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Lesson Plans and Teaching Resources for The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

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Use The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein to strengthen your students' comprehension skills, build their vocabulary, and help them understand how words work.

Transport readers to 1974 when the twin towers of the World Trade Center were being constructed. Author Mordicai Gerstein tells the true story of Philippe Petit, a street performer who spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing tricks on a wire suspended between the towers. Philippe's inspiring bravery and skill are a perfect backdrop for making connections, identifying the author's purpose, asking questions, making inferences, and retelling the events that led up to Philippe Petit's amazing act.
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Explore lesson plans and activities to help you teach with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers in the drop down below.

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Asking Questions with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Mordicai Gerstein's The Man Who Walked Between the Towers ignites curiosity that naturally leads to asking questions about Philippe, his bravery, and his motivation to perform such a dangerous act. This focused mini lesson encourages students to wonder about this amazing display of courage.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RI.4.1,RI.4.3,RI.4.4,RI.4.10,RF.4.3,RF.4.4,SL.4.1c,SL.4.1d,SL.4.2,W.4.8,L.4.6,W.4.9
TEKS Alignment
4.7F,4.13H,4.13E,4.13C,4.13A,4.9D(iii),4.9D(ii),4.9D(i),4.7G,4.1A,4.7E,4.7D,4.7C,4.7B,4.6I,4.6B,4.6A,4.1C
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Identifying the Author's Purpose with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Inspire students to explore author Mordicai Gerstein's purpose for writing The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. Readers will discover that this true story shares messages about bravery and persistence in addition to informing readers about the history of the World Trade Center before the events of 9/11.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RI.4.2,RI.4.8,RI.4.10,RF.4.3,RF.4.4,SL.4.1c,SL.4.1d,SL.4.2,W.4.8,L.4.6,W.4.9
TEKS Alignment
4.7F,4.13H,4.13E,4.13C,4.10C,4.10A,4.9D(iii),4.9D(ii),4.9D(i),4.8A,4.7G,4.1A,4.7E,4.7D,4.7C,4.7B,4.7A,4.6I,4.6E,4.6B,4.6A,4.1C
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Making Connections with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Readers will connect with Philippe Petit in The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by recalling moments from their own lives when they felt brave, or tried to master a difficult task. Pair Mordicai Gerstein's text with this making connections mini lesson to improve student understanding through text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RI.4.1,RI.4.2,RI.4.10,RF.4.3,RF.4.4,SL.4.1c,SL.4.1d,SL.4.2,W.4.8,L.4.6,W.4.9
TEKS Alignment
4.7D,4.13H,4.13E,4.13C,4.9D(iii),4.9D(ii),4.9D(i),4.7G,4.7F,4.7E,4.1A,4.7C,4.7B,4.7A,4.6I,4.6E,4.6B,4.6A,4.1C
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Making Inferences with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Inferring how Philippe feels throughout The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein will enable readers to understand the story's importance more fully. This mini lesson prompts students to use their background knowledge and clues from the text and illustrations as a basis for their inferences.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RI.4.2,RI.4.3,RI.4.10,RF.4.3,RF.4.4,SL.4.1c,SL.4.1d,SL.4.2,W.4.8,L.4.6,W.4.9
TEKS Alignment
4.7D,4.13H,4.13E,4.13C,4.9D(iii),4.9D(ii),4.9D(i),4.8A,4.7G,4.7F,4.7E,4.1A,4.7C,4.7B,4.7A,4.6I,4.6F,4.6E,4.6B,4.6A,4.1C
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Retelling & Summarizing with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Mordicai Gerstein's The Man Who Walked Between the Towers includes true facts about what happened before, during, and after Philippe's walk between the towers. Use this retelling and summarizing mini lesson to encourage readers to remember the important details of this historic event.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
RI.4.2,RI.4.3,RI.4.8,RI.4.10,RF.4.3,RF.4.4,SL.4.1c,SL.4.1d,SL.4.2,W.4.8,L.4.6,W.4.9
TEKS Alignment
4.7D,4.13H,4.13E,4.13C,4.9D(iii),4.9D(ii),4.9D(i),4.8A,4.7G,4.7F,4.7E,4.1A,4.7C,4.7B,4.7A,4.6I,4.6H,4.6G,4.6B,4.6A,4.1C
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Comprehension Assessment with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Use this Common Core aligned comprehension assessment to evaluate students' comprehension of The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
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Parts of Speech with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

This word work lesson plan and set of teaching resources use The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein as a springboard for instruction focused on parts of speech.

By anchoring word study to the text, students will benefit from seeing how irregular past tense verbs are used inside of the text before engaging in both guided and independent practice with verbs.

Common Core State Standards Alignment
RF.4.3,RF.4.4
TEKS Alignment
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Vocabulary Connections with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

This set of vocabulary development resources for The Man Who Walked Between the Towers highlights the words that are most important for students to know and understand while reading the book. Through engaging in fun word games, matching words to definitions and pictures, and practicing how to categorize words, students will develop the vocabulary necessary to comprehend this story and many others.

Common Core State Standards Alignment
L.4.4a,L.4.5c,L.4.6
TEKS Alignment
4.7E,4.7F,4.3A,4.3B
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The Tall Towers That Touched the Sky

This Knowledge and Fluency Passage provides a clear, engaging passage about the World Trade Center’s history and significance, helping students visualize the towering setting of Philippe Petit’s daring walk. By strengthening their background knowledge, students will better understand the scale and bravery behind the story. Use this passage before reading the book to build background knowledge and prepare students to better comprehend the text.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
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TEKS Alignment
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Sequencing with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

The BookPagez extension activities are a great way to push student engagement beyond the pages of the text. Try using this activity with early finishers, with students who show a deeper connection with the text, or as a center activity.
Common Core State Standards Alignment
TEKS Alignment
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Asking Questions with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Identifying the Author's Purpose with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Making Connections with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Making Inferences with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Retelling & Summarizing with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (Spanish)

  • Student Practice Page and Answer Key
  • Reader's Notebook Prompt
  • Graphic Organizer
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Sequencing with The Man Who Walked Between the Towers (Spanish)

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About the Book

The cover for the book The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Title: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Author: Mordicai Gerstein
Genre: Nonfiction, Informational
Themes: Award Winners, History
ISBN: 9780312368784
Publisher's Summary:
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein is a captivating picture book that brings to life the astonishing true story of Philippe Petit's daring high-wire walk between the Twin Towers in 1974. Set in New York City, the book introduces students to a remarkable feat of courage, creativity, and determination. Through Gerstein's vivid illustrations and lyrical narrative, readers are transported above the bustling cityscape, witnessing Petit's bold dream of walking on a cable stretched high between the iconic skyscrapers.

The story not only highlights Philippe's extraordinary bravery but also explores themes of ambition, risk-taking, and the power of imagination. Students are encouraged to consider what it means to pursue one's passion, even in the face of immense challenges. The book serves as an excellent springboard for classroom discussions about historical events, the process of turning real-life stories into engaging narratives, and the impact of individual acts of creativity on society.

Teachers will find this book valuable for lessons on character traits, vocabulary development, and cross-curricular connections to math and history. Its true story basis offers opportunities to compare informational texts with narrative storytelling, prompting students to think critically about how authors interpret and portray real events. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is an inspiring addition to any classroom, inviting students to dream big and appreciate acts of courage in history.
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