Communication Arts: Going, Going, Gone!

Unit Overview

"Baseball is the only game you can see on the radio."

- Phil Hersh, Chicago Tribune

How do you follow baseball? Over time, fans have been able to track the game in a variety of different ways. American journalists were already writing about baseball when the National League, the first professional league, began in 1876. The writer's task was to tell the story of how the game was played for the reader who hadn't been there. Today, fans can still read sports reports in the newspaper, but many prefer to listen to baseball on the radio or watch on television. Every major league team has broadcasters who are often as familiar to fans as the team's players and managers. Over time, writers and broadcasters have become commentators and judges of the game. In this unit, students find out about the various methods of sports reporting that have been used throughout the history of baseball.

About the Curriculum

 
All of the lessons and activities that you will find below have been prepared to accompany "Communication Arts: Going, Going, Gone!" You will find that the curriculum is organized into three levels: Level 1 for elementary school students, Level 2 for middle school students, and Level 3 for high school students. Feel free to pick and choose lessons from multiple levels if you feel that your students are ready for a challenge or would benefit from a review.

Within each level you will find both pre-visit lessons and post-visit lessons. We strongly encourage you to use these materials before your visit or videoconference. We've found that students understand and learn so much more if they are prepared before their Hall of Fame experience.

Click on the links to view Adobe Acrobat documents, which you can easily print or save for later use.

Level 1 - Rookie

Elementary Level Overview & Table of Contents
Lesson 1 (Pre-Visit) Baseball in the Media
Lesson 2 (Pre-Visit) As If You Were There: Part 1 - Play by Play Verbs
Lesson 3 (Pre-Visit) As If You Were There: Part 2 - Sports Writing
Lesson 4 On-Site Visit 

Level 2 - Intermediate

Intermediate Level Overview & Table of Contents
Lesson 1 (Pre-Visit) Bringing Home Plate Home: Baseball & Sports Media
Lesson 2 (Pre-Visit) As If You Were There: Sports Writing
Lesson 3 (Pre-Visit) Baseball Heroes in the Press
Lesson 4 On-Site Visit

Level 3 - Advanced

Advanced Level Overview & Table of Contents
Lesson 1 (Pre-Visit) Introduction to Communication Arts
Lesson 2 (Pre-Visit) Game Day on the Radio
Lesson 3 (Pre-Visit) Baseball Heroes in the Press
Lesson 4 On-Site Visit

Interested in Additional Resources?

On the Recommended Reading list below, you’ll find resources that were compiled to aid parents, teachers, and students in learning more about Communication Arts.

Recommended Reading for Communication Arts