Vocabulary
This word means believing in yourself and your ability to succeed.
What is confidence?
Who wrote Reaching for the Moon?
Who is Buzz Aldrin?
Why do you think Buzz Aldrin included stories about his childhood in Reaching for the Moon?
To help readers understand how his childhood experiences helped shape the person he became.
What is one important quality that helped Buzz Aldrin reach his goals? Explain your choice.
Answers may include determination, confidence, independence, or another reasonable quality supported by the text.
This word means continuing to work toward something even when it is difficult.
What is determination?
What did Buzz Aldrin become when he grew up?
What is an astronaut?
What can you infer about Buzz Aldrin based on the challenges he faced while working toward his goals?
He was determined and did not easily give up
Why is Reaching for the Moon considered an autobiography instead of a biography?
Because Buzz Aldrin wrote about events and experiences from his own life.
This word describes having difficulty while trying to accomplish something.
What is struggled?
Where did Buzz Aldrin eventually travel?
What is the Moon?
Why do you think confidence was important to Buzz Aldrin as he worked toward becoming an astronaut?
He needed to believe in himself and his abilities while facing difficult challenges.
How did Buzz Aldrin's earlier experiences help prepare him for his future as an astronaut?
Answers will vary. Students should explain a connection between one or more of his earlier experiences and the skills or qualities he needed later.
This word means having a particular skill, purpose, or area of knowledge.
What is specialized?
What type of text is Reaching for the Moon since Buzz Aldrin is writing about his own life?
What is an autobiography?
What lesson can readers learn from Buzz Aldrin's journey?
Reaching a difficult goal takes determination, confidence, hard work, and perseverance.
How does Buzz Aldrin's story show that a person's experiences can help shape their future?
Answers will vary, but students should explain how Aldrin's experiences, challenges, choices, and determination helped him eventually become an astronaut and travel to the Moon.