Reading Around the Bases Character Education Lesson Seeds

Lesson 1 Courage & Jackie Robinson

Standards:
RI.8.3. Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).
RI.8.6. Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the
author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Lesson:
Students will discuss the meaning of courage and provide examples, personal
experiences, historical accounts, etc. Students will read a story about Jackie
Robinson and will then discuss Jackie Robinsons life, how he is portrayed, and how
he overcame adversity.

Activity:
Review courageous people and discuss the examples that accompany each person.
Divide students into four groups and assign different scenarios - What Would You
Do? to each group. Students will then act out their scenarios, and as group will
discuss the situations. Finally, students will complete a writing prompt that has
students write about a time when they showed courage.

Lesson 2 Perseverance & Lou Gehrig

Standards:
RI.6.7. Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or
issue.
RI.8.3. Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

Lesson:
As a class, the story Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man by David A. Adler will be read.
Then, students will conduct online research to learn more about Lou Gehrig. Using
the material they gather about his life and character, students will create a
flyer/poster. Students then will participate in a virtual field trip from the Baseball
Hall of Fame entitled "Lou Gehrig: The Iron Horse."

Activity:
Students will participate in a readers theatre during the virtual field trip from the
Baseball Hall of Fame.




Lesson 3 Service & Roberto Clemente

Standards:
RI.6.3. Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced,
illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).
RI.6.7. Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or
issue.
Lesson:
Students will talk about and give examples of service, volunteering, community, and
the common good. Students will read Roberto Clemente by Jim Gigliotti and then
discuss Roberto Clementes life, service, and legacy. Afterwards, students will be
divided into pairs and will then research, sing internet sources, the recipients of the
Roberto Clemente Award to learn more about the traits that each person must
possess in order to receive the award.

Activity:
See Service Learning Project

Lesson 4 Integrity & Cal Ripken, Jr.

Standards:

W.6.3., W.7.3., W.8.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured
event sequences.
W.6.4., W.7.4., W.8.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Lesson:
Students will be given examples and will determine if the behaviors are right or
wrong. Each behavior will be reviewed with the class and discussed. Students will
research athletes who possess characteristics of integrity, value, honesty, and
fairness. As a class, we will read about Cal Ripken, Jr. and discuss his integrity.

Activity:
Have each student select an athlete they believe to be a person of integrity. Students
then will write an opinion piece in which they support their statement about their
chosen athlete using accurate, credible sources of information.