Baseball is our game, the American game. I connect it to our national character.
Popular Culture: Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Thematic Unit Objective
To the topRecognize that the experience of a baseball game involves many aspects of popular culture including entertainment and food.
Understand descriptive language through analysis of film reviews and poetry.
Critically observe and describe objects.
Draw conclusions about the past through exploration of objects.
Walt Whitman, 1888
Rookie (Grades 3-5)
To the topLesson 1: (Pre-Visit) Pop Culture of the Ballpark: Food
In this lesson, students will explore different regions of the United States and learn about how the culture of different regions is expressed through ballpark food.
Lesson 2: (Pre-Visit) Step Up to the Plate for Ballpark Idioms
Students learn about idioms as they discover how different words and phrases related to baseball are also used in everyday English.
Lesson 3: (Pre-Visit) “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” The Baseball Anthem
After listening to the song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” students identify narrative elements (characters, setting, etc.) and re-tell the song’s plot sequence.
Lesson 4: On-Site Visit
Students will work with museum teachers to reinforce concepts and ideas introduced in the classroom.
Book your field trip
Lesson 5: (Post-Visit) Pop Culture of the Past
In this lesson, students will discover how museum curators use everyday objects to gather information.
Intermediate (Grades 6-8)
To the topLesson 1: (Pre-Visit) Pop Culture of the Ballpark: Food
Students learn about how the culture of different regions is expressed through ballpark food, and how the perception of ballpark food has changed over time.
Lesson 2: (Pre-Visit) Step Up to the Plate for Ballpark Idioms
In this lesson, students will analyze several baseball poems, including “Casey at the Bat,” looking specifically for examples of poetic devices.
Lesson 3: (Pre-Visit) “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” The Baseball Anthem
Baseball frequently appears in all kinds of movies. In this lesson, students will read and analyze movie reviews written by professional critics.
Lesson 4: On-Site Visit
Students will work with museum teachers to reinforce concepts and ideas introduced in the classroom.
Book your field trip
Lesson 5: (Post-Visit) Pop Culture of the Past
In this lesson, students create an imaginary time capsule as they learn about the role of material culture in preserving history.
Advanced (Grades 9-12)
To the topLesson 1: (Pre-Visit) Pop Culture of the Ballpark: Food
In this lesson, students examine primary sources to learn more about conflicting opinions surrounding the use of Native American names and mascots in Major League Baseball.
Lesson 2: (Pre-Visit) Step Up to the Plate for Ballpark Idioms
Popular music speaks volumes about baseball! In this lesson, students analyze music for such qualities as tone and mood.
Lesson 3: (Pre-Visit) “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” The Baseball Anthem
In this lesson, students create an imaginary time capsule as they learn about the role of material culture in preserving history.
Lesson 4: On-Site Visit
Students will work with museum teachers to reinforce concepts and ideas introduced in the classroom.
Book your field trip
Lesson 5: (Post-Visit) Pop Culture of the Past
In this lesson, students examine baseball poems as they review the effective use of descriptive language.
Common Core Standards
To the topGrades 6-8
CCSS ELA CONTENT: SL.6.1/7.1/8.1, SL.6.2/7.2/8.2,SL.6.4/7.4/8.4