Lesson 1: (Pre-Visit) Baseball Is A Girl Thing (Rookie)

1. Begin the lesson by drawing a Venn diagram on the board with the following headings: Sports That Boys Play, Sports That Girls Play, and Sports Played by Boys and Girls.

2. Have students brainstorm examples of sports for each list. Work together as a class to fill out the Venn diagram.

3. Discuss the results of the diagram.
• Who decides if girls or boys play a sport?
• Why are some sports for boys or girls only?
• Were these sports always only for boys or girls, or do you think there was a time when both boys and girls played them?

4. Create two lists on the board or on two sheets of chart paper. One list should be titled "Boy Things" and the other "Girl Things." Ask students to list some activities or items that belong on each list.

5. Discuss students' ideas. Do all girls/all boys like to do these things? Could some girls like to do the “boy” things? Could some boys like to do the “girl” things?

6. Ask students where do we get these ideas—that there are “girl” things and “boy” things, instead of just “people” things?

7. Introduce the concept of stereotype—like “cookie cutter” people. Is there a cookie cutter that fits all girls? Do they all look the same and like to do the same things? How about all boys? Do all boys look alike and do they like to do the same things?

8. Explain that stereotypes are categories that people or things are placed in, that are based on one characteristic or idea, but that do not necessarily reflect all of the characteristics of those people or things. For example, students might have listed "playing with dolls" as a "girl thing." It is true that some girls like to play with dolls; however, some boys like to play with dolls too. Thinking of dolls as only "girl things" creates a false impression.
Women's History: Dirt on Their Skirts – Level 1

9. Help students understand why stereotypes may make people feel bad, or create false impressions.

10. Introduce Players in Pigtails by Shana Corey. Explain that this is a book about a girl who played a part in American history by showing people that stereotypes they believed about girls and sports were untrue.

11. Once you finish reading, have students summarize the story. Discuss the meanings of any unfamiliar words.

12. Have students describe the main character (Katie Casey) using as much detail as possible.

13. Analyze the story further using the following questions to guide class discussion:
• What were some obstacles Katie Casey and the other female ballplayers faced in this book?
• Who thought that girls should be able to play baseball? Why?
• Who didn’t think girls should play baseball?
• What were their reasons? Do you think that is fair?
• What was a stereotype in baseball before the formation of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League?
• How did Katie Casey and the other girls in the AAGPBL work against that stereotype?
• What other stereotypes did you notice in the book about how girls were expected to behave or to look?
• How did the story end?

14. Introduce the activity.

1. Follow up on the class discussion about stereotypes by reviewing that Katie Casey and her fellow All-American girls did not listen to popular stereotypes about girls. They did what they loved no matter what anyone else thought.

2. Have students do a brief brainstorming activity. Ask them to write down a list of things that they love to do (it can be sports, crafts, hobbies, etc.).

3. Depending on how many art supplies and magazines are available, students may be divided into smaller work groups, or students may work individually.

4. Provide students with magazines, scissors, glue sticks, and construction paper. Have each student write his or her name at the top of the piece of construction paper.

5. Ask students look through the magazines to find and cut out images of the activities they listed during the brainstorm.

6. Once students have plenty of pictures to work with, remind students that a collage is a collection of images which can be arranged in many different ways. They can be organized or free form. Encourage students to experiment with different layouts of their collage before gluing anything down.

7. When students' collages are complete, students may share their collages with their classmates. You may also display students' projects on a class bulletin board labeled something like, "Everyone Is Different - We Are Not Cookie Cutters!"

Conclusion:
To conclude this lesson and check for understanding, have students pick one of the things they wrote down during the brainstorm, and ask them to write a short paragraph explaining why they love to do that particular activity. You may attach the paragraphs written by students to their collages for display.

RF.3.4., RF.4.4., RF.5.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
SL.3.1., SL.4.1., SL.5.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.3.2., SL.4.2., SL.5.2. Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
L.3.1., L.4.1., L.5.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.3.2., L.4.2., L.5.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
W.3.4., W.4.4, W.5.4. With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.