Story: Sputnik Anniversary Marks 50 Years of Space Race, 10/03/07
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec07/sputnik_10-03.html

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. What was Sputnik?

2. Who is Homer Hickam and how did he react to the launch of Sputnik?

3. Who was Laika?

4. What was the first satellite launched by the Untied States?

5. What happened to the space race after the collapse of the Soviet Union?

6. What are some predictions for the next space race?

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. Most people who were alive in the 1950s remember Sputnik and when American Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. What event defines your generation? What national events will you remember 50 years from now?

2. Fifty years after Sputnik there are thousands of satellites in the sky. Research modern satellites and their functions. Consider your cell phone, TVs, data transfers-- how do satellites affect your life?

3. How does the military use satellites? What concerns do you have about satellite technologies?

4. Ask an adult 60 years or older what he/she remembers about Sputnik. Collect and share the stories.

Write a 300-500 word essay on any of the topics in this exercise providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.