Brooke Beaird

Your name: Brooke Beaird

Intended grade level for this plan: 3rd Grade
Book title: Let Them Play
Author: Margot Theis Raven (illustrated by Chris Ellison)
Publisher & year: Sleeping Bear Press 2011
INTEGRATION PLANNING TEMPLATE
CONTENT AREAS
BEING
INTEGRATED
TEKS (1 TEKS
FROM EACH
CONTENT AREA)
TO BE
ADDRESSED

LEARNING
GOALS (1 for each
of the TEKS)
What do you want
students to learn?

Social Studies

ELA

SS.113.14.11.A

ELA.110.14.21

(11) Citizenship. The student

understands characteristics of good
citizenship as exemplified by
historical and contemporary
figures. The student is expected to:
(A) Identify characteristics of
good citizenship, including
truthfulness, justice, equality,
respect for oneself and others,
responsibility in daily life, and
participation in government by
educating oneself about the issues,
respectfully holding public officials
to their word, and voting;

(21) Writing/Persuasive Texts.

Students write persuasive texts to
influence the attitudes or actions
of a specific audience on specific
issues. Students are expected to
write persuasive essays for
appropriate audiences that
establish a position and use
supporting details.

The students will be able to

identify two characteristics of
respect for oneself and others that
are demonstrated by Coach
Singleton and the Cannon Street
All-Stars.

The student will be able to write a

persuasive letter to a specific
audience that establishes a
position and uses at least three
supporting details.

Brooke Beaird

IDEAS FOR
ACTIVITIES
What kinds of
learning experiences
will help students to
meet the learning
goals set for each
content area?

1. Introduce the book Let Them Play to the students by asking the
students, What does it mean to respect yourself? Explain to
the students that today you will read aloud a book about an
African American Little League teams struggle to play in the
state tournament in 1950s South Carolina. Tell the students that
as you read the book aloud you want them to look for evidence
of characters displaying characteristics of equality and respect
for oneself.
2. Begin to read the book aloud to the class. As you read stop to
ask questions to engage the students thinking. Note: On page 85
of 153 (the page numbers are different because this is the kindle
edition of the book) the word Negro is used in a sentence.
Explain to the students that although that word was used to
describe the Cannon Street team in the 1950s it is not an
appropriate word that is used today.
3. When you finish reading the book aloud turn back to the final
page and reread the line Coach Singleton thought how far they
had traveled on an old bus and a new dream to live equal
everywhere not separate-anywhere. Ask the students what
they believe the significance of this line is. Ask them to describe
how this reflects characteristics of equality and respect for
oneself. Have a discussion on why Coach Singleton returned
home with this new dream despite the disappointment of being
unable to participate in the Little League World Series. Prompt
the students to think about what his new dream has to do with
good, citizenship, self-respect, and equality.
4. Next introduce the following activity: Explain to the students
that they will be writing a letter to Little League President Peter
McGovern. Tell the students to pretend that a year has passed
since the end of the book and the Cannon Street All-Stars have
once again made it to the Little League World Series. Instruct the
students that they must write a persuasive letter convincing
Little League President Peter McGovern to allow the Cannon
Street All-Stars to participate in the World Series.
5. (Only do this step if necessary) If necessary ask the students
what it means to persuade someone. Go over the correct format
for a persuasive text (clear position, specific audience in mind,
argument that uses supporting details) with the class.
6. Within their letters the students need to identify their audience
(Peter McGovern), clearly state their position, and write a
convincing argument using at least three supporting details.
Students also need to identify two characteristics of respect for
oneself and at least one characteristic of equality demonstrated
by the Cannon Street All-Stars or Coach Singleton. Explain to
students that they can use these characteristics as part of their
argument to convince the president to allow the team to play.

Brooke Beaird
7. Help students get ideas for their letters by asking questions such
as: Why do you think the Cannon Street team deserves to
compete? How does equality tie in to the presidents decision of
whether or not to let the boys play? How did the team display
characteristics of good citizenship with their response to being
unable to participate in the World Series?
8. The students letters should follow these guidelines:
a. Identified audience in the greeting of their letter
b. Clearly identified their position (in support of letting AllStars play)
c. Argument uses three supporting details (these details could
be evidence of characters actions demonstrated in book)
d. Identified at least two characteristics of respect for oneself
demonstrated by the characters in the book
e. Identified at least one characteristic of equality demonstrated
by the characters in the book (students may relate why
equality is necessary in order to promote good citizenship)
*Teacher Note: The students argument/supporting details for the
Cannon Street teams participation should tie in to the characteristics of
good citizenship they display in the book
ASSESSMENT
How will you
determine if the
students met the
learning goals in each
content area?

The students letters will serve as

the assessment to determine if the
learning goals were met. The
teacher will grade the letters based
on the following criteria.

The students letters will serve as

the assessment to determine if the
learning goals were met. The
teacher will grade the letters based
on the following criteria.

The student should have

The student should have

1. Identified at least two

characteristics of respect for
oneself that were demonstrated by
characters from the book
Possible Responses:
a. Even though all of the
white teams in South
Carolina refused to play
the All-Stars, they
continued to go to practice
with a positive attitude that
they were just as good as
any other team. Even
though they faced
opposition from white
teams they never lost

1. Clearly identified the target

audience:
This could be demonstrated by
writing the letter to Mr. McGovern
(Dear Mr. McGovern,) and using
first person
2. Established a position (they
must convey that they are writing
in support of the All-Stars
participating in the next World
Series)
3. Established a persuasive
argument using at least three
supporting details

Brooke Beaird
respect for themselves.
b. Even though the All-Stars
were only permitted to
warm-up before the
tournament they practiced
on the field proudly and
confidently just as if they
were actually playing. The
presidents ruling didnt
matter; the only thing that
mattered was that they
respected themselves.
2. Identified at least one
characteristic of equality that is
demonstrated a character from the
book.
Possible Responses:
a. Coach Singleton showed a
characteristic of equality
at the end of the book
when he describes his new
dream: to live equal
everywhere and not
separate anywhere. His
experience at the World
Series showed him that its
important to fight for
equality for all people.
The teacher can use the following
suggested scale to rate the letter:
5: The student identified
the required number of
characteristics,
characteristics listed
related to the events in the
books. Student gave
quality responses.
4: The student gave
adequate responses and
identified most of the
required characteristics.
3: The student identified
two characteristics of good
citizenship and gave

Possible Responses:
a. I believe that the All-Stars
should be allowed to
participate in the World
Series because its unfair
to exclude a team due to
race. The All-Stars are just
as good as any other team
so they should be permitted
to play.
b. I believe that the All-Stars
should be permitted to play
in the World Series due to
their perseverance. They
faced so much adversity
from the white teams in
South Carolina, but despite
all of this they never began
to doubt themselves. They
could have given up at any
moment but instead they
chose to remain strong and
confident in themselves.
The teacher can use the following
scale to rate the letter:
5: The student clearly
stated the audience,
persuasive position, and
provided an argument with
at least three qualitysupporting details.
4: The student stated the
audience, position, and
provided an argument with
at least two supporting
details.
3: The student stated the
audience, position, and
provided an argument with
at least one supporting
detail.
2: The student provided an
argument with at least one
supporting detail but failed
to identify the audience

Brooke Beaird

satisfactory responses.
2: The student put minimal
effort into responses and
only identified one
characteristic of good
citizenship.
1: The student put very
little effort into responses
and failed to identify
characteristics of good
citizenship.

and position.
1: The student failed to
identify the audience,
position, and provided no
supporting details.