Jackie Robinson: More Than a Baseball Player
Jason Klokkenga
Normal Community West High School
Fall 2007
Corbis Photo
Through the use of primary sources and discussion, students in United States Social &
Geographic classes will learn how Jackie Robinson not only broke the color barrier in
baseball, but also influenced the Civil Rights Movement.
Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension
Overview
Objectives
Recommended time frame
Grade level
Curriculum fit
Materials
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Students will:
 learn background on Jackie Robinson
 become familiar with several primary sources
 learn about the Civil Rights Movement and how
Robinson played a part
Three class days (50-minute class periods)
10th grade
History, Civil Rights Era
 Role Model Assignment
 Computer lab
 ‘Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns’ (DVD player & TV)
 Analysis forms for written documents and
photographs
 Essay explanation
 Rubric
Illinois State Learning Standards
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English Language Arts:
GOAL 1: Read with understanding and fluency.
 1.B. Apply reading strategies to improve
understanding and fluency
 1.B.4b Analyze, interpret and compare a variety
of texts for purpose, structure, content, detail and
effect
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GOAL 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and
communicate information.
• 5.B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from
various sources.
 5.B.4a Choose and evaluate primary and
secondary sources (print and nonprint) for a
variety of purposes.
Social Science:
GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and
movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United
States and other nations.
 16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and
interpretation.
 16.A.4b Compare competing historical interpretations of an event.
16.D. Understand Illinois, United States and world
social history.
 16.D.4b US Describe unintended social
consequences of political events in United States
history (e.g., Civil War/emancipation, National
Defense Highway Act/decline of inner cities,
Vietnam War/anti-government activity).
GOAL 18: Understand social systems, with an
emphasis on the United States.
 18.C. Understand how social systems form and
develop over time.
 18.C.3b Explain how diverse groups have
contributed to U.S. social systems over time.
Procedures
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Day One:
 Introduce Jackie Robinson to students by having them
participate in a role model activity. Handout to
students the role model sheet, read over the definition
of a role model together with them, see if students
agree with this definition, and have them complete
questions 1-3.
 Once students have completed questions 1-3, explain
to students that Jackie Robinson was a role model for
many in the 1940s and 1950s. Tell students that they
are going to be watching a video clip (approximately
20 minutes) from the Ken Burns’ Baseball series
entitled “Up in the Race.” (Contact the school or local
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
public librarian to obtain the VHS or DVD version.)
During this video segment, have students complete the
rest of the role model worksheet.
Collect the sheet when the video is finished and
handout to students the article entitled, “When Jackie
made the major leagues: Suddenly anything was
possible.” Tell students to read over this and be
prepared to discuss tomorrow in class the following
question: How is Jackie Robinson a role model for
Sharpe James?
Day Two:
 Discuss last night’s homework with students and
have a few students explain their answers.
 When finished with this, take the students to your
media center and explain to them what the Library of
Congress website is. Be sure to specifically focus on
the American Memory section of the website.
 Explain to the students the definitions of primary and
secondary sources and have them brainstorm
examples of each type of resource to demonstrate
understanding. For further information, consult The
Learning Page site through the American Memories
collection. If time, show this website to the class.
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/start/prim_sources.html
 Once students have a foundation for what a primary
source is, have students look at Primary Source #1—
The picture of Jackie Robinson talking to Martin
Luther King, Jr. Complete the photo analysis
worksheet together with the students.
 Explain to students that what we just did together is
an example of what they are going to be working on
tomorrow in the media center.
Day Three:
 Explain to students the Essay Assignment—Students
will examine the six primary sources off of the data
table and select one of them as the most important.
For the source chosen, each student will need to
complete the appropriate analysis guide (document or
photograph) as well as write, in a short essay, why
this primary source is the most important source
explaining the importance of Jackie Robinson.
 Give students the class period to analyze the primary
sources and work on their essay.
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
Evaluation
Explain to students that their essay is due by the end
of the period.
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
Extension
Students will be composing an essay where they have
selected 1 primary source and must argue why if a
person could only have access to 1 primary source
about Jackie Robinson, he/she would want this one.
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
Think of a popular role model today who is
influencing a major issue in our country/world and
compare/contrast that person to Jackie Robinson's
influence during the Civil Rights Movement.
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Primary Resources from the Library of Congress
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Image
Description
Jackie Robinson and
Martin Luther King
Jr. talk before a press
conference in New
York City (September
19, 1962)
TELEGRAM
JACKIE ROBINSON
TO E. FREDERICK
MORROW
AUGUST 13, 1957
Citation
Corbis Photo
URL
http://education.baseb
allhalloffame.org/exp
erience/thematic_unit
s/civil_rights/robinson
_king.html
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Library
White House Central
Files
Box 733
File: OF-142-A-5
http://www.archives.g
ov/education/lessons/j
ackierobinson/images/teleg
ram-1957.jpg
LETTER
JACKIE ROBINSON
TO PRESIDENT
DWIGHT D.
EISENHOWER
MAY 13, 1958
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Library
White House Central
Files
Box 731
File: OF-142-A-3
LETTER
JACKIE ROBINSON
TO PRESIDENT
JOHN F. KENNEDY
FEBRUARY 9, 1961
John Fitzgerald
Kennedy Library
Harris L. Wofford
Papers
File: Jackie Robinson
7/28/61-9/5/61
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TELEGRAM
JACKIE ROBINSON
TO PRESIDENT
JOHN F. KENNEDY
JUNE 15, 1963
John Fitzgerald
Kennedy Library
White House Central
Name Files
File: Jackie Robinson
PHOTOGRAPH
JACKIE ROBINSON
AND SON (DAVID)
BEING
INTERVIEWED AT
THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON
AUGUST 28, 1963
TELEGRAM
JACKIE ROBINSON
TO PRESIDENT
LYNDON B.
JOHNSON
MARCH 9, 1965
LETTER
JACKIE ROBINSON
TO PRESIDENT
LYNDON B.
JOHNSON
APRIL 18, 1967
National Archives and
Records Administration
Records of the United
States
Information Agency
Record Group 306
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Lyndon Baines Johnson
Library
White House Central
Files
Name Files
File: Jackie Robinson
http://www.archives.g
ov/education/lessons/j
ackierobinson/images/teleg
ram-1965.jpg
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Library
White House Central
Files
Subject Files
File: EX-HU 2 2/4/675/31/67
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Rubric
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Name: ________________________________
Date: _______________________ Hour: ____
Jackie Robinson: More Than a Baseball Player Write-Up
(15 Points)
Directions: Analyze the six remaining primary sources from our data table and select the
one primary source that does the best job explaining the influence of Jackie Robinson to
the Civil Rights Movement and write a page to a page and a half review, double-spaced,
of that source. In your write-up, you need to do the following:

Identify which source is the most important.

Briefly describe why (provide at least 3 reasons) this source does the best job of
explaining to someone the importance of Jackie Robinson and his impact on the
Civil Rights Movement.
____/1
____/6

Briefly explain why the other five sources aren’t as crucial for one to see as the
source chosen. Be sure to give specific reasoning here.
____/5

The paper is free from major spelling and grammatical errors.
0-1 mistake
3 points
2-3 mistakes
2 points
4-5 mistakes
1 point
More than 5 mistakes
0 points
Total
____/3
____/15
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Handouts
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Name:
Written Document Analysis Worksheet
(15 Points)
TYPE OF DOCUMENT (Check one):
(1 point)
Newspaper
Map
Advertisement
Congressional Record
Letter
Telegram
Patent
Press Release
Census Report
Memorandum
Report
Other
UNIQUE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DOCUMENT (Check one or
more):
(1 point)
Interesting Letterhead
Notations
Handwritten
“Received” stamp
Typed
Seals
Other
DATE(S) OF DOCUMENT: (1 point)
AUTHOR (OR CREATOR) OF THE DOCUMENT: (1 point)
POSITION (TITLE): (1 point)
FOR WHAT AUDIENCE WAS THE DOCUMENT WRITTEN? (1 point)
DOCUMENT INFORMATION (There are many possible ways to answer A-E.)
A. List three things the author said that you think are important: (3 points)
B. Why do you think this document was written? (2 points)
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C. What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? Quote from the
document. (1 point)
D. List two things the document tells you about life in the United States at the time it was
written. (2 points)
E. Write a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document: (1 point)
Designed and developed by the Education Staff, National Archives and
Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408
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Name:
Photo Analysis Worksheet
(15 Points)
Step 1. Observation
(6 points)
Study the photograph for 2 minutes. Form an overall impression of the photograph and then examine individual
items. Next, divide the photo into quadrants and study each section to see what new details become visible.
Use the chart below to list people, objects, and activities in the photograph.
Activities
People
Objects
Step 2. Inference
(3 points)
Based on what you have observed above, list three things you might infer from this photograph
1.
2.
3.
Step 3. Questions
What questions does this photograph raise in your mind? (3 points)
Where could you find answers to them? (3 points)
Designed and developed by the Education Staff, National Archives and Records Administration,
Washington, DC 2040
U.S. Social & Geographic History
Jackie Robinson/Role Model Assignment
Name: __________________________
Date: ______________ Hour: _______
Direction: Review the definition and then answer the questions that follow.
ROLE MODEL-A person who serves as a model in a particular behavioral or social role for another person to
emulate.
Source: The American Heritage College Dictionary, 3 rd Edition 1993
1. Most people can identify an individual that is their role model. Who is one of your role models? Why is this
person your role model?
2. List at least 5 characteristics that role models typically possess in the space below.





3. How has your role model positively impacted your life?
After viewing the video clip about Jackie Robinson, answer the remaining questions.
4. In what ways does Jackie Robinson fit or not fit the definition of role model as discussed in class. Be specific.
5. How might Jackie Robinson have impacted the lives of Americans once he broke “the color barrier” in
professional baseball? Be specific.
6. How can Jackie Robinson’s triumph over adversity serve as an inspiration to Americans living today?
7. Do you think it is appropriate for famous Americans (athletes, entertainers, etc…) to use their fame to support
political causes? Explain.
8. Should athletes and other famous Americans feel compelled to live up to the image of “role model” simply
because they are in the spotlight? Explain.