Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
This supplemental guide identifies explicit scaffolded resources for English Language Learners access to the curriculum.
Build Background for the Lesson:
You Tube Video from MA DESE on Grade 4 Model Curriculum Unit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBTaR_8uxDI&list=PLTuqmiQ9ssqvx_Yjra4nBfqQPwc4auUBu&index=4
3 week unit, students read and interpret Kadir Nelson’s book, We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball.
Students learn how individuals can bring about social change, how the sport of baseball evolved, and how some of the
colorful idioms of baseball have become a unique part of American English.
WIDA Standards and Language Domains addressed in this model curriculum unit:
WIDA Standards Addressed in this Lesson
Standard 1: Social and Instructional Language
Standard 2: The Language of Language Arts
Standard 5: The language of Social Studies
Language Domains Addressed
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Language Objectives/ WIDA Model Performance Indicators for Speaking and Listening:
1. Students will be able to discuss key vocabulary from the unit terms and make connections to the text by using the following
scaffolds; personal glossary of terms, Negro baseball league video clips, and graphic organizers.
Key words from reading selection: Citizenship Commitment Courage Determination Excellence Integrity Justice Persistence &
Teamwork
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
2. Students will be able to describe specific barriers the players faced on the baseball team. Students will use a sentence frame. “An
example of a barrier is…… I remember a time when I was faced with a challenge, the challenge or barrier was…....__”.
3. Students will be able to identify nine common values of Negros in the baseball league by using sentence frames to increase
academic language production.
4. Students will be able to explain how segregation affected players in the Negro baseball league using examples from the text, video
or reading selections.
Language Objectives/ WIDA Model Performance Indicators for Reading and Writing:
1. Students will be able to read scaffolded articles and record answers to guiding questions using details from the articles.
2. Students will use a graphic organizer to construct scaffolded responses using key vocabulary terms with support.
Examples of online Scaffolded articles & Supporting Text:
http://www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers/pdfs/bb_45_About_My_Father.pdf
http://www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers/pdfs/negro_leagues.pdf
Interactive Supports for ELLs: http://www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers/teachers/interactive1.htm
ELL Writing Scaffold for Negro Baseball response to text:
http://apps.flycommunications.com/production/Scholastic/breakingbarriers/interactive/pdfs/bb_essay_organizer.pdf
Sample Scholastic Teacher’s Guide: http://www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers/pdfs/bb_48_additional_tools.pdf
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
Examples of WIDA Language Supports for this lesson:
Sensory Support
Pictures & photographs
Illustrations & diagrams
Magazines & newspapers
Physical activities
Videos & films:
http://coe.k-state.edu/annex/nlbemuseum/intro.html
Video MA DESE:
Graphic Support
Graphic organizer
Timeline
Interactive Support
In pairs or partners
In triads or small groups
In whole group
Using cooperative group structures
Using the Internet or software programs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBTaR_8uxDI&list=PLTuqmiQ9s
sqvx_Yjra4nBfqQPwc4auUBu&index=4
In the native language
With mentors
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
How to scaffold vocabulary for ELLs?
Examples of Negro Baseball League Key Vocabulary: ambition, citizenship commitment, courage determination, excellence,
integrity, justice, persistence & teamwork
Activity for a center: Teacher will model the following example for ELLs:
Tier 2 Word: ambition
When Jackie retired from baseball, “he gave a great deal of time to the Harlem YMCA, where
he tried to teach children, as he said, ‘about self-respect, the meaning of ambition, and a
hope for the future.’”
Explain the meaning studentAmbition means a strong desire to reach a goal. When Jackie says that he spent time teaching
friendly definition)
children the meaning of ambition, he means that he was trying to teach them to strive to reach
their goals.
Students repeat the word
Say the word ambition with me: ambition.
Teacher gives examples of the As a child, my ambition was to become a teacher. Her ambition is to become a scientist.
word in other contexts
Students provide examples
What is your ambition? Start by saying, “My ambition is _________________________.”
Students repeat the word
What word are we talking about? ambition
again.
Additional Vocabulary Words
vicious, humble, timid, fortunate, deed
Contextualize the word as it is
used in the story
Visual Scaffold to increase oral language production: Video clips: http://www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers/teachers/
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
KEY Vocabulary for the Baseball Card Activity
The Language of Baseball Cards
Print the following on sturdy paper and cut apart the sections. Hand out the cards to individual students (or student pairs), and ask
them to write the meaning of their baseball word or phrase on the front of their card over the next several days. They should talk to
adults and other students, or search the Internet or books, for information specific to baseball.
Professional ball player
Amateur ball player
First base
Second base
Third base
Shortstop
Dugout
Pitcher
Catcher
Pitcher’s mound
Left field
Center field
Right field
Umpire
Major league
Minor League
Homerun
Bunt
Fly ball
Rookie
Statistics (“stats”)
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
Figurative language Umbrella:
Idioms:
Negro Baseball league example of a Timeline:
http://coe.k-state.edu/annex/nlbemuseum/resource/guide.html
MA DESE Learning Plan:
Lessons 1, 2, 3 and 4: Negro League Baseball: The Early Years
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Lesson 1: What can a book cover tell us?
Lesson 2: Beginnings of the Leagues
Lesson 3: A Different Brand of Baseball
Lesson 4: Life in the Negro League
Lessons 5 and 6: Research on People, Events, and Language
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Lesson 5: Beginning Research
Lesson 6: What does that idiom mean?
Lessons 7, 8, 9 and 10: Negro League Baseball: The Later Years
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Lesson 7: 5th Inning: The Greatest Players in the World
Lesson 8: 6th Inning: Latin America: Baseball in Paradise
Lesson 9: 7th and 8th Inning: Wartime Heroes
Lesson 10: 9th Inning: Then Came Jackie Robinson, and Extra Innings: The End of the Negro League
Lessons 11, 12, 13 and 14: CEPA: Presenting Negro League Baseball
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
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Lesson 11: Compiling Our Information
Lesson 12: Sketching a Baseball Figure
Lesson 13: Writing and Illustrating a Baseball Card
Lesson 14: Presenting Negro League Baseball
Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment (CEPA)
Baseball Card Creation (See Baseball Card Handout)
Negro Leagues
Baseball Card Project
Lesson Summary:
Students will use teaming skills to research Negro Leagues baseball players, paraphrase and summarize information and use
formatting skills to present information.
Who Am I? A Student Research Tool
Type of Information
Full name and nickname
Birth
Death
Bats ---handed
Information
Source (and page)
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
Field position(s) played
Description as a person
Description as a player
Quotation about him or
by him, and who said it
“Stats”
Key Features of Powerful Teaching and Learning:
(National Council for the Social Studies. “A Vision of Powerful Teaching and Learning in the Social Studies: Building Social
Understanding and Civic Efficacy.”
http://www.socialstudies.org/positions/powerful/
Meaningful: The impact of the Negro Leagues on society and the affects of society on the Negro Leagues can open insights on the
effect of discrimination.
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
Integrated: Students will understand the history of the time period and will use critical reading and researching skills.
Value-based: Students will need to understand the affect of one group on society as a whole.
Challenging: Students will read critically, summarize and compare information.
Active: Students will work individually and with team members to research and produce a final product.
Purpose/Rationale/Introduction:
Students will use teaming skills to research Negro Leagues baseball players, paraphrase and summarize information and use
formatting skills to present information.
Objectives:
1. Students will use analysis to determine which baseball players to research and which information to include on a baseball card.
2. Students will select information that reflects an understanding of the team members and of the team culture.
3. Students will paraphrase and summarize information and maintain the author’s intent.
4. Students will use teaming skills.
5. Students will use formatting skills that best present their information.
Procedures and Activities:
Use the following information as an introduction to the lesson:
The Negro Leagues baseball developed in 1920, in Kansas City, Missouri. Because Blacks were not allowed to play on white teams,
talented Black baseball players turned to Negro Leagues teams to display their talents. People in the United States were able to attend
the Negro Leagues games to see some of the finest baseball players of all time.
The student’s task:
A well-known cereal company is ready to market a new cereal- Energy Pop. The makers of Energy Pop have decided to market their
new cereal by placing two baseball cards that feature talented Negro Leagues baseball players on the back of each box. There will be
an 8 ½ inch by 11 inch space devoted to these cards. Your job is to determine who belongs on the cards, determine the information
Jennifer McCabe, M.Ed. Malden Public Schools, November 23, 2015
Supplemental Guide for Grade 4 Negro Baseball League Model Curriculum Unit
that belongs on the cards and make these cards.
Team Leader- This student will make sure that everyone works together. He/She will determine when the team needs to meet and
will determine what needs to be accomplished at team meetings.
Task Organizer- This student will make sure that everyone is staying on task and is accomplishing the goals of the assignment.
He/She will check/report progress at team meetings. He/She will also make sure that each day’s schedule is followed.
Team members will be responsible for the following:
• Completing team role.
• Researching in order to determine the four Negro Leagues baseball team members to place on their cards- making sure that the same
players chosen are not being used by other teams in your class.
• Assigning each team member to research one of the selected baseball players. Each team member will be responsible for the
following information about his/her assigned player.