Inspiring Character Traits: Lessons from Jackie Mitchell and Babe Ruth

1. Harcourt 10-11 Theme 1 Whole Group Lesson 2 Day 5

2. Whole Group Reading

4. Focus Skill

5. Focus Skill: Character’s Traits and Motivations Character’s Traits A character’s traits show what the character is like as a person. These traits are revealed by what the character thinks, does, and says. Character’s Motivations A character’s motivations are the reasons why a character acts as he or she does. Character’s Setting Sometimes a story’s setting has an effect on how a character feels, acts, or develops as a person.

6. Character’s Traits and Motivations Character Jackie Mitchell She wanted to play baseball. Jackie practiced hard at pitching. determined hard working

7. Character’s Traits and Motivations Character Jackie Mitchell She wanted to play baseball. Jackie practiced hard at pitching. determined hard working Jackie struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, two of the best batters. She wanted to prove that baseball was not just a man’s game. skilled confident

8. Character’s Traits and Motivations Character Jackie’s Dad He believed in his daughter and wanted her to be the best she could be. Jackie’s dad played ball with her in the neighborhood sandlot. He told her she could be good at whatever she wanted, including baseball. caring loving good father supportive

10. Things to do: • Reread the story with your partner • Complete the character’s actions in the • chart first. • Use the actions to help figure out his • motivations. 4. Do a graphic organizer for each page at the top. 5. When finished, read about the author, the illustrator and the poem.

11. Character’s Traits and Motivations Character Babe Ruth He didn’t think girls belonged on a baseball field. He thought baseball was for men. Babe said, “Girls are too delicate for baseball. It would kill them to play ball every day.” close-minded

12. Character’s Traits and Motivations Character Babe Ruth determined proud He didn’t want to let a girl make a fool out of him. After Jackie threw a strike, Babe stared her down. bully He wanted to show that girls don’t belong in baseball. Babe snickered when Jackie threw two balls in a row.

13. Character’s Traits and Motivations Character Babe Ruth He was angry and shocked that a girl had struck him out. Babe threw his bat down and glared at the umpire. He said he would never bat against a woman again. short-tempered bad sport

14. Robust Vocabulary

15. legendary snickering muttered glared stunned gaped flinched fluke

16. Why might Jackie Mitchell be considered a legendary pitcher? legendary Jackie might be considered a legendary pitcher because she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, two of the best batters. Also, she was a woman pitching baseball when people thought only men could play.

17. Why do you think Babe Ruth muttered to himself when he couldn’t hit Jackie’s first pitch? muttered I think Babe Ruth probably muttered to himself because he was shocked. He probably told himself that it was luck that she had thrown a strike. Also, he probably gave himself a pep talk.

18. What happened when Jackie flinched before she threw her second pitch? flinched When Jackie flinched, she lost track of the pitch and threw a ball.

19. Why was the crowd snickering? snickering? The crowd was snickering because Jackie pitched two balls in a row.

20. Why did the fans gape at Jackie when she struck out Babe Ruth? gape The fans gaped because Jackie had proven to everyone that a girl can also be a great pitcher.

21. Lou Gehrig glared at Jackie when he stepped up to the plate. Why? glared Lou Gehrig glared at Jackie because he wanted to intimidate her so that she did not pitch well.

22. Why might Jackie have felt stunned after she struck out both players? stunned Jackie might have felt stunned because these players were two of the best batters in baseball.

23. Do you think Jackie’s pitches were flukes? Why or why not? flukes?

24. The New Kid By: Mike Makley

25. What makes the new kid a great player?

26. Do you think this poem was written in the past or the present? Why?

27. How are the new kid and Jackie Mitchell alike?