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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

Table of Contents

PAGE
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

LESSON 1

Little Bobby — DEDICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

LESSON 2

New Kid From Dixie — COMMITMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

LESSON 3

The “Seven Lean Years” — SELF-DISCIPLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

LESSON 4

The “Seven Fat Years” — INTEGRITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

LESSON 5

The Grand Slam — RESPECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

LESSON 6

I’m Retiring — SPORTSMANSHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

LESSON 7“Play the Ball Where it Lies” — COURAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

This teacher guide was written by Elena Toscano and Vicki Whiting. The “Character of aChampion” student supplement was written by Ellen Toscano and Vicki Whiting. Both the guideand the supplement were designed by Dawn Armato-Brehm and production management was byVivien Whittington.
Special thanks go to the sponsor of this project, the United States Golf Association. Special
appreciation also goes to David Normoyle of the USGA for his assistance with curriculum
development, fact checking and access to archival materials.

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

Introduction

Letter to Teachers
There’s a reason why the United States Golf Association named its highest honor after
Bobby Jones some 50 years ago. His accomplishments as a golfer are a standard of
excellence that have stood the test of time. More importantly, he carried himself withgrace and dignity, whether as a victorious champion or while battling a crippling
disease, values that represent the best qualities of a human being.
The stories from Bobby Jones’s career are important for all golfers to know The
stories from his life are tools for teaching what’s most important about becoming anhonorable person.
The United States Golf Association believes there are qualities inherent to the game ofgolf that, when exposed to a child, have the ability to change a life. Values likededication, courage, self-discipline, integrity and respect are all values critical todeveloping children into responsible young adults. They are values critical to theproper playing of the game of golf, and they are values that are personified throughout
the life of Bobby Jones.
Seventy-five years ago Bobby Jones captured golf’s Grand Slam by winning all four
major championships in a single year. He was the first to do so and nobody has yet
matched his record. This anniversary provides the opportunity for the USGA Museum
to tell another great story – Bobby Jones’s story – and once you’ve heard it, it’s hard
to forget.

Sincerely,

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

Standards
MCREL STANDARDS FOR CHARACTER OF A CHAMPION – THE BOBBY JONES STORYLANGUAGE ARTS

1

2

LESSONS
3
4
5

6

7

2

LESSONS
3
4
5

6

7

6

7

1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes
5. Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process
7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret
informational text
8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes

WORKING WITH OTHERS

1

1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group

GEOGRAPHY

1

2

LESSONS
3
4
5

HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING

1

2

LESSONS
3
4
5

6

7

1

2

LESSONS
3
4
5

6

7

1

2

LESSONS
3
4
5

6

7

2. Knows the location of places

1. Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns
2. Understands the historical perspective (cause & effect, timeline, role ofindividuals)

THINKING AND REASONING
3. Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities anddifferences

CIVICS
10. Understands the roles of voluntarism and organized groups in Americansocial life
27. Understands how certain character traits enhance citizens’ ability to fulfill
personal and civic responsibilities

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 1
LITTLE BOBBYOBJECTIVES
Students will:•Define dedication•Learn the origins ofEnglish words•Practice sequencing to
improve reading
comprehension•Use the newspaper to
identify people who havededicated themselves to aworthy cause•Use a “who, what, when,
where and why” chart toanalyze and summarize anewspaper article

VOCABULARY•dedication – n. focusing
oneself on a certain courseof action•amateur – n. one who plays
a sport for pleasure rather
than as a profession•wholeheartedly – adv. donewith sincerity, earnestness•unprecedented – adj.
unheard of•prestigious – adj. having a
famous reputation•paternal – adj. related
through one’s father

TOOLS NEEDED•Character of aChampion: The Bobby
Jones Story student
supplement, pages 2-3•Lesson 1 Worksheet, one
per student•Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:
ASK:• What does dedication mean? (NOTE: From Latin: de- down + dicare to
proclaim); one definition of dedicate is to devote yourself to some work or duty.
• What things have you dedicated yourself to?
• How do you show your dedication in school? Hobbies? Sports?
• Have students define dedication by giving examples that “show” rather than “tell”
the meaning. For example, “I am so dedicated to learning to play the guitar wellthat I practice three hours daily.”
Have students brainstorm what they know about golf – the rules, the equipment andthe players.
Before reading: Locate Atlanta, Georgia on a U.S. map.
Review vocabulary and write words and a brief definition or synonym on the board.
Tell students they will circle vocabulary words as they read and substitute with abrief definition or synonym.
Distribute Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story, pp. 2-3.
Read the introduction and then inform students that they will be reading about anunlikely champion who was sick as a child, learned golf by imitation and never took
a formal lesson.
Have students sequence the events that led to Jones becoming a childhood golfing
sensation.
Tell students to look for facts telling why Jones is famous in sports history.
Teacher Note: Identifying a task before reading gives reading a “purpose.” Having
students underline, circle or number items helps with comprehension.

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per person and the Lesson 1 Worksheet.
Pre-select an article from today’s paper that describes a person or group dedicated toa worthy cause. Model how to analyze this article with a “who, what, when, where,
why and how” chart. Write a summary from the notes.
Have students work with a partner and use the worksheet to analyze an article on
their own.

EXTENSIONS
1. Look through the newspaper to identify a need in your community and brainstorm
ideas to address it.
2. Generate a list of questions students can use to interview an adult about anexperience or memory of a sporting event from their childhood. Write a summaryof their interview using newspaper format: who, what, when, where, why and how.

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 1: Worksheet
LITTLE BOBBY — DEDICATIONNAME ______________________________________
Define dedication: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jones made his dream come true by dedicating himself to golf from the time he was young. This meant watching,learning, practicing and working hard to become better day by day.
1. Find an article in today’s newspaper about people dedicating themselves to a goal, project, cause or dream. Use thefollowing chart to record facts, main ideas and important details.

Headline
BylineDateline
Who
What
When
Where
Why
How

2. Use the notes from the chart above to summarize the article:

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 2
NEW KID FROM DIXIEOBJECTIVES•Define commitment andgive examples•Practice strategies toimprove reading
comprehension•Use the editorial sectionof the newspaper to
identify fact and opinion

VOCABULARY•commitment – n.
devoting oneself
unreservedly to achieve a
goal•exceptionally – adv.
performing
extraordinarily well;
unusually well•passion – n. an intense,
extreme feeling; a strong
desire for a cause•perfectionist – n. one
who demands of himself
or others a high degreeof excellence•par – n. In golf, thenumber of strokes
allowed for a hole whenperfectly played

TOOLS NEEDED•Character of aChampion: The Bobby
Jones Story student
supplement, pages 4-5•Lesson 2 Worksheet, one
per student•Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:
ASK:• What does commitment mean? (NOTE: From Latin: com – together + mittere tosend + ment the act of)• How are commitment and dedication similar? Explain to the students that once
you dedicate (devote) yourself to a goal, you must make a commitment (promise)
to work consistently to achieve it.
• Have students use the word commitment in a sentence that shows they understandthe meaning by using examples from their own lives. (Model a sentence forstudents to follow: It took three years of commitment to become proficient atplaying the guitar.)• How might commitment help someone overcome obstacles?
Review vocabulary. Have students use each word in a sentence to check forunderstanding.
Before reading: Background Information: “Dixie” is a common name for thesouthern United States. The origin of the word is unclear. Some people believe it
derived from “dix” meaning “ten” written on the back of $10.00 bills distributed bya Louisiana bank before the Civil War. Others say it came from a song sung by
black slaves about a kindly slaveholder named “Dixie.” A third theory claims it
refers to the Mason-Dixon line, a boundary delineated by two British surveyors,
Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, that separated the free states from the slavestates. (Resource: Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia; Vols. 8, 17).
During reading: Have students underline or highlight key events
After reading: . Have students draw a timeline from 1913 to 1917 and record
events in the order they occurred while reading. Allow time for students to compare
timelines. What kind of headlines would have been written about Jones during theseyears? List student ideas on the board to correspond with events from the timeline.

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper —one per person and the Lesson 2 Worksheet andreview directions.
Refer to the “New Kid from Dixie - Commitment!” section of the student
supplement. Remind students that Jones committed his time fully to realizing his
dream because golf was his passion. Often people who are passionate about a cause
express their views publicly on the Editorial page. Select a letter, read it to the classand help students identify the ideal to which the writer is committed. Point out facts
and opinions expressed by the writer.
Direct students to use Worksheet 2 to evaluate other letters to the editor, identifying
fact and opinion.

EXTENSIONS
1. Look for stories about young people making a difference in your community, thenation or the world. Post these “Kid Wonders” on a bulletin board.
2. Use the sports section of the newspaper to find articles about golf. Compare thenumber of golf articles to those about other sports. Which sports get the most
coverage? Graph results.

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 2: Worksheet
NEW KID FROM DIXIE — COMMITMENT

NAME ______________________________________
Define commitment: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When people have committed themselves to an ideal, they often have strong opinions and feelings about the topic. One
place in the newspaper where people share thoughts about their commitments is in the letters to the editor. Often their
passionate feelings about a topic lead them to express strong opinions along with the facts. Look through the editorial
section for letters addressing different issues in the news. If possible, compare letters expressing different points of viewon the same topic.
1. Use the graphic organizer to record the topic of the letters and identify facts and opinions expressed.
FACTS

OPINIONS

Letter topic:

Letter topic:

Letter topic:

2. What is your opinion? Write a letter to the editor about a topic in the news that concerns you. Include both facts andopinions to express your position on the issue.

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 3
SEVEN LEAN YEARS – LEARNING SELF-CONTROLOBJECTIVES•Define self-discipline•Identify cause and effectstrategies to improvereading comprehension•Use the newspaper tolocate quotes of athletes
that demonstrate apositive attitude whether
winning or losing•Summarize information
on a graphic organizer

VOCABULARY•self-discipline – n.
training or controlling
oneself to improve insome behavior•nickname – n. adescriptive name given
to a person instead of
their actual name•high-strung – adj.
extremely sensitive•restraint – n. selfrepression; the act ofholding oneself back•inglorious – adj. nothonorable orcourageous; disgracefulTOOLS NEEDED•Character of aChampion – The Bobby
Jones Story student
supplement, pages 6-7•Lesson 3 Worksheet, one
per student•Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:
ASK:• What does self-discipline mean? (NOTE: From Latin: discipline - instruction) List
ideas students generate to develop a shared definition.
• How is self-discipline demonstrated? Give examples of what it looks like in a public
place such as a ballpark or movie theater? In the classroom? On a team?
Review vocabulary. Ask students to: share nicknames they have heard; give an
example of a “high-strung” animal, person or character; identify a time they showed
restraint; and brainstorm a list of inglorious events in the news.
Background information: The “Old Course” in St. Andrews, Scotland which has been
considered the “home” of golf for hundreds of years. In 1123 King David gave the“links” to the people of St. Andrews as “common” land or property the community
would share. Golf has been played there since around 1400 AD. The game of golf grewin popularity over the years and by the 1800s it was a way of life for the people of St.
Andrews – as ball makers, club makers, caddies and players. It is still a major part ofthe economy of St. Andrews today.
Before reading: Tell students they will look for “cause and effect” relationships in thispassage. Write the following sentence starters on the board and have students copy andcomplete as they read. This gives students (especially English learners) a framework forconstructing answers in “academic English” and practice writing compound sentences.
Point out that the first part of the sentence is a dependent clause that must be followed
by a comma and a complete sentence (the independent clause).
1. Because Jones could not control his temper, _______
2. Because Jones picked up his ball in the British Open at St. Andrews, _____
3. After Jones threw his golf club after a bad shot, ______
4. Because Jones developed self-discipline and learned to control his temper, ____
Open The Bobby Jones Story to pp. 6-7 and guide students through the reading, assign
partners to share reading or read silently.
Review responses to check for cause and effect.

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per person and the Lesson 3 Worksheet.
Refer to the “The ‘Seven Lean Years:’ Learning Self-Control” section of the student
supplement. Remind students that Jones had to consciously work to overcome histemper to become a real champion. Locate articles in today’s sports section that quote
winning and losing athletes or coaches. Use a chart to record quotes demonstrating thatin the face of victory or defeat, athletes/coaches need to be professional in their attitude.
Direct students to continue using Worksheet 3.

EXTENSIONS
1. Have students look in the sports section of today’s newspaper to find andsummarize articles about golf. Who are the champions of today? What character
traits do they possess?
2. Research the history of St. Andrews, Scotland. www.standrews.org.uk

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 3: Worksheet
THE “SEVEN LEAN YEARS:” LEARNING SELF-CONTROL — SELF-DISCIPLINENAME ______________________________________
Define self-discipline:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jones had to work hard to change his attitude about challenges on the golf course. By developing self-control, he wasable to improve his game and become a real hero in the eyes of many. Locate articles in today’s sports section that quoteathletes or coaches. Use the chart to record quotes that reveal their character — whether winning or losing.
Name of Athlete or CoachSport/Team

Quote

1. Are the attitudes expressed by winners and losers professional? Do they express a positive outlook?

2. What do their words tell you about the character of the athletes or coaches? Do they demonstrate self-control?

3. Are the athletes/coaches committed to improving? How can you tell?

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 4
THE “SEVEN FAT YEARS”

OBJECTIVES•Define integrity•Identify synonyms•Record information on atimeline•Use a newspaper toanalyze truth inadvertising

VOCABULARY•integrity – n. doing what
is right because it isright; honesty•competitor – n. one who
contends with others in agame or business•grit – n. strength ofcharacter; courage•polished – adj. refinedor elegant

TOOLS NEEDED•Character of aChampion – The Bobby
Jones Story student
supplement, pages 8-9•Lesson 4 Worksheet, one
per student•Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:
ASK:• What does integrity mean? (NOTE: From Latin: integer – untouched)• Integrity means doing what is right even when no one is looking. Have students
give examples of situations in which they might display integrity when alone oruse the following scenarios:• You find $10.00 in a classroom desk or on the ground at school.
• You realize you did not touch second base when running to third.
• Your parents told you not to take the car, but left the keys on the counter.
• How important is integrity in friendship? Relationships? In your family?
Review vocabulary. Have students identify synonyms for each word.
Before reading The “Seven Fat Years,” tell students they are going to create aseven-year timeline of the events in this section to help with comprehension.
Open Character of a Champion—The Bobby Jones Story to pp. 8-9.
Draw a timeline on the board from 1923 to 1930 with a label for each year. As
students read, fill in the events. If Jones was born in 1902, how old was he whenthese events occurred?
Ask: What events from Jones’s life illustrate integrity?

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper — one per person and the Lesson 4 Worksheet.
Refer to “The ‘Seven Fat Years’ – Integrity” section of the student supplement. Tell
students that “setting a standard” means establishing a criterion of excellence forothers to follow. Jones demonstrated integrity by assessing penalties even when it
cost him a championship. Ask students if they ever purchased a product and werelater disappointed because it did not live up to its advertised claims. Locate anadvertisement in today’s newspaper and analyze the words and phrases used topersuade the consumer. Are the claims honest? Exaggerations? What questions
would a wise consumer ask?
Direct students to continue on their own using Worksheet 4.

EXTENSIONS
1. Write a letter to someone in the news who has demonstrated integrity. Tell why you
admire his or her actions.
2. Look through the newspaper for an article about a politician, actor or someone inpublic life who has demonstrated a lack of integrity. What advice would you givethis person?
3. Read an article in today’s newspaper and use a simple timeline to summarize
events in the order they occurred.
4. Direct students to create a timeline of their own life listing high points above thetimeline and challenges below.

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

TEACHER GUIDELESSON 4: Worksheet
THE “SEVEN FAT YEARS” — INTEGRITYNAME ______________________________________
Define integrity: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jones modeled that playing golf with integrity was more important than winning championships. His behavior set a
standard for others to follow. Having integrity means acting in a just and truthful way. The phrase “truth in advertising”
means representing a product for sale with integrity so the consumer is not misled.
Find an advertisement in today’s newspaper. Underline words or phrases used to describe the object and write them on
the left side of the chart. On the right side, write a question that a consumer might ask to check for authenticity.
Object advertised: __________________________________________________________________________________
Section: _________________________________________

Page: ________________________________________

Words/Phrases Describing the Advertised Object

Question the Consumer Might Ask to Clarify

Questions:
1. Does the advertisement use misleading terms or exaggeration? Explain.
2. Why is it important to question the claims in advertisements?
Rewrite the ad using “truth in advertising.”

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 5
THE GRAND SLAMOBJECTIVES•Define respect•Use “reciprocal
teaching” strategies ofclarifying, questioning,
predicting andsummarizing to
improve reading
comprehension of
expository text.
•Use the sports section tofind examples of playersthat students respect andarticulate reasons why
students respect theseathletes.

VOCABULARY•respect – n. to treat withcare; to hold in esteem•quest – n. a search•gallery – n. a group ofspectators•alternating – v. to follow
one another by turns•erratically – adv. notusual; irregularly

TOOLS NEEDED•Character of aChampion – The Bobby
Jones Story student
supplement, pages 10-11•Lesson 5 Worksheet, one
per student•Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:
ASK:• Say: When someone treats you with care and kindness or holds you in highregard, they respect you. (From Latin: re – again + specere to look) Ask students
to give examples of people they respect or ways to show respect.
• What are synonyms for respect? Record responses and develop a student
definition.
• Identify remaining vocabulary in context before reading and review with students.
Today’s reading skills focus on “reciprocal teaching” strategies (clarifying,summarizing, predicting, questioning) to understand expository text. These steps
should be followed for each paragraph:a) Number the paragraphs.
b) Have students use a piece of paper to cover everything except theparagraph to be read. Read one paragraph to the class or have student
volunteers read it out loud.
c) Ask students if you need to clarify any unfamiliar words or phrases.
d) Ask questions about what was just read to check for understanding.
e) Have volunteers summarize the main idea in ten words or less. Record ona chart next to “Paragraph 1.”f) Have students predict what might happen in the next paragraph. Check
predictions after reading.
Direct students to open Character of a Champion—The Bobby Jones Storyto pp. 10-11.
Repeat the above steps for paragraph 2, paragraph 3, etc.
When finished, review summary statements from the chart. Finally, have students
orally summarize the article to a partner.

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper—one per person and Lesson 5 Worksheet.
Refer to “The Grand Slam – Respect” section of the student supplement. Remind
students that people respected Jones for his athletic ability and the way heconducted himself on and off the course. Direct students to the sports section. Ask:
Are some athletes respected for their talent alone, while others are respected fortheir talent and character? Discuss.
Direct students to use the worksheet to record their findings.

EXTENSIONS
1. Have students locate articles in today’s newspaper describing people’s actions. Do
students respect or not respect the people in the news?
2. Read about a politician you admire. Write a letter telling the politician what you
respect about him/her and what suggestions you have for him to gain the respect ofothers.
3. Find words or phrases describing character traits in the news.

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 5: Worksheet
THE GRAND SLAM - RESPECT

NAME ______________________________________
Define respect: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We can respect people for their talents and their character. Look through the sports section of today’s newspaper forathletes you respect for their talents and playing ability alone. List their names, sports and reasons why you respect themin Table 1. Identify other athletes you respect for their skill, character, and the way they treat others. List them in Table 2.
TABLE 1.
Athletes I Respect for Playing Ability Alone
Name

Sport

Reasons why I respect this athlete

TABLE 1.
Athletes I Respect for Playing Ability and Character
Name

Sport

Reasons why I respect this athlete

Which is more important – to be respected for playing a sport well or for how well you treat others? Why?

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 6
I’M RETIRINGOBJECTIVES•Define sportsmanshipand apply it to their own
lives•Practice note-taking to
improve reading
comprehension using a“T” chart•Practice summarizing in
ten words or less•Use the sports section tofind examples ofsportsmanship

VOCABULARY•avid – adj. eager•legacy – n. anything
passed on from anearlier era•endeavor – n. an attempt
to attain something•commission – v. to
appoint

TOOLS NEEDED•Character of aChampion - The Bobby
Jones Story student
supplement, pages 12-13•Lesson 6 Worksheet, one
per student•Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:
ASK:• What does it mean to be a “good sport”? (NOTE: The word “sport” is from
Middle English: short for disporten: to divert (amuse oneself); disport.
Sportsmanship relates to conduct becoming to one participating in a sport having
to do with fairness, respect for one’s opponent and graciousness in winning)[Merriam Webster Online Dictionary].
• Tell about times in your life when you experienced good or bad sportsmanship?
How do you display good sportsmanship at the end of a game when you win?
When you lose?
• What other words have sport as a root? (sporting, sportive, sportsman,sportswoman, sportswear, sporty)
Review vocabulary. Have students use each word in a sentence to demonstrateunderstanding.
Before reading “I’m Retiring,” have students fold a piece of paper in half
lengthwise and label two columns “Actions” and “Words.” As they read, instruct
students to note things Jones did (“Actions”) and said (“Words”) that
demonstrated good sportsmanship. Encourage students to summarize by restatingin ten words or less.
Open Character of a Champion – The Bobby Jones Story to pp. 12-13. Afterreading: Have students take turns sharing one item on their charts. Record
information on a class chart for a class summary. Have students help you summarize
information in ten words or less.
ASK:
From reading this series, what other things did Jones do that demonstrated goodsportsmanship? (called penalties on himself, respected other players, was kind tofans, was gracious in winning)

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper — one per person and the Lesson 6 Worksheet.
Refer to “Use the Newspaper” section of the student supplement.
SAY: Bobby’s golfing etiquette was admired by his competitors and fans. Everyday
athletes have opportunities to model good sportsmanship whether winning or losing.
Although it is challenging to be gracious in the face of defeat, it is also important tocelebrate victory with respect for the losing team or player.
Direct students to look through the sports page for examples of sportsmanship –good or bad and record findings on Worksheet 6.

EXTENSIONS
1. Find “good news” articles in today’s paper and create a good news bulletinboard. Include examples of positive sportsmanship. Contribute articles fromweek to week.
2. Search through the sports section to find articles with datelines from different
cities. Write the headline and dateline on a sticky note and locate the state or city
on a map of the U.S.

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 6: Worksheet
I’M RETIRING — SPORTSMANSHIP

NAME ______________________________________
1. Write a sentence using sport or sportsmanship in a way that shows rather than tells the meaning of the word:

Sportsmanship is equally important whether winning or losing for it demonstrates respect for the game and theopponent. Most important, good sportsmanship shows the strength of character of the athlete.
2. Find several articles in today’s sports section that demonstrate sportsmanship by what athletes do (Actions) or bywhat they say (Words). Identify the article and athlete. Record your findings below.
Headline

AthleteActions DemonstratingSportsmanshipWords DemonstratingSportsmanship

3. Why is it important for professional athletes to display good manners, etiquette and sportsmanship?

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Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 7“PLAY THE BALL WHERE IT LIES”

OBJECTIVES•Define courage andunderstand its
connection to the root
word “heart”•Use a flow chart tosequence events•Use the newspaper tocompare and contrast
examples of courage

VOCABULARY•chronic – adj.
continuing a long time•cervical – adj. of or
pertaining to the neck•vertebrae – n. bones ofthe spinal column•degenerative – adj.
having become worse•atrophy – v. to waste
away or wither•paralysis – n. partial orcomplete loss of motor
function as a result of
injury to the nervous
systemTOOLS NEEDED•Character of aChampion - The Bobby
Jones Story student
supplement, pages 14-15•Lesson 7 Worksheet, one
per student•Today’s newspaper, one
copy per student

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC:
ASK:• What are some words that mean the same as courage? (NOTE: From Old French:corage and Latin cor heart.) Why do you think “courage” is derived from theword for heart? (E.g., to have courage means to have fearlessness in your heart.)• Think about films or books that portray someone acting with courage. (Allow time
for students to share – there are many examples including “Lord of the Rings,”“Harry Potter,” “Braveheart,” “Schindler’s List,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” etc.)
What do these people or characters have in common?
Review vocabulary. There are a number of medical terms in this lesson. Write thevocabulary words, definition, and the context of the sentence to help students gain
meaning. Underline words in the passage as it is read.
Before reading “Play the Ball Where it Lies,” draw a series a series of 6-7 boxes
with arrows leading from one to the other.
Tell students that as they read, they will sequence the main events of the last 23
years of Jones’s life.
Open Character of a Champion - The Bobby Jones Story to pp. 14-15. As students
read, have them summarize events to record in the flow chart.
ASK:
After reading this section, ask students what did Jones mean by using the golf rule “play the ball where it lies” - to describe his health? How are his actions aninspiration? What other choices could he have made?

USING TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Distribute today’s newspaper —one per person and Lesson 7 Worksheet.
Refer to the “Use the Newspaper” section of the student supplement. Remind
students that Jones displayed remarkable courage during his illness and continued toinspire fans around the world. Newspapers are full of examples of everyday heroes.
To model the activity for students, pre-select an article or two from today’s paper.
Use the information to complete one of the four sections on the worksheet.
Review directions and check for understanding.
Direct students to use the graphic organizer on Worksheet 7 to identify and compare
everyday heroes.

EXTENSIONS
1. “Play the ball where it lies” is an example of an idiom. Write the letters A to Z on
the board and have students brainstorm idioms – from “a ghost of a chance” to “zipyour lip.” Challenge students to find at least one idiom for each letter. (HINT: Use
the Internet to research)
2. Categorize newspapers stories of bravery. Sort events by: local, national, orinternational; men, women, children; combat, sports, other news. Are there
different types of courage? Are some stories more “courage worthy” than others?
3. Write the letters C-O-U-R-A-G-E vertically down the left side of a piece of paper.
Have students read and article about someone who is brave and summarize thearticle in an acrostic poem format.

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WORKSHEETTEACHER GUIDE

Character of a Champion: The Bobby Jones Story

LESSON 7: Worksheet“PLAY THE BALL WHERE IT LIES” — COURAGE

NAME ______________________________________

1. Define courage:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Acts of courage happen everyday in our local communities, the nation, and throughout the world - and by all kinds ofpeople including children, teenagers, adults, elderly, male, and female. People do not always realize they are courageous
until confronted with a situation where they must make a decision to help others even if it puts them at risk.
2. Find four articles in today’s newspaper about people showing courage in different ways. Use the graphic organizer
below to compare their acts of courage. Identify the headline and use who, what, when, where and why newspaper
format to summarize.

Article #1:

Article #2:

Headline:

Headline:

Who, what, when, where, why:

Who, what, when, where, why:

COURAGE in the news

Article #3:

Article #4:

Headline:

Headline:

Who, what, when, where, why:

Who, what, when, where, why:

3. Prepare an oral report using the information in the graphic organizer to present ideas. Answer the following
questions:• Why are these actions newsworthy?
• How are the acts of courage similar?
• How are they different?
• What do you think it means to have courage?

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