Jackie Robinson: Innings and Beginnings

Popular name: Jackie Robinson: SS
Grade Level: Grades 7-12
Discipline: SOCIAL STUDIES

Standard #1: History of the United States and New York State
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in history of the United States and New York.

Key Idea #3: Study about the major social, political, economic, cultural and religious developments in NYS and US history involves learning about the important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.

Learning Objectives

EXPLORATORY PHASE

Step 1: In pairs, students compare and record on a K-W-L chart (in journals) prior knowledge, and then generate questions about Jackie Robinson that will guide their research.

Sample questions in relevance to Jackie Robinson’s integration of baseball:

1. What position(s) did he play?
2. What is he known for?
3. What team(s) did he play for?
4. What year did he join a major league team?
5. What year was he inducted into the hall of fame?
6. What year did he retire from baseball?
7. Where and against whom did he play his first game?
8. What did he do after baseball?
9. When and how did he die?
10. How many homeruns did he score?
11. How did people react to his first appearance as a player?
12. What was his baseball number?
13. What year was he born?
14. Where and how long did he play before being accepted into the major league?
15. What was his response to the critics?
16. What negative behaviors did he have to face?
17. Who helped him through the difficult fact of being the first black player in the major leagues?
18. What kind of childhood did he have?
19. What statistics can you report about his career?
20. What positive event occurred to Jackie's team during his first year with them?
21. What year did Jackie receive the MVP award?
22. What year was Major League Baseball desegregation completed?
23. What tragedy happened to Robinson in 1971?
24. What honor was he posthumously awarded in 1986, by President Reagan?
25. What qualities in Jackie Robinson led the Dodgers’ manager to choose him as the 1st African American player rather than someone else?

Step 2: Information in answer to the questions will be recorded by individuals on the given Graphic Organizer as they conduct research. Give the students time to navigate the Jackie Robinson website using the blank graphic organizer in pairs so that they will know what to look for (takes 2 days).

Step 3: Graphic organizers are assessed for completeness (+/-)

The exploratory phase will take 2-3 days.

DISCOVERY PHASE

1) Individual students select their option: essay/power-point/poster/skit

2) Students work for a week in the computer lab and classroom.

Presentations will take around 3 days.

Task Specifications for Developing the Student-Generated Product/Process (listed on rubric)