3Imaginethatitis1865.Youareridingawoodenbicycle.Ithassteelwheels.Thehardwheelsbumpalongtheroad.Thebicycleshakesbadly,andsodoyou.Thebicycleiscalleda“boneshaker”.4Nowimaginethatitis1871.Youareridingabicyclewithalargefrontwheelandasmallbackwheel.Youaresittingupreallyhigh.Youhavetobecarefulthatyoudon’tfalloff!5Thebicycleiscalleda“pennyfarthing.”ApennywasalargeEnglishcoinandafarthingwasasmallEnglishcoin.Onlybravepeoplerodepennyfarthings!6Inthe1870s,mostgirlsdidnotoftenridebicycles.Girlswhodidridebicyclesworelongpantscalledbloomersundertheirdresses.7Today,therearemanyoldbicyclesinmuseums.Somepeopleevencollectthemforfun.9Today,bicyclescomeinmanyshapesandsizes.Someofthemareveryexpensive.Othersdonotcostmuchmoneyatall.Withsomanykinds,itcanbehardtochooseabicycle!10Today,manybicycleshavegears.Thesegearscanmakeiteasierorhardertopedal.Bicyclesusedforracinghavelightframessoriderscangofaster.Bicyclesusedondirtormountaintrailshavestrongframes.12Today,manystateshavelawsthatsaythatbicycleridersmustwearhelmets.Somepeoplewearpadstoprotecttheirarmsandlegstoo.Itisimportantthatallridersknowandfollowbicyclerules.13Someplaceshavebicyclesafetyclassesforchildren.Theyareusuallyheldinparkinglots.Thegroundismarkedwithchalksoitlookslikemanystreets.Childrenridearoundthechalkstreetsandlearntoridesafely.14Longago,peoplerodebicyclestogetplaces.Today,theyridethemtogetplacesandforexerciseandfun.That’swhybicycleridingisafavoritepastimearoundtheworld.WordCount:369ThinkCritically1.Whydoyouthinkthe1865bicyclewascalleda“boneshaker”?2.Whydoyouthinkitwasusuallybravepeoplewhorodepennyfarthings?3.Whatdothelawsinmanystatessaythatbicycleridersmustwear?4.Whydoyouthinktheauthorincludeddatesinthisbook?5.Whichbicyclefromthebookwouldyouliketoride?Why?SocialStudiesWritetheRulesWritethreerulesyouneedtorememberwhenridingyourbicycleinyourcommunity.Drawapictureofsomeoneonabicycleobeyingtherules.School-HomeConnectionReadRidingBicyclestoafamilymember.Thentalkaboutwhyridingbicyclesisagoodthingforpeopletodo.
