Teammates

In this account of Jackie Robinson’s brave beginnings in Major League baseball, his teammate, Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese, helps Jackie to defy prejudice. Paul Bacon's pastel drawings capture the complex emotions of the time, as well as the eventual support and recognition achieved by Robinson.

To buy this book, click here or on the book cover.

Enrichment Activities
Internet Resources
Books by Peter Golenbock

Enrichment Activities

• Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?
  Ask your school's music teacher to help students practice this song about Jackie Robinson, written by Woodrow Buddy Johnson in June 1949.
  
  
• Integrate Art
  Contact your school's art teacher and brainstorm ideas that would integrate art and the book Teammates. Some suggested materials to use include clay, pastels, or paper collage.
  
  
• Jackie Robinson and Civil Rights
  This lesson plan helps students think critically about the Civil Rights movement and its key players as they explore a biographical site about Jackie Robinson.
  
  
• Jackie Robinson Coloring Page
  Students complete this coloring page of the famous baseball legend.
  
  
• The Struggle Against Segregation
  Students learn about the history of segregation in the United States by reading about the Little Rock Nine, a courageous group of students who helped advance educational opportunities for African-Americans in the 1950s.
  
  
• Teammates Questions and Vocabulary
  
  Enrichment Questions
  1. "Jackie was mobbed by blacks, young and old, as if he were a savior." What does it mean to be "a savior?" Do you think Jackie Robinson was a savior?
  2. Was Pee Wee Reese loyal to Jackie Robinson? How do you know?
  3. Draw a three-way Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the courageous acts of Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, and Branch Rickey.
  4. Write about it a time when you had to be courageous.
  
  Challenging Vocabulary Words
  • apathetic
  • courage
  • humiliation
  • loyalty
  • respect
  • prejudice
  • segregation
  • taunts
  • vigilante

Internet Resources

American Memory: Jackie Robinson
Grade Levels: All
The Library of Congress has compiled an extensive website on Jackie Robinson that includes photos, related websites, and a biography.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/jrhtml/jrhome.html