| Standards Compliance |
NCSS
Strand 1
Culture
|
NCSS
Strand 3
People, Places, and Environments
|
NCSS
Strand 5
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
|
NCSS
Strand 6
Power, Authority, and Governance
|
NCSS
Strand 10
Civic Ideals and Practices
|
NCTE
Standard 7
Students conduct research by generating ideas, questions, and problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data.
|
NCTE
Standard 8
Students use a variety of technology and information resources to gather, synthesize, and communicate knowledge.
|
ISTE
Standard 3
Technology productivity tools
|
ISTE
Standard 5
Technology research tools
|
|
Introduction:
One of the most interesting things Laura Bush has had the opportunity to do is attend the 2006 Winter Olympics and spend time with athletes representing the United States. President George Bush is the former owner of the Texas Rangers Baseball team, and is, as you might expect, an avid baseball enthusiast. The characteristics, and salaries of professional athletes have changed over the past 100 years. This lesson is designed to explore the characteristics of past and current athletes and then have students create what they believe is a set of characteristics that make an athlete that is not only professional, but also a good role model.
Objectives:
Students will have a discussion about characteristics of athletes as role models, compiling a list of those characteristics that are desirable and those that are not. Students will research the lives of some past and present athletes, comparing contrasting the characteristics that define them. Students will then construct an image of an athlete as a good role model for others.
Materials Required:
Computer with Internet access, books, magazine, newspapers, paper, pen or pencil, printer, journal, and dictionary.
Procedures:
1. Begin the lesson with a class discussion about current professional athletes and their characteristics. The following question might be helpful in leading the discussion:
- What is a professional athlete? (Definition)
- What are some characteristics that might make an athlete a good role model?
- What is sportsmanship?
- Name some past and current athletes who demonstrate good sportsmanship.
- Who is/are your favorite athlete(s)?
- Why do you like him or her? Them?
- What is the difference between an athlete and a hero?
- How much money is too much for a salary? Why?
2. After the discussion, and using the websites listed below as background information, ask each student to select a particular athlete, in any sport, past or present, and research that athlete’s life, paying particular attention to the athlete’s characteristics as an athlete and as a person (see lists, below, or students can use their own particular favorite). Using his or her research, each student should write a 4-5 page essay about the athlete, stressing the ways in which his or her characteristics influences his or her life path. The essay can also be illustrated with drawings or pictures from the Internet.
3. When the research and writing are completed, engage students in a discussion of the characteristics of an athlete that make him or her a good role model. Have class develop a list of the most important of those characteristics.
4. As a culminating activity, collect all essays into a class book called, “Lives of Athletes,” for display during the year.
Extending the Lesson:
This lesson can be extended by asking students to apply the characteristics of athletes who are good roles models to other professional people—entertainers, doctors, attorneys, clergy, teachers, etc. Do they still apply?
Sources & Resources:
Websites:
Biographies of Famous Athletes
Lives of Athletes
History of professional Basketball Salaries
The Economic History of Professional Baseball
NFL History
Sports and Ethics
Sports-Ethics Links
Credits:
This lesson was developed by Marian Maxfield, Kent State University.
|