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“Play Ball”-Baseball of the Turn of the Century of America
“Play Ball – Baseball in the Turn of the Century of America”
Sue Hospelhorn, Dee Dee Sanders, and Holly Tindall
Northpoint Elementary School
Summer 2005
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Students will become aware of how baseball impacted American culture at the turn of the century. Students will utilize the Library of Congress website to view primary sources documenting baseball and culture during the turn of the century (1880 – 1920). Students will create a postcard, a letter, and a choice activity
Overview/State Standards/Resources/Procedures/Evaluation
Overview Back to Navigation BarObjectives / Students will:
· Analyze, interpret, and synthesize primary sources to discover what life was like at the turn of the century.
· Create a postcard from a city that housed a Major League Baseball Team during the 1880 – 1920 timeframe.
· Write a friendly letter describing their experiences at the ballpark.
· Choose an activity that will demonstrate what they have discovered about life in turn of the century America.
Recommended time frame / 2 weeks
Grade level / 6th
Curriculum fit / Social Science, Language Arts
Resources / · Honus and Me by Dan Gutman
· Play Ball Powerpoint
· Photo Analysis Guide
· Research Guide
· Play Ball Activities
· Play Ball Rubric
· KWL Chart
Illinois State- Learning Standards Back to Navigation Bar
Social Science:
GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
· 16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
· 16.D. Understand United States social history.
GOAL 18: Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
· 18.A. – Compare characteristics of culture as reflected in language, literature, the arts, traditions, and institutions.
Language Arts:
GOAL 2: Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras, and ideas.
GOAL 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.
GOAL 5: Use language arts to acquire, assess, and communicate information.
Procedures Back to Navigation Bar
Prior to this unit, students will be introduced to Primary Sources and searching the American Memory Collection in the IMC. Students will have read or listened to the book “Honus and Me” in fifth grade classrooms.
Day One:
· Students will view the PowerPoint presentation – “Play Ball” and complete the activities associated with it.
Day Two:
· Students will be assigned to teams of three and will choose a team and city to research from the Baseball Cards site from the American Memory Collection. Students will begin to complete the Research Guide activity using primary resources.
Day Three:
· Continue day 2 activities and save pictures for projects.
Day Four:
· Students will create and print individual postcards using saved photographs from day three.
Day Five:
· Students will create a friendly letter describing their adventures at the ball park using information from their research guide.
Days Six-Ten:
· Students will select and complete a choice activity, either individually or as a team. Play Ball Activities
Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar
· Play Ball! Rubric to assess portfolio containing research guide, postcard, letter, and choice activity.
An Adventure of the American Mind
Illinois State University