Extra Innings: baseball poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, ill. by Scott Medlock. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers, 1993. ISBN: 9780152268336

 

 

  Annotation: A selection of baseball poems, including some classic poems such as the traditional rendition of “Casey at the Bat” and “Mighty Joe”, enhanced by colourful illustrations

 

  Media: oil on paper

 

  Rating: 5Q/5P

 

  Curriculum Connections: Literature, Language, Sports

 

  Lesson plan

 

Lesson Plan: Sports Poetry

 

Grade Level: Upper Elementary or higher

 

Objectives: Students will become become aware of popular poetry, based on sports, increasing their interest in poetry and in sports

 

Time allotted: Two classroom hours—one for initial presentation of assignment and topic discussions; one to revisit the discussions at the conclusion of the assignment. Time allotted to students for the assignment would depend on age/grade, and when in the school year the assignment was given.

 

Curriculum Connections: Literature, Language, Sports

 

Introduction:

Have students read:

 

·         Casey at the Bat, by Ernest L. Thayer, with illustrations by Joe Morse. Published: Toronto: KCP Poetry, 2006. ISBN: 9781553378273

 

·         Extra Innings: baseball poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, ill. by Scott Medlock. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers, 1993. ISBN: 9780152268336

 

Discussion Topics:

 

·         How well can sports be portrayed in poetry

 

·         Will someone who has no liking for poetry, appreciate it when on subject matter he/she is interested in

 

·         How would you interest someone who has no appreciation for sports or a sport in a particular sport? What other subject matter could this method of developing interest be applied to

 

Materials or Activities:

 

·         Computer with Internet access and printer

 

·         School or local library

 

·         Pens, writing paper, and pencils

 

·         Eraser

 

 

Assignments:

 

·         Read at least five poems on the sport of your choice and write a paper on your impressions of how well or poorly each captures the mood of the sport (2 to 5 pages—depending on age/grade level)

 

Suggested activities:

 

·        Write a short poem on your sport of choice

 

lss August/2009