Post-Visit: Honoring Women Who Played (Rookie)

1. Start the lesson by asking students to name some of the female baseball players or female baseball teams they learned about during their experience with the Baseball Hall of Fame. Use photos from the Women in Baseball photo page to help prompt student responses. Write down students' suggestions on the board or on a piece of chart paper.

2. Discuss that today's girls have the opportunity to play almost any sport they choose, including baseball. Throughout American history, this has not always been true. Many girls and women had to fight for their right to play different sports. Those girls and women helped pave the way for girls of today to play ball.

3. Review the list of players created during the beginning of the lesson. Briefly discuss the experiences of each player or team listed. Use the following questions to help prompt the discussion:
• During what time period did this player/team play?
• At what level did the player/team play?
- Semi-Professional? Professional? Just for fun?
• Was she the only female player on her team?
• Did the player/team experience any resistance from people who did not want girls to play baseball?
• Did the player/team contribute to the ability of other girls to play baseball?
- If so, how?

4. After reviewing the list, ask students to point out which, if any, of the players/teams deserve special recognition for their role in baseball history.

5. Explain that major league ballparks often have statues, plaques, or retired numbers to honor players that made an outstanding contribution to the team and to baseball. Share some of the following examples:
• PNC Park in Pittsburgh has a statue honoring Roberto Clemente.
• Citi Field in New York has a sculpture of Jackie Robinson's number 42.
• AT&T Park in San Francisco has plaques honoring Orlando Cepeda and Juan Marichal.

6. Tell students that they will now have the opportunity to design special honors for the girls and women who have made extraordinary contributions to the game of baseball.

7. Divide students into groups of three or four. Allow each group to choose from the list the player or team that they would like to honor. Try to have each group select someone different.

8. Give students about five minutes to brainstorm what type of honor they would like to design. Students are not required to make a statue or plaque! They should be encouraged to be creative with their honors.

9. Once groups have decided on their designs, provide each group with the appropriate art materials necessary to create their honors. Allow students to work on their honors for the remainder of the class period.

Conclusion:

To conclude this lesson, have each group share their designs with the class. Display the finished honors on a bulletin board or inside your classroom if they are three-dimensional.

To check for understanding, ask students to write letters to an imaginary stadium owner explaining why he or she should consider putting up a special honor for women in baseball history. Students' letters should explain why the honor is important, and could also persuade the owner to choose the honor they designed. If possible, have students type the final drafts of their letters.

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.

W.3.6., W.4.6, W.5.6. With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

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.