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Course: ELA isolated skill practice > Unit 3

Lesson 1: Reading and vocabulary
Reading & language arts
ELA isolated skill practice
4th grade
Reading and vocabulary
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Key ideas: technical texts 4

Google Classroom

Problem

Read the passage.

Approaching the Vault

I focused my vision and pulled a deep, calming breath into my lungs. This was it—the event I’d poured my energy, focus, and sweat into for months. As I stood and waited for the judge’s sign that she was ready, I thought about a few key things: run fast, use good form, and be sure to find a focal point upon landing.
I pulled in another breath and eased it slowly through my lips. “Jasmine," I whispered to myself. “You’ve got this.”
The judge raised her hand, and I saluted. It was time. I was ready. And you know what? I scored a perfect 10.0 on my front handspring vault at Regional Championships.
My name is Jasmine, and I’ve been doing gymnastics for three years. My coach asked me to write an article to help other gymnasts improve their front handspring vaults.
Remember these four steps, and your vault will go from OK to awesome!
Step 1: Run very fast!
Practice running as fast as you can. Make sure to pump your arms. If you don’t run fast, your vault won’t have any power.
Step 2: Jump with the correct form
When you jump onto the springboard, make sure your legs are slightly bent and that your core muscles are tight.
Step 3: Tight body handstand
You will only touch the vault briefly with your hands, but make sure you are in the best handstand position—tall and straight. Don’t forget to point those toes!
Step 4: Stick it!
We all want to stick our landings. Sometimes that seems so hard. Try these two tips. 1) Make sure to bend your knees when you land. 2) Find a focal point. Right when you land, focus your gaze on the floor about 2–3 meters in front of you. This will help you keep your balance.
Try these tips, and you will see your vault improve!
What is this passage mostly about?
Choose 1 answer: