Article
Kim Cook/AP Images
You Write It Interview,

Teen Inventor Hopes to Save Lives

Gitanjali [giht-AHN-jah-lee] Rao, 13, from Colorado, invented a device to help people find out if their water is safe to drink. And it has the potential to help people all over the world. 

From the October 2019 Issue

Learning Objective: to rewrite an interview in the format of an essay

Featured Skill: Summarizing,
Common Core Standards
  • Anchor Standards
    R.1, W.5, L.3
  • Grade 6

    RI.6.1, W.6.5, L.6.3
  • Grade 7
    RI.7.1, W.7.5, L.7.3
  • Grade 8

    RI.8.1, W.8.5 , L.8.3
TEKS Standards
  • Grades 6, 7, 8
    10b, 10c, 10d

Presentation View
See Student View

Directions

1. Read the interview.

2. Choose a central idea for your article.

3. Write a three-paragraph article about Gitanjaliin your own words. Use quotes from our interview.

Scope: In 2014, the tap water in the city of Flint, Michigan, became contaminated with a toxic metal called lead. What did you think when you heard about the crisis?

Gitanjali: Lead can cause a lot of harm to the human body. It was scary that so many people, especially kids, were having to drink what is basically poison every day. I wanted to do something that could help.

Scope: So you invented a water-testing device. How does it work?

Gitanjali: The device is called Tethys. It has special sensors that you dunk into water to measure how much lead is present. Then the device sends the data to an app on your phone. The app tells you whether the water is safe, slightly contaminated, or critically contaminated.

Scope: How did you come up with the name Tethys?

Gitanjali: Tethys is the Greek goddess of fresh water. I named my device after her.

Scope: What makes Tethys better than other devices that test water for lead?

Gitanjali: Right now, you can test your water using lead test strips, which are not always accurate, or you can send it to a lab, which is time consuming, inconvenient, and expensive. Tethys measures lead levels more accurately and faster than other technologies. It’s also cheaper.

Scope: Why is it important that Tethys be affordable?

Gitanjali: I believe access to clean water is a human right, and we shouldn’t put a price on clean water.

Scope: What is your goal for Tethys?

Gitanjali: I’m still making adjustments, but eventually I want it to be sold in stores so that anyone can buy it and use it in their home. I especially want Tethys to be available to families who live in places like Flint, where the water has become contaminated. I’m also hoping that schools will use my device.

Scope: What advice would you give to other kids who have an idea for an invention?

Gitanjali: Don’t be afraid to try. I’ve always loved inventing things, but before Tethys, I had never started an invention and stuck with it to the end. I was always too afraid that my idea wouldn’t end up being successful, and that fear held me back. Now that I’ve created Tethys, I’m not afraid to try anymore. 

This story was originally published in the October 2019 issue    

Activities (3)
Reference
Skills Activities
Activities (3) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Reference
Skills Activities
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

1. READING THE INTERVIEW

  • Give students a minute to preview the You Write It: Interview. Prompt students to use the headline, subhead, and central image to identify the topic of the interview.
  • Break students into groups to read each section of the interview and discuss what they find interesting, surprising, or convincing.
  • Reconvene as a class and ask volunteers to summarize the central idea and supporting details from the interview. Have a volunteer read aloud the writing prompt at the bottom of the page. Brainstorm examples of central ideas (or central claims) that could be used.

2. MODELING THE TEXT

If your students need additional support, project the Annotated Model Text or the Non-Annotated Model Text and review together first.

3. WRITING

  • Distribute the guided-writing activity. This activity guides students to choose a central idea for their articles, paraphrase each question-and-answer pair from the interview, and choose sentences from the interview that they will use as quotations in their articles.
  • Using their responses from the guided-writing activity, have students write a three-paragraph article about the inspiring student using these guidelines:
    •    Opening Paragraph:
      • Your first sentence should be a hook—that is, it should grab the reader’s attention. One option is to state something that is surprising, interesting, or moving. What detail from the interview did you find most interesting?
      • Let readers know what the article is going to be about. In other words, state the central idea of the article.
    •  Body Paragraph:
      • Explain to your readers what the inspiring student’s experience was like, using information from the question-and-answer pairs you summarized.
      • Summarize the most important ideas presented in the interview. Each idea you include should support the central idea that you wrote.
      • Don’t forget to include the direct quotes you chose.
    • Conclusion:
      • Wrap it all up. End your article with a strong sentence that will give your readers something to think about. One option is to end with a quote. Another is to refer to your hook from the opening paragraph.
Text-to-Speech