personal one for him.

I like this book because it is told in a manner that young children can relate to the main character. It portrays Neil Armstrong as a typical little boy who discovers a passion. He worked hard to accomplish his dreams, but it was worth it. I think this is a very good example for students see that hard work is worth it and it pays off in the end.

This book would be great as an extension to a math lesson on weights. The students would weigh themselves and then find how much they would weigh on the moon. They would have to use a conversion formula, or for younger students you would have a chart already made up and they would have to find their weight, then compare the differences.

For a lesson on geometry or shapes, the students will make paper airplanes using certain shapes. Then as a class, we would test which shapes and styles are most effective. The students will write down the different shapes they use as they are “building” their airplane.

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LibraryThing member cpipkin1

This is a book about the life of Neil Armstrong. It is a picture book, but it highlights his life up to his landing on the moon. Neil had begun his fascination with flight early in life and worked his whole life to become a pilot. He could fly a plane before he could drive a car. He became an

astronaut and was the first man to walk on the moon.

I am indifferent to this book. I enjoyed reading it, but found some of the information given useless to the story of Neil Armstrong.

In my classroom, this book could be used as a way to introduce topics such as astronauts, the moon, and the historical significance of humans landing on the moon. After reading this book, students will create a time-line of Neil Armstrong's life. We will discuss the important steps he had to take to become the first man to walk on the moon. By creating this time-line they are learning sequencing as well. The following day, facts about the moon will be discussed. We will relate the known facts about the moon to the importance of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. (Without him doing this, we would not have the knowledge we have today.)

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LibraryThing member YasminAlder

This is the story of Neil Armstrong growing up and constantly dreaming of flying. He had many jobs so he could earn money to buy model airplanes and flying magazines. One day he had enough money to take flying lessons. He got his student pilot's license before he got his driver's license.
I don't

like biographies at all, but simple ones like this make it at least easy to read. I appreciate biographies made on a child's level.
I would use this book to start a lesson about what children want to be when they grow up and then have a Job Day where everyone dresses up like what they want to be.

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LibraryThing member MaryLCarney

This is about Neil Armstrong. When he was about 2 years old he had a fascination with planes. When he was 6 he had the chance to ride in a plane. He started making .10 cent airplanes and reading flying magazines. To pay for his airplane models he mowed the cemetery lawn and cleaned the mixing bowls

at the bakery. He got his student pilots license when he was 16 years old. He was a navy fighter pilot in the Korean war at age 16. On July 16, 1969 Neil sat in the Saturn rockey and was launched to the moon. He was in outerspace for 4 days before reaching the moon on July 20, 1969. A famous quote that Neil Armstrong is known by is "Thats one small step for man, one giant leap for man kind".

My Response: I liked this book. I found it informative. I had no idea that Neil Armstrong flew planes or was a fighter pilot in the Korean war. I liked the idea that his parents made him work to pay for his pilots license. I think that he valued the license more because he worked so hard to get it.

Classroom Activity #1: This book could be used in a science module about outer space. We could discuss moonrocks and also the way that Neil described the moon.

Classroom Activity #2: I would try to find a video of Neil walking on the moon to share with the class, and after it was over discuss how his landing on the moon made them feel.

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LibraryThing member amoore1

This biography of Neil Armstrong is so fantastic because the story starts back when Neil was only two years old. Readers are able to briefly see each stage of his life on a personal level that includes Armstrong's family, hobbies, and dreams until he achieves walking on the moon as an adult. By

formatting the biography in this way young readers see that before Neil Armstrong was an astronaut he was a little boy from Iowa who liked to read and play with paper airplanes. Seeing this allows readers to be more confident and possibly more successful in their own dreams. I would like to read this biography during a thematic space unit. I could also share this book in any reading time to introduce Neil Armstrong's story and also have students perform an activity in which they write or draw what they think they would like to be when they grow up.

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LibraryThing member kelliemaurin

One Giant Leap: The Story of Neil Armstrong by Don Brown did not disappoint. The book is a great, little biography written for children. In the beginning of the book the author describes Armstrong's life as a child and his interest in flying and airplanes. Then the story moves into his young adult

life and how he served in the armed forces, until finally becoming an astronaut. The end of the book describes Armstrong's first step on the moon and gives a few basic facts about the moon.

I loved using this book with my Kindergarten boys. We have been talking about accomplishments and biographies, and this book worked perfectly. A handful of my students knew of Armstrong and we were able to conclude that he was an astronaut and visited the moon through our picture walk. The beginning of the book noted Armstrong’s strong interest in flying so I asked the boys to think about what connection flying/airplanes had with Armstrong going to the moon. They did an excellent job connecting flight to space travel. We discussed similarities between the two biographies we read (Abe Lincoln yesterday and Neil today) and tomorrow I am going to read another version of a biography of Neil Armstrong so we can compare and contrast two informational texts about the same topic.

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LibraryThing member matthewbloome

This is a great picture book biography of Neil Armstrong. It's really well done. Very approachable and easy to understand. It makes Neil Armstrong into a very easily identifiable character with a spirit for adventure that children will like. Don Brown is top of the line in the children's biography

market.

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LibraryThing member brownkatie

Summary: One Giant Leap is the biography of Neil Armstrong. It tells of how he always dreamed of flying planes, and being in the sky. How he worked hard to get the opportunities he had. Determination, and motivation are how he eventually landed on the moon.

Personal Reaction: I found this story

very motivating, never give up on your dreams. This story can be a very good one to have in the classrooms to show that no dream is impossible and that with hard work anything can be done. I found it very interesting to learn that he had always wanted to be in space and flying. How he earned his pilots license before he could even drive a vehicle.

Classroom Extensions:
1. Read this book and have students create a picture to illustrate what dreams they have for the future.
2. After reading this book you could start a lesson about the planets, have them create a model of the solar system.

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LibraryThing member readcindyread

Biography
Summary of book

This book is about the Neil Armstrong. As a boy he was intrigued with flying. He started to work at a young age and save enough money to pay for flying lesson. He had many jobs such as a test pilot and a military pilot. Through hard work Neil Armstrong achieved his livelong

goal of becoming an astronaut.

Personal reaction
This reminded of the true American spirit. Hard work and determination anyone can achieve their goal. This belief is what makes America so special.

Extension Idea
Review Neil Armstrong hard work that lead him to his becoming and astronaut. Ask students to write their short and long term goals. Followed by the steps they would follow to achieve their goals. Have student present their work to the class.

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