Standards Correlations

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

Learning Objective

Students will identify cause-and-effect relationships  in a text about a teen who became a fashion designer.

Key Skills

cause and effect, text features, vocabulary, central idea and details, problem and solution, summarizing, critical thinking, informational writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The text describes how Langston went from printing simple T-shirts to showcasing his talent at New York Fashion Week.

 

Structure: The article is written from the first-person point of view.

 

Language: The language is conversational.

 

Knowledge Demands: No prior knowledge is needed.

Levels

Lexile: 600L-700L 

Guided Reading Level: T 

DRA Level: 50

SEL Connection

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

Lesson Plan: Next Stop: The Top

Essential Questions

  • What does it take to turn our ideas into reality?
  • How can support from our communities and families help us reach our goals?

Literature Connection

  • Nonfiction: Be a Young Entrepreneur: Get Inspired to Become a Business Whiz by Adam Sutherland
  • Nonfiction: Kid Start-Up: How YOU Can Become an Entrepreneur by Mark Cuban 

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 do you think Langston’s “bad attitude” on the basketball court might have led him to create a T-shirt business? Make a prediction. Answers will vary. Students might guess that Langston quit playing basketball and put his energy into a new pursuit or that he tried a new activity to help him manage his emotions.
  • Look at the photos and captions included in the article. What are some things they tell you about Langston? The photos and captions tell you that Langston began creating art at an early age, that he likes basketball, and that he designs clothing. 

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the terms (frustration, mindset, entrepreneur, aesthetics, mentors) 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 (15 minutes)

  • What problems did Langston face as an athlete, and how did they affect him emotionally? (detail) Langston faced problems with his basketball skills. He constantly made mistakes and felt frustrated. He felt embarrassed and did not want to play basketball anymore.
  • What steps did Langston take to improve his attitude as a basketball player? (problem and solution) Langston took several steps to improve his attitude as an athlete. He used an app with lessons on building a positive mindset, collected inspiring posts on social media, and read advice from athletes he admired.
  • How did the Industry Club at the Boys and Girls Club help Langston develop his brand, The Top? (cause and effect) At the Industry Club, Langston got valuable information for improving his brand, such as the importance of having a clear vision. While there, Langston also learned a number of skills related to fashion, such as sewing, fabric selection, and design aesthetics.
  • How did Langston’s experience at New York Fashion Week influence what he wants to do with his career? (cause and effect) Langston’s experience at New York Fashion Week was life-changing. He felt inspired and realized that he wanted to be not only an entrepreneur but also a fashion designer. Seeing the suits he had designed on the runway was a powerful moment that helped shape his career goals.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • How did Langston’s struggles with basketball lead to his success as an entrepreneur and a fashion designer? (summarizing) Having difficulties with basketball made Langston want to get better. He searched for advice on changing his attitude, and he used what he learned to create The Top, a brand about being positive.
  • What are some qualities Langston has that helped him succeed? How might developing these qualities help  other young entrepreneurs? (critical thinking) Langston is determined; he didn’t give up after failing at first. He’s optimistic; he stayed positive when he failed. He’s self-aware; he knew when he needed a new attitude and when he needed help. Developing these qualities can help other young entrepreneurs overcome problems, stay inspired, and learn.

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: Langston says that one thing he learned while searching for advice was that “every failure is a lesson.” In a paragraph or two, explain what this statement means. Include examples from Langston’s story and from your own life.

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.

Compare Two Texts With a Common Theme

After reading “Next Stop: The Top,” read the article “Kheris Fights Back” from the April 2021 issue of Action. Then use our Compare and Contrast graphic organizer to note things that are similar and different about the two stories.

Next meet with a small group of your classmates to discuss the following questions:

  • What kind of business did each teen start?
  • Where did the saying on Kheris’s shirts come from? What about the sayings on Langston’s shirts?
  • Who helped the teens with their businesses?
  • What problem did Kheris face when she was younger? What about Langston?
  • How did their experiences running a business change the way the teens felt about themselves?

Language-Acquisition Springboard

Discuss multiple-meaning words to enhance comprehension.

After reading the article, remind students that Langston named his brand The Top. He explains that he chose this name because his T-shirts are meant to inspire people to reach for the top (to aim for the highest level of achievement in a career, sport, etc.). Ask students, “Is there any other reason this might be a good name for a T-shirt brand?” They will likely answer that a shirt is sometimes called a top. Briefly discuss why this might be (a shirt is usually the top half of an outfit).

Tell students that many words have more than one meaning. Sometimes a word’s meanings are linked (for instance, a fly is an insect that can fly), and at other times they seem to have no connection. Share the words below with students, and ask them to think of two or more meanings for each one. Then have students think of some more multiple-meaning words to add to the list.

  • foot (a body part/a unit of measurement)
  • letter (a part of the alphabet/a note)
  • leaves (parts of a plant/goes away)
  • left (went away/opposite side from right)
  • match (an item used for starting a fire/to look or be alike)
  • play (to do a fun activity/a theater production)
  • right (correct/opposite side from left)
  • spring (one of the four seasons/a source of water)
  • trip (to stumble/a journey)
  • yard (an outdoor space next to a building/a unit of measurement)

Let students know that a familiar word may sometimes appear to be misused in a text. When this happens, it may be because the word has more than one meaning. Encourage students to try to figure out the new meaning from context and to look it up if necessary.

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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