The First Moon Landing
An information text about Apollo 11 in 1969, with eight questions on quoting accurately and explaining what the text says.
Read the passage
A giant leap
On July 16, 1969, a huge Saturn V rocket, about as tall as a 36-story building, lifted off from Florida carrying three astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Their mission, called Apollo 11, had one goal: to land people on the Moon and bring them home safely.
Landing on the Moon
After about four days in space, the spacecraft reached the Moon. Collins stayed in the command ship, Columbia, circling above. Armstrong and Aldrin climbed into a small lander named Eagle. The landing was tricky: with fuel running low, Armstrong took over the controls to steer past a field of boulders. On July 20, Eagle touched down on a flat area called the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong radioed back to Earth, “The Eagle has landed.”
One small step
Hours later, Armstrong climbed down a ladder and became the first person to walk on the Moon. As he stepped onto the dusty surface, he said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Aldrin joined him soon after. Together they collected rocks, set up science experiments, and planted an American flag. Before they left, they also set down a metal plaque that ends with the words “We came in peace for all mankind.”
Home again
The two men spent about 21 hours on the Moon, and only about two and a half hours of that outside Eagle. They carried about 47 pounds of Moon rocks and soil back inside Eagle. Then they blasted off to meet Collins, and all three astronauts headed back to Earth. On July 24, their capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, where a Navy ship picked them up. As a precaution, the astronauts then stayed in a special quarantine room for about three weeks. Hundreds of millions of people had watched the landing on television.
Answer the questions
- What was the goal of the Apollo 11 mission? (1 point)
- Who stayed in the command ship, Columbia, while the others landed? (1 point)
- Copy the exact words Armstrong said when the lander touched down. Use quotation marks. (2 points)
- What does the word “mission” mean in the first section? (1 point)
- What did Armstrong say as he stepped onto the Moon? Quote his words exactly. (2 points)
- Collins never walked on the Moon. Why was he still important to the mission? Use evidence from the text. (2 points)
- Number these events 1 to 4 in the order they happen. (2 points)• The capsule splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.• Armstrong steps onto the Moon.• The Saturn V rocket lifts off from Florida.• Eagle touches down on the Sea of Tranquility.
- Summarize the text in two sentences. (2 points)
Answer key for parents and teachers
1. To land people on the Moon and bring them home safely. (1 point)
Finding information (RI.5.1). The goal is stated directly in the first section.
2. Michael Collins. (1 point)
Finding information (RI.5.1). A name to find in the second section.
3. “The Eagle has landed.” (2 points)
Quoting from the text (RI.5.1). Quoting accurately means copying the speaker’s exact words, with quotation marks.
4. An important job or task with a goal. (1 point)
Word meaning (RI.5.4). Working out a word from how it is used.
5. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” (2 points)
Quoting from the text (RI.5.1). A second chance to practice quoting exactly, this time with a longer quote.
6. He stayed in Columbia, circling above, so Armstrong and Aldrin could return to meet him and all three could fly home. (2 points)
Inference (RI.5.1). Joining details from two sections to explain a person’s role.
7. 1. The Saturn V rocket lifts off from Florida. 2. Eagle touches down on the Sea of Tranquility. 3. Armstrong steps onto the Moon. 4. The capsule splashes down in the Pacific Ocean. (2 points)
Sequencing events. Sequencing a long chain of events across the text.
8. One point for the mission (Apollo 11 carried three astronauts to the Moon in July 1969); one for the result (Armstrong and Aldrin walked on the Moon and all three returned safely to Earth). (2 points)
Summarizing (RI.5.2). A summary keeps the main ideas and leaves out the small details.
What this practices
Finding information (RI.5.1), Quoting from the text (RI.5.1), Word meaning (RI.5.4), Inference (RI.5.1), Sequencing events, Summarizing (RI.5.2). The codes in brackets are Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (reading). Standards vary by state, so check what your child's school uses. Points and answers are a guide: accept any sensible answer that is backed up by the text.
Now try the writing task
Imagine you are Armstrong or Aldrin. Write a journal entry about your first hours on the Moon.
Aim for eight to twelve sentences. Read it back aloud together and fix anything that does not sound right.
Want feedback on your child's own writing?
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