Jackie Robinson Taught Us More Than Baseball

After determining student knowledge about Jackie Robinson, the teacher/counselor reads "Teammates" by Peter Golenbock to fifth graders. The teacher/counselor then divides students into four groups to work cooperatively on questions. Groups select leaders and recorders and each group leader presents answers to the whole class. The teacher/counselor ends the activity with a question that individual students will respond to in writing.

A lesson plan for grades K–5 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies

By Jan Huggins

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• Learn more about English language arts, guidance, and social studies.

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Learning outcomes

The student will:

• define and expand on concepts involving American history and racism.
• work cooperatively with peers.
• respond to major events in the book and apply, extend and expand on concepts while working with peers on answers to critical thinking questions.
• respond personally to lessons in the book by creating the “message” of the book.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Months

Materials/resources

The book Teammates, a NCSS-CBC Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; written by Peter Golenbock; illustrated by Paul Bacon

The four “Group” questions written, each written on a separate piece of paper

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

In order to determine what students know before beginning the lesson, ask: Who was Jackie Robinson? Also, ask students to listen for the following words in the story; segregation, prejudice, self-control, intimidate, humiliation and hostility.

Activities

1. Read the book to the entire class. As you encounter each of the following words, ask students to define them (segregation, prejudice, self-control, intimidate, humiliation and hostility). The book contains many context clues.
2. After reading the book to the students, divide students into four groups. Assign an area in the classroom for each group and ask each group to choose a leader (or co-leaders). The leader’s responsibility will be reporting to the class the group’s answer to one of the four questions. Each group will be assigned a question (or two) which are to be written on a separate piece of paper for each group. Another individual in the group is to write on the piece of paper a summary of the group’s discussion. Ask the person who records information to write group members’ names on the paper.

   Questions:

   • Group# 1 Explain the statement, “I want a man with the courage not to fight back.”
   • Group #2. What did it mean when PeeWee Reese put his arm around Jackie Robinson in front of the crowd? What did PeeWee Reese risk?
   • Group #3. Describe what Branch Rickey was like.
   • Group #4. Pretend you are Jackie Robinson when he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. How did you feel? What might have been some of your thoughts?

   Allow approximately ten minutes for each group to meet and work on the answers to the questions. The teacher/counselor circulates while students are working.

3. While the students are still in their groups, ask each group’s leader to read the question and then report to the class the answers they discussed. In addition to historical events, opportunities may arise to discuss anger management, self-control, ethical/moral decision-making and more. Hopefully, students will empathize with Jackie Robinson’s situation. Collect the question and summaries from each of the four groups for later review.
4. Following the answers and related discussions, ask students to return to their seats. Ask them to respond in writing to this question: “What message in this book might you use in your life?” Collect the answers for later review.

Assessment

The teacher/counselor will know the extent of student learning by review of:

• Verbal answers to the four questions and related discussions
• Written answers to the group questions
• Written answers to individual questions

Supplemental information

Jackie Robinson: 1/31/19 - 10/24/72

• Joined Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and helped them to 6 World Series appearances in 10 years.
• Named Rookie of the Year in 1947.
• Named League’s Most Valuable Player in 1949.
• Played 10 years with the Dodgers and they won the World Series in 1955.
• Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
• While a college student at UCLA, starred in football and track.

Related websites

N/A

Comments

When using this book with fifth graders, students have frequently asked that I read it again during the same session. This is an excellent resource to stimulate discussions about treating each other with respect regardless of differences, managing anger, making ethical decisions and analyzing what history teaches us. This resource seems to engage the entire class. Students have asked for additional information about Jackie Robinson after participating in this lesson.