TEACHER GUIDECELEBRATING THE LEGACIES OF JOE LOUIS, JACKIE ROBINSON AND ALTHEA GIBSONTEACHER GUIDETABLE OF CONTENTS

		

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INTRODUCTION  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 3Standards  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 5LESSON 1

BUILDING CHARACTER .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 6

LESSON 2

JOE LOUIS—PERSEVERANCE .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 9

LESSON 3

Golf and RACISM—COURAGE TO CHANGE .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 11

LESSON 4

TIMELINE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN GOLF .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 13

LESSON 5

JACKIE ROBINSON—INTEGRITY .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 16

LESSON 6

JACKIE ROBINSON GOES TO BAT FOR GOLF—LEADERSHIP .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 18

LESSON 7

ALTHEA GIBSON—AMBITION  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 20

This teacher guide and the student supplement were created by Kid Scoop. For more about Kid
Scoop go to www.kidscoop.com.
This teacher guide was written by Elena Toscano. “American Champions and Barrier Breakers”
student supplement was written by Vicki Whiting. The supplement was designed by Jeff Schinkel
and the guide was designed by Dawn Armato-Brehm with production management by Vivien
Whittington and Eli Smith.
Special thanks go to the sponsors of this project, the United States Golf Association. Special
appreciation also goes to Michael Trostel of the USGA for his assistance with curriculum
development, fact checking and access to archival materials.

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TEACHER GUIDEINTRODUCTION

Letter to Teachers:
Some of the world’s greatest athletic achievements have come in the face of
untold adversity. Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis and Althea Gibson all excelled attheir respective sports, not only performing competitively at an exceptionally highlevel, but shattering racial barriers in the process. They became heroes and rolemodels to millions of Americans and inspired a generation of young people tofollow in their footsteps.
Robinson, Louis and Gibson left an indelible mark on society by using their
popularity as athletes to help advance civil rights causes. Their impact was not
limited to the baseball diamond, boxing ring or tennis court, however, as each had aprofound effect on the game of golf as well. Robinson was an outspoken advocate
for equality, using the written word to raise awareness of injustices. Louis fought
hard to help skilled black golfers gain recognition and access despite policies
that often denied equal opportunity. Gibson led by example, using her innatecompetitiveness to gain respect from her peers and admiration from fans. Throughtheir participation in golf, Robinson, Louis and Gibson helped to break barriers ofinequality and made the game more accessible in America.
The USGA Museum in Far Hills, N.J., is celebrating these three icons in an exhibit
titled, American Champions and Barrier Breakers: Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson
and Althea Gibson, that will run from February to July 2012. In this educational
supplement, we hope to enrich students’ understanding of the civil rights movement
and how Louis, Robinson, Gibson and African-American golf pioneers fought forjustice and paved the way for the athletes of today. Through American Champions
and Barrier Breakers, we want students to learn the importance of self-discipline,
perseverance, courage, integrity and ambition. The USGA Museum believes thatthese important values—qualities inherent to the game of golf—can help the young
people of today become the leaders of tomorrow.
Sincerely,

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TEACHER GUIDEINTRODUCTION

To the Teacher:American Champions and Barrier Breakers presents the history of golf in the UnitedStates through the lens of African-American athletes. Young golfers easily connect
Tiger Woods with the modern game, but most are not aware of those who paved theway for Tiger to swing into history. Although African Americans began taking up
the sport over 100 years ago, the road to the clubhouse has been filled with barriers
more formidable than any bunker on the course proving once again that heroes andchampions come in all shapes, sizes, genders and races.
American Champions and Barrier Breakers presents students with an aspect of golf
not normally seen in today’s world—the roadblocks that denied talented individuals
an equal opportunity to play based solely on their race. As students work through thelessons, they will learn about the struggles and victories off the course that resulted
in all men—and women—having a chance to play on the course. A variety ofactivities reinforce 21st century skills identified in national publications as
critical to today’s graduates: oral and written communication, collaboration andcritical thinking.
In addition, students will learn the character traits these barrier breakers embodied
through special activities woven throughout all seven lessons. Vocabulary is
introduced with Latin origins and word work provides a backdrop so deeper
connections can be made to the text. Newspaper projects focus on comprehension,
analysis, synthesis, evaluation, comparison and summarization to foster higher order
thinking and create context for the application of these skills.
This Teacher Guide provides useful resources to help you plan including: (1)learning objectives, background information and ideas to use before, during and after
lessons; (2) a matrix identifying academic content standards; (3) activities
and worksheets that reinforce character traits and develop newspaper skills; (4)critical thinking questions to deepen understanding; and (5) extension projects toenhance learning.
American Champions and Barrier Breakers highlights the exceptional skills of these
extraordinary men and women, provides an opportunity for thoughtful discussion
about overcoming racial barriers in our nation’s history and reinforces the message
to young readers that on or off the golf course … character counts!

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TEACHER GUIDESTANDARDS
Common Core Standards

Anchor Standards for Reading
Key Ideas and Details

1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly andto make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions
drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze
their development; summarize the key supporting details
and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop
and interact over the course of a text.

Craft and Structure

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including meanings.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specificsentences, paragraphs and larger portions of the text relate toeach other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content
of a text.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media.

8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in atext, including the validity of the reasoning.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes
or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare theapproaches the authors take.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

10. Read and comprehend complex informational texts
independently and proficiently.

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TEACHER GUIDELESSON 1
BUILDING CHARACTEROBJECTIVES

Students will:• Define character• Understand the origin
of English words• Deconstruct key phrases
from the Declarationof Independence• Use the newspaper tofind examples of life,
liberty and the pursuitof happiness

VOCABULARY• achieve—v. accomplish;
bring to an end (Latin ad
caput bring to a head)• leverage—v. use aquality to obtain aresult (Latin levare
lighten or lift)• confront—v. be in one’sway (Latin con+frontari
forehead)• racism—n. a belief thatdifferences among races
determine achievement;
intolerance of anotherrace (French racisme)

TOOLS NEEDED• American Champions
and Barrier Breakers
student supplement,
pp. 2-3• Lesson 1 Worksheet,
one per student or team
• Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student or team

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:

SAY: In this supplement we will read about African-American athletes who loved
golf and broke racial barriers to have equal access to clubs, facilities, competitions
and PGA membership. We’ll learn how golf—and its players—changed the “course”
of history.
		Character comes from a Greek word meaning an engraving tool. People ofcharacter leave a mark on others. Is character something people are born with orsomething they develop? What does it mean to “build character”?
		Before reading: Ask students to name famous African-American athletes
in any sport.
		Review vocabulary and discuss origins. Ask what these words might predict about
the content of today’s reading.
		Say: The world of sports was a very different place 100 years ago. Not all people
shared the same rights. In this section we will read about three famous African
Americans who broke barriers that prevented people from competing fairly andopenly—even though these rights had been promised in the Declaration of
Independence in 1776.
		Write the following on the board and discuss the meaning of the following phrases:

Declaration of Independence
These truths are self-evident
All men are created equal
Inalienable rights
Life, liberty and the pursuitof happiness

Reflective Questions
Should they even have to be spelled out?
Does this only mean men? Does it also mean
women? Does it mean all people?
If rights are inalienable, can they never
be taken away?
What is the difference between these three?

		Distribute American Champions and Barrier Breakers, pp. 2-3.
		Discuss the concept of Jim Crow laws.
USE THE NEWSPAPER!
		Distribute today’s newspaper—one per person and the Lesson 1 Worksheet.
		Direct students to look through the newspaper for pictures and articles that illustratelife, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
		Have students work within groups of two as a golf team.
		Discuss the Critical Thinking question.

6

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 1
BUILDING CHARACTER

EXTENSIONS
1. Laws in Action: Look through the newspaper for articles about legislative action
today. What potential laws are currently being debated?
2.	Rule Maker! Lawmakers are rule makers. Look through the newspaper for people
following the law and breaking the law.
3. Character in Comics: What character traits—or lack of character traits—arerepresented in the comics?

7

WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDELESSON 1: Worksheet
BUILDING CHARACTERTEAM NAMES ________________________________________ and ________________________________________
1. Locate articles and pictures in today’s newspaper that demonstrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
2. Use the chart below to summarize.
Headline

Life Article

Main Idea

1.

Supporting Details

2.
3.
1.

Liberty Article

2.
3.
1.

Pursuit of Happiness
Article2.
3.

3. Describe one picture in the newspaper that illustrates life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Tell why it illustrates
one of these concepts.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Critical Thinking: Can “separate but equal” ever be truly equal?

8

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 2
JOE LOUIS—PERSEVERANCEOBJECTIVES

Students will:• Define perseverance• Understand Latin origin
of English words• Use the newspaper
to find examples ofperseverance• Summarize a newspaper
articleVOCABULARY• racism—n. a belief
that differencesamong human races
determine achievement;
intolerance of anotherrace (French racisme)• fascism—n. an ideology
fundamentally opposed
to democracy andliberalism; military
dictatorship (Latin fascis
bundle)• exhibition—n. a public
display or presentation(Latin exhibitio apresenting)• celebrities—n. famousor well-known people(Latin celebre often
repeated; famous)

TOOLS NEEDED• American Champions
and Barrier Breakers
student supplement,
pages 4-5
• Lesson 2 Worksheet,
one per team of two• Today’s newspaper, one
copy per team of two

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:SAY:• Have you ever wanted something so much that you kept trying despite the odds?
Share examples.
• When someone works towards a goal despite the odds, that person demonstrates
perseverance. (NOTE: From Latin: per—thoroughly + severus strict)• Talk to a partner and list characters in movies or books that haveperseverance. Share.
Before reading: Write the following questions on the board:• Why did Joe’s family move from Alabama to Detroit, Mich.?
• How did Joe and his family get by during the Depression?
• What did Joe’s defeat of Schmeling symbolize?
• What evidence in the reading shows you that Joe’s perseverance paid off?
	Review vocabulary: Challenge students to skim the article for two minutes to locate
vocabulary words.
Distribute American Champions and Barrier Breakers, pp. 4-5.
	During reading: Have students underline answers to the questions.
Follow Up: Pair students to review answers with a partner before sharing with theclass.

USE THE NEWSPAPER!
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per team and the Lesson 2 Worksheet.
Remind students that Joe succeeded in spite of barriers because he persevered. Ask
students to find an article about a problem in a community that people are working toovercome.
Direct students to summarize the article using Lesson 2 Worksheet.
Discuss the Critical Thinking question.
EXTENSIONS
1. Athletes in the News: Look through today’s sports section. Which sports are inseason? Who are the current stars?
2. Be the Teacher! Create five to 10 quiz questions about a sports article. Trade
articles. Can your partner answer your questions?
3. Take a Poll: Pick a topic and survey classmates to identify their favorite: sport,
subject, weekend activity, holiday, food, car, athlete, TV show, etc. Tally totals andcreate a graphic display. Share results. What does your average classmate like?

9WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDELESSON 2: Worksheet
JOE LOUIS—PERSEVERANCE

1. Define perseverance: _______________________________________________________________________
2.	Find an article in today’s newspaper that demonstrates perseverance in solving a problem. Write the headline in thecenter box. Divide the article into a beginning, middle and end. Summarize each section in the boxes listing only
important words or main ideas.
Beginning

MiddleMiddleHeadlineEnd

3. Use the statements in the boxes to write a quick written summary of the article. Answer the following questions:• What is the challenge?
• Who is working to solve it?
• Where are they working?
• What are some of the difficulties they must overcome?
• How does this demonstrate perseverance?

4. Critical Thinking: Does perseverance always lead to positive results? Are there times when it is necessary to give up?

10

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 3
Golf and Racism—courage to change

OBJECTIVES

Students will:• Define courage• Understand Latin origin
of English words• Understand cause andeffect.
• Use the newspaper tocompare and contrast
examples of courage.

VOCABULARY• exclude—v. to shut or
keep out (Latin fromexcludere to shut out;
cut off)• exemption—n. freedom
from an obligation towhich others are subject(Latin from exemptus totake out; free; release)• reluctant—adj.
unwilling; opposing(from Latin reluctans to
struggle)

TOOLS NEEDED• American Champions
and Barrier Breakers
student supplement,
pages 6-7
• Lesson 3 Worksheet, one
per team of two• Today’s newspaper, one
copy per team of two

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:

SAY: Can you think of a time when someone you know did something very brave?
Share examples.
Courage comes from the Latin word cor meaning heart. How is the heart connected
to courage?
Have students brainstorm figures from history who demonstrated great courage.
Before reading: SAY: History is a chain of causes and effects—events cause otherevents to happen. In this section we will record some causes and effects of Joe Louis’
struggle to overcome racism in golf.
Review vocabulary: SAY: Do these words have a positive or negative connotation?
Distribute American Champions and Barrier Breakers, pp. 6-7.
Draw the following chart on the board and list Cause only. As you read, record the
Effect. (Answers are shown in italics.)

Cause
Because blacks were excluded fromcompeting,Because Joe sponsored the Joe LouisOpen,
Because Joe received a sponsor’s
exemption in 1952,
Because Joe Louis made the news with
his PGA fight,

Effectthey didn’t have a chance to make a living
as golfers.
black golfers had a chance to compete.
he became the first African American toplay a PGA Tour event.
Americans began to question programs,
rules and organizations that excluded
people of color.

Follow Up: What evidence in these articles demonstrates courage?
USE THE NEWSPAPER!
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per team and the Lesson 3 Worksheet.
Review the Lesson 3 worksheet. Newsworthy acts of courage happen every day. Use
the newspaper to compare two different articles showing courageous choices or
actions.
Discuss the Critical Thinking question.
EXTENSIONS
1. Champions off the Course: Look in the sports section for stories of athletes helping
others. How many can you find?
2. Political Advisor: Pretend you are the advisor to Joe Louis. Write a letter with yourideas to solve the problems he faced.
3. Poetic Style: Write the letters C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N vertically down the left side ofa piece of paper. Have students think of ways champions act—one idea per letter.
(e.g., C = Care for others; H = Honors commitments; etc.)
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WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDELESSON 3: Worksheet
Golf and Racism—courage to change

TEAM NAMES ________________________________________ and ________________________________________
1. Write a synonym for courage: ______________________________________________________________
2. Find two articles in today’s newspaper about people showing courage. Use the Venn diagram below to compare andcontrast.
	Article 1: Headline:	Article 2: Headline:____________________________________________________________________________________

Main idea:

Main idea:
Similarities

Detail 1:

Detail 2:

Detail 1:

Detail 2:

3. Answer the following questions:• How are the two acts of courage different?
• How are the two acts of courage the same?
4. Share your articles and diagram with another team. Take turns summarizing.
5. Critical Thinking: Are there different degrees of courage? Are some actions braver than others?

12

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 4
TIMELINE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN GOLFOBJECTIVES• Read a chronologicalhistory of AfricanAmericans in golf using
a timeline• Understand Latin origins
of English words• Summarize informationin an A-to-Z format

VOCABULARY• institutional—
adj. organizedestablishments, societies
or foundations (Latin
institutionem state)• circumstances—n.
existing conditions(Latin circumstare to
stand around)• exemplify—v. serveas an example (Latin
exemplum example)

TOOLS NEEDED• American Champions
and Barrier Breakers
student supplement,
pages 8-9
• Lesson 4 Worksheet,
one per team of two• Today’s newspaper, one
copy per team of two

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:

SAY:• If you were going to create a timeline of your life, what would be the mostimportant events you would include? (Allow time to share.) How can a timeline
help us understand history? (puts events in order, illustrates cause/effect, tells us
when things happened)• Today we will read about noteworthy contributions of African-American athletes to
the game of golf over three different centuries by reviewing a timeline.
Before reading: Draw a matrix on the board and ask students to help complete thematrix as they read.
NameJohn Shippen
Dr. George Grant
Renee Powell
Ann Gregory
Harold Dunovant
Charlie Sifford
Pete Brown
Tiger Woods
Lee ElderYear

Achievement

	Review vocabulary: Discuss Latin origins. Have students repeat words
and definitions.
Distribute American Champions and Barrier Breakers, pp. 8-9
Follow Up: Review matrix. What were the most important events?
USE THE NEWSPAPER!
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per team of two and Lesson 4 Worksheet.
Look at the cartoon/comic section and the political cartoon on the editorial page.
Discuss how cartoon drawings can represent events using figures, symbols andwords. Ask students to select two events from the timeline to illustrate in the boxes.
Discuss the Critical Thinking question.

13

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 4
TIMELINE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN GOLF

EXTENSIONS
1. Summarize from A to Z: Write the letters of the alphabet from A to Z. Summarize
information in American Champions using each letter of the alphabet. (Optional:
Assign one letter to each student to summarize one idea in a sentence beginningwith that letter and create an illustration. Gather all work and create a classroom“A to Z Book.”)
2. Career Options: Find ten professions mentioned in today’s newspaper that are
unusual. Cut them out and paste them in order from most to least uncommon. Who
has the most unusual job?

14

WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDELESSON 4: Worksheet
TIMELINE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN GOLF—SAY IT IN PICTURESTEAM NAMES ________________________________________ and ________________________________________
1. Look at the comic section and opinion page of today’s newspaper to review how illustrators depict events using figures
or symbols. Select two events from the timeline. Illustrate using figures or symbols. Write a sentence in the bubbles
describing the events.

2. Critical Thinking: It is said that a picture is “worth a thousand words.” Look through today’s paper and select one
photograph. Without reading the caption, what does the picture tell you?

15

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 5
JACKIE ROBINSON—INTEGRITYOBJECTIVES• Define integrity andidentify examples• Understand Latin origin
of English words• Read for detail• Recognize integrity inadvertising using thenewspaper

VOCABULARY• injustices—n. unfair
acts (Latin in + justicia
not fair)• prejudice—n. an
unfavorable opinion
formed beforehand
without reason (Latin
prae + justicium
judging before)• relegated—v. to sendor assign to an inferior
position or place (Latin
relegatus to send away )• verbatim—adv. inexactly the same words;
word for word (Latin
verbum word)

TOOLS NEEDED• American Champions
and Barrier Breakers
student supplement,
pages 10-11• Lesson 5 Worksheet,
one copy per teamof two• Today’s newspaper, one
copy per team of two

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:

SAY: Integrity means doing something right because it is right even if no one iswatching! It comes from two Latin words in + teger which mean not touchable.
People with integrity cannot be persuaded to do something they feel is not right.
• Have students discuss the following situations:* You have a family rule that TV is limited to one hour at night. Tonight yourparents are out. What do you do?
* No one sees you accidentally break something in a store. What do you do?
* One of your friends bullies someone at school. What do you do?
Before reading: Read to learn about Jackie Robinson. As we read today’s lesson,
underline answers to the following trivia questions. Write the following questions
without answers on the board.
1. Why is Jackie Robinson famous? (first black Major League Baseball player)
2.	Where did he attend college? (UCLA)
3.	What sports did he play in college? (football, basketball, track and baseball)
4.	Who did Jackie Robinson meet at Fort Riley, Kansas? (Joe Louis)
5.	What advice did Jackie Robinson give to Charlie Sifford? (Don’t be a quitter;take the challenge)
Review vocabulary:• Have students pronounce each word and discuss meaning.
• Use each word in a sentence to demonstrate understanding.
Distribute American Champions and Barrier Breakers, pp. 10-11
Follow Up: Review answers to Jackie Robinson trivia.

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per team of two and the Lesson 5 Worksheet.
Tell students that they will work as a team using today’s newspaper to identify people
making the right choices to create an “Integrity Hunt” Trivia Game. After reviewing
different sections, use the information to write questions and answers. Try to find at
least one article from each section listed.
Play “Integrity Hunt” Trivia Game with another team taking turns.
Discuss the Critical Thinking question.
EXTENSIONS
1. In Other Words: Review editorial cartoons. Create a political cartoon illustrating
Jackie Robinson’s efforts to integrate sports.
2. Sports Hunt: Football, baseball, basketball and track were Jackie Robinson’s
sports—and they happened at different times of the year. Use today’s sports section
to locate articles about these sports. Which sports are in-season?
3. Baseball Signs: Baseball managers use signals to communicate with players on
the field. Find an article in today’s newspaper. Circle ten words and list them on a
separate piece of paper. Create a code for the letters (e.g., A=1, B=2, and so on).
Black out the original words in the article with a marking pen. Give a partner yoursecret code and the coded words. After he solves the code, ask him to use context
clues to figure out where the words belong in the article.
16

WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDELESSON 5: Worksheet“INTEGRITY HUNT” TRIVIA GAMETEAM NAMES ________________________________________ and ________________________________________
1. Find articles in different sections of today’s newspaper that show integrity. Write a question from each section for an“Integrity Hunt” Trivia Game.
SectionExamplePage

Question

C-1

In the Sports section, which professional
athlete runs a foundation for children withlife-threatening diseases?

Answer

Front Page

World News

Local NewsSports

Editorial Page
2. Trade with another team. See who can find the answers first.
3. Critical Thinking: Are there more stories about people with integrity or without integrity in the news? Why is there
more of one kind than the other?

17

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 6
JACKIE ROBINSON GOES TO BAT FOR GOLF—LEADERSHIPOBJECTIVES

Students will:• Define leadership• Understand Latin origin
of English words• Use the newspaper
to locate examples ofleadership in the local
community, nation
and world• Summarize information
on a graphic organizer

VOCABULARY• economic—adj. theproduction, distribution
and use of income
and goods (Latin
oeconomicus housemanager)• integrate—v. to giveequal opportunity andconsideration to (Latin
integrare to renew)• protest—v. an
expression ofdisapproval or dissent(Latin protestare before
testifying)• legacy—n. somethinghanded down fromthe past (Latin legatia
deputy; to depute)

TOOLS NEEDED• American Champions
and Barrier Breakers
student supplement,
pages 12-13• Lesson 6 Worksheet,
one copy per team oftwo• Today’s newspaper, one
copy per team of two

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:

SAY:• What does it mean to be a leader? What characteristics do leaders possess thatmake others want to follow them?
• Today we will read about the leadership role Jackie Robinson played in his fight forcivil rights.
Before reading: Have students copy the following chart on a piece of paper. Pair
students with a partner. As students take turns reading to each other, have teams
record “Words to Remember” from Jackie Robinson’s writings that show leadership.

ArticleTop TV Golf Shows Snub Professionals
of Color
Selective Buying Over Racial Snubs

Words to Remember

Review vocabulary: Have students pronounce each word. Explain the meaning byusing in a sentence. Ask students for other examples.
Distribute American Champions and Barrier Breakers, pp. 12-13
Follow Up: Review “Words to Remember.” Discuss why teams selected different
words to remember. ASK: If someone were to write about you, what words of yours
would show your leadership skills?
USE THE NEWSPAPER!
Newspapers include stories of leaders worldwide. Pre-select an article from today’s
paper in the local, national or world news section. As you read the article, identify
who, what, when, where and why. Underline the parts that demonstrate leadership.
Review directions on Lesson 6 worksheet. Direct students to find additional examplesof leaders in local, national or world news.
Discuss the Critical Thinking question.
EXTENSIONS
1. Leadership Grows! Find “leadership” articles in today’s paper; create a leadershipbulletin board for your school.
2. Word Work: How many words can you make from the letters in
L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P?
3. Scrambled Headlines: Cut out the words in headlines about leaders; trade witha classmate. Can you reassemble headlines correctly?
4. In Other Words: Rewrite Jackie Robinson’s “Words to Remember” in yourown words.

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WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDELESSON 6: Worksheet
JACKIE ROBINSON GOES TO BAT FOR GOLF—LEADERSHIPTEAM NAMES ________________________________________ and ________________________________________
1. Define leadership: _______________________________________________________________________
People demonstrate leadership everyday in our local communities, the nation and throughout the world.
2.	Find three articles in today’s newspaper about leaders: one from the local community, one from the national news andone from somewhere in the world. Use this worksheet to compare articles. Identify the headline and use who, what,
when, where and why newspaper format to summarize.
Article #1: Community Leader

Article #2: Community Leader

Headline:

Headline:

Who:

Who:
LEADERSHIP

What:

What:

When:

When:

Where:

Where:Why:

Article #3: Community Leader

Why:

Headline:
Who:
What:
When:
Where:Why:• Why are these leaders newsworthy?
• How are their actions similar?
• What conclusions can you draw about people who are leaders?
3.	 Critical Thinking: Which is more important in a leader—being honest about bad news or making people feel safe bywithholding facts that might create fear?
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TEACHER GUIDELESSON 7
ALTHEA GIBSON—AMBITIONOBJECTIVES• Define ambition• Understand Latin origins
of English words• Underline to aid
comprehension• Use the newspaper to
identify female rolemodelsVOCABULARY• insatiable—adj. not able
to be satisfied (Latin
insatiabilis, from in- not+ satiabilis to seek; to
ask for)• excel—v. to surpass
others; be superior(Latin excellere ex +cellere to rise high,tower)• competitive—adj.
having a strong desire
to compete (Latin
competere to meet, tocome together)

TOOLS NEEDED• American Champions
and Barrier Breakers
student supplement,
pages 14-15• Lesson 7 Worksheet,
one copy per team oftwo• Today’s newspaper, one
copy per team of two

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:

SAY: Ambition means a desire for achievement or distinction. (from Latin
ambitio go) How are you ambitious? What do you strive for?
SAY: Althea Gibson was a star athlete with tremendous ambition to be the best
female tennis and golf player. Whether playing in a game or in life, Althea wasalways a role model. As you read today, look for ways Althea Gibson modeled
star qualities.
Before Reading: Using a map, explain that Althea’s family moved from South
Carolina to New York City when she was a little girl and that the streets of Harlem
were her training ground. SAY: Women did not always have the same opportunities
for sports that they have nowadays—and black women did not compete
professionally against white women. In this section you will read about how Althea
broke down barriers in sports setting records along the way. As you read, underline
Althea’s achievements.
• Teacher Note: Identifying a task before reading gives reading a purpose. Having
students underline, circle or number items aids comprehension.
Review vocabulary: Challenge students to spell each word to a partner.
Distribute American Champions and Barrier Breakers, pp. 14-15
Follow Up: Review Althea’s achievements. SAY: How do these achievements give
evidence that Althea had ambition?

USE THE NEWSPAPER!
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per team and Lesson 7 Worksheet.
Remind students Althea started as a child with ambition. Look through today’s
newspaper to compare three articles of women with ambition. Use the graphicorganizer to summarize.
Discuss the Critical Thinking question.
EXTENSIONS
1. In Other Words: Rewrite the quotes in this section in your own words.
2.	Dear Abby: Write a “Dear Abby” column citing examples from the news wherecelebrities have not been good role models and offer advice to improve.
3. Cross Words: Write the word A-M-B-I-T-I-O-N in the middle of a piece of paper.
Think of eight words or short phrases that describe ambition and can be written as
crosswords sharing the same letter. For example, the word Action can be crossedwith the letter A in Ambition.

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WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDELESSON 7: Worksheet
ALTHEA GIBSON—AMBITIONTEAM NAMES ________________________________________ and ________________________________________
1. People with ambition work hard for a goal. What is another word for ambition?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Stories of women with ambition can be found in every corner of the world. Find three articles in today’s newspaper
about women who have worked hard to achieve a goal. Compare stories below. Include the headline, dateline (city or
country), and summarize using who, what, when, where and why this displays ambition.
Womenin the News

Article #1:

Article #3:

Headline/Dateline:
Who:
What:
When:
Where:
Why this shows AMBITION:

Article #2:
Headline/Dateline:
Who:
What:
When:
Where:

Headline/Dateline:
Who:
What:
When:
Where:
Why this shows AMBITION:

Why this shows AMBITION:

3. Critical Thinking: Can ambition help or hurt relationships with others? How can someone ensure that ambition always
has a positive impact on others?

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