Rolling Thunder

Book Spotlight: Rolling Thunder

Welcome to the STEMHAX Book Spotlight. Today, we will explore the book Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner and illustrated by Greg Ruth. Adding this book to any Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day lesson plan, is sure to please. The book works perfect with Memorial Day, because the demonstration is held over the Memorial Day weekend, in Washington D.C.

Note: In 2020, the name of the demonstration was changed from Rolling Thunder to Ride to Remember.

Kids enjoy reading the same book over and over again. A physical copy of the book is recommended for the first reading of Rolling Thunder.

Overview

It’s the weekend of the big ride. A little boy and his grandfather travel to see the lines of bikes as they memorialize the men and women who have sacrificed. There are thousands of attendees to honor the fallen heroes. It is a lovely story told in gentle rhyme. This is a real event that takes place over the Memorial Day weekend, in Washington, D.C.

Rolling Thunder – Read Aloud

Exploring Rolling Thunder with young learners.

First, start with a book cover inspection. Show children the cover of the book, and ask, “what do you think this book is about?” Follow this with some open ended questions to get their minds warmed up.

What is it like to be at a parade?
Why do people have parades?
What does an American soldier do?
What are some words that describe a motor cycle?

After reading the book for the first time, ask more open-ended questions. Remember there are no wrong answers. Some questions might include:

Why is the title of the book called Rolling Thunder?
Why do people gather for the demonstration?
Why is it important to never forget?
What does it mean to be an American?
What do you like best about the story?

Vocabulary

Freedom – to act or speak without punishment.
Memorial – Usually a structure to remind people of a person or event.
Obelisk – A stone pillar with a pyramidal shape on top.
Veterans – A person who has served in the military.

Extend the Lesson

Next, there are some video lessons that can be used to extend the theme of Rolling Thunder.

Memorial Day Informational Video

This short video teaches kids the meaning and history of Memorial Day.

History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

To learn more about the history of how the memorial came to be, watch this quick video.

The Saluting Marine

“In a gesture of respect for all service members past and present, a Marine veteran, Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers, has held a salute for the duration of the Rolling Thunder demonstration in Washington, D.C. for the last 15 years.” Excerpt Marines YouTube Channel

HINT: Watch all videos before sharing with young learners.

Rolling Thunder Book Companion

Finally, through crosscutting this social studies mini-lesson with literacy read aloud, this low-prep book companion is quick and simple for Memorial Day lesson. It includes a crossword, word search and a quick research writing project. Please see the preview in my TPT store.

Thank You!

We appreciate you taking the time to learn about this patriotic read aloud Rolling Thunder. Please consider following our YouTube Channel for more read aloud books relating to academic interest subjects.

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