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Sports Heroes and Private Action for the Common Good: Philanthropy Lesson (11th)
Lesson 1:
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Lesson
Handouts
Academic Standards
Philanthropy Framework

Purpose:

The learners will define philanthropy and determine how being philanthropic affects the public good as exemplified in the lives of famous people who have acted for the public good.

Duration:

Objectives:

The learner will:

  • define philanthropy and identify the benefits, of being philanthropic, for the common good.
  • identify philanthropic actions and their impact.

Materials:

  • Attachment One: Sports Heroes Analysis Chart
     
  • Attachment Two: Athlete Biography - Jackie Robinson
     
  • Attachment Three: Athlete Biography - Arthur Ashe
  • Attachment Four: Athlete Biography - Jackie Joyner-Kersee 
     
  • Attachment Five: Matching Game
     
  • Attachment Six: The Match Game: Philanthropist Stories
Handout 1
Sports Heroes Analysis Chart
Handout 2
Athlete Biographies: Jackie Robinson
Handout 3
Athlete Biographies: Arthur Ashe
Handout 4
Athlete Biographies: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Handout 5
Matching Game
Handout 6
The Match Game: Philanthropist Stories

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:

Write Jackie Robinson, Arthur AsheJackie Joyner-Kersee on the chalkboard. Ask learners if they know who these individuals are. What is their sport? (baseball, tennis and track) Why is each well known? (They excelled in their sports and were excellent athletes.) What do they have in common? (various answers possible-they were great achievers in their sport; two were famous long ago; they broke racial barriers)  Explain to the learners that they will be learning something else about these celebrity athletes that they probably do not know.

 

Day One:

  •  Have the learners recall or learn the definition of philanthropy (the giving of one's time, talent or treasure and taking action for the common good) and philanthropist (one who performs philanthropy or acts philanthropically).

     
  • Ask the learners to suggest examples of philanthropic people, organizations and/or philanthropic actions.  Encourage them to share from their own experiences. (These examples might include Martin Luther King, Jr., Salvation Army, Red Cross blood donors, Habitat for Humanity, soup kitchen volunteers, school and youth group service projects, civic participation through advocacy for improving communities.)  Discuss how these examples of philanthropic people, actions and organizations have benefited the community, state, nation or world, enhancing the common good?

     
  • Hold a class discussion on the question: Is being philanthropic part of responsible citizenship?

     
  • Explain that they are going to learn about the responsible citizenship and philanthropic acts of Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.  Distribute Sports Heroes Analysis Chart (see Attachment One).

     
  • Divide the class into groups of three to five learners and assign each group one of the athletes listed on the chart.  Using Derek Jeters as an example, show learners how to fill in the chart for their athlete:
  • Hero
    Sports Achievement
    Philanthropic Achievements
    Impact on the Community
    Derek Jeters
     
    NY Yankees Shortstop
    Jeter began the Turn 2 Foundation
    Since 1996 has raised over $8 million dollars to provide youth with a place to “turn to” in place of drugs and alcohol
    Have each group research their sports hero, filling in the information on the chart. The information may be gathered as a research project on the Internet or in the library or using Attachments Two, Three and Four as the source of information.

    Day Two:

  • As a whole class, share the information from the chart completed on the previous day.  Ask the students how the information was new or surprising to them.

     
  • Distribute The Matching Game “Game Board” (Attachment Five) and tell the learners that they are going to play “The Match Game.”  In this game the people listed on the ‘game board’ are famous philanthropists.  The challenge is for the learners to see how much they might already know about the philanthropists listed on the game board.  Randomly, read each philanthropist story (Attachment Six) and give the learners time to find the name of the philanthropist that they think the story most represents and have them place an “x” that box.  The first learners to ‘”x”-out four across or five down /or five on an angle “wins” the match game.  Verify the correct responses by having the learner call out the names of the people they have ‘x’-ed to be sure that the names match the stories that were read.  Playing this game a few times will give the learners more opportunities to learn about the philanthropists and their contributions to the public good.

     
  • Reflection: Ask the learners to state the possible the impact of the philanthropists in the “Match Game” game and how that has enhanced the common good.  Have the learners draw comparisons between the three sports heroes and the other famous people they learned about in the “Match Game.”

Assessment:

The learners will be assessed based upon their classroom participation, discussion, and involvement in their small groups. (If appropriate, a peer assessment of small group participation may also be considered.)

Cross-Curriculum Extensions:

Have learners visit http://www.utexas.edu/learners/jackie/robinson/barriers.html. This site is the source of information on "African American Barrier Breakers in Sports." Have learners complete the chart below and then visit the biography site at the same address and find out more about these athletes and others.  This chart can also be edited to include women or other ethnic groups.

Baseball

 

 

Football

 

 

 

Basketball

 

 

 

Hockey

 

 

 

Golf

 

 

 

Tennis

 

 

 

Roberto Clemente

 

 

Charles Follis

 

 

 

Earl Lloyd

 

 

 

Willie O'Ree

 

 

 

John Shippen

 

 

 

Althea Gibson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliographical References:

"African American Barrier Breakers in Sports." visit http://www.utexas.edu/learners/jackie/robinson/barriers.html.

Lesson Developed By:

Dennis VanHaitsma
Curriculum Consultant
Learning to Give

Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Sports Heroes Analysis Chart

Sports Heroes Analysis Chart 

 

 

Hero

 

 

 

 

Sports Achievements

 

 

 

 

Philanthropic Achievements

 

 

 

 

Impact

 

 

 

 

Jackie Robinson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arthur Ashe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handout 2Print Handout 2

Athlete Biographies: Jackie Robinson

Athlete Biographies: Jackie Robinson

b. 1919, d. 1972.

Grandson of slaves, Jackie Robinson was born in Georgia and moved to Pasadena, California as a baby. At high school and at the University of California (UCLA) he lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track. In the army during World War II, he trained soldiers to drive army tanks but found that he encountered racism, which he actively resisted. When the war was over in 1945, Jackie decided to play pro baseball. Because at that time blacks were not allowed to play in the major leagues, he played with the Negro leagues. On long trips by bus, they often found that restaurants did not serve food to blacks and they had to eat outside. Then Branch Rickey, who ran the major league Brooklyn Dodgers, came up with a plan to integrate the major leagues. Mr. Rickey wanted someone who could stand up to taunts from bullies and racists and not lose his temper. Mr. Rickey said, "I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back." When he started playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, Jackie faced many tests and he passed them all, even when there were insults, name calling, balls pitched at his head and death threats.

With support from his wife Rachel, African American fans and eventually some of his fellow Dodgers, he was able to withstand the pressure and achieve great heights. In 1947, he was the National League MVP. His breakthrough into major league sports helped many Americans change their thinking and paved the way for many black athletes to come after him.

Jackie Robinson retired after the 1956 season and by that time, nearly every team in baseball had African American players and most pro teams in other sports also had black players. When he retired from baseball, he became active in the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) as a main speaker at fundraisers. He received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal for meritorious service to Black America. He also served as chairman of the Freedom Fund Drive, which aimed to raise $1 million for Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

In 1957 he wrote a letter to President Eisenhower encouraging the president to take action against Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus, who was trying to prevent integration of the Little Rock schools. He became active in politics at the national level supporting various presidential candidates. He also traveled with Reverend Martin Luther King to Birmingham, Alabama to work on civil rights issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handout 3Print Handout 3

Athlete Biographies: Arthur Ashe

Athlete Biographies: Arthur Ashe  

b. 1943, d. 1993

In 1968 he became the first African American tennis player to win a major men's tennis title, the U.S. National Amateur Singles competition. Also that year he won the U.S. Open and was the first African American to play on the U.S. Davis Cup team. He turned professional and won the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975. He suffered a mild heart attack, had triple bypass surgery and retired from competitive tennis. He later had additional heart bypass surgery, which is when he contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion. He died 10 months later from AIDS-related infections. In 1997, a new tennis stadium in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., was named for him.

Arthur Ashe took a role in the political arena in opposing the Bush administration's policy toward Haitian refugees, and in projects such as demonstrations against apartheid in South Africa. The various programs he supported were combined into four categories under the Arthur Ashe Foundation. Funding and assistance are granted to programs that fall under: 1) education and literacy, 2) learner athletes and mentoring, 3) at-risk youth/inner city tennis, and, 4) public health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handout 4Print Handout 4

Athlete Biographies: Jackie Joyner-Kersee

 

b. 1962. In her autobiography, Jackie Joyner-Kersee describes humble beginnings. Jackie's parents were very young when they married. Jackie, her parents, paternal grandmother, and three siblings shared a home in East St. Louis, Illinois. Jackie grew up in a neighborhood that had strong community ties yet was plagued with violence.
At age ten, through a program at the Mary E. Brown Community Center, Jackie began training and competing in track and field events. Jackie's stellar athletic performances in high school brought her attention and an opportunity to attend college. Jackie was offered college scholarships in both track and basketball. She accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Jackie's college coach, Bob Kersee encouraged her to train and compete in multiple events. Jackie eventually quit basketball to train in track and field as an Olympic hopeful. In the 1988 Olympics, Joyner-Kersee won a gold medal in the heptathlon and took the gold medal in the long jump, flying a phenomenal 24 feet, 3.5 inches. In 1992, Jackie took home another Olympic gold medal in the heptathlon and a bronze in the long jump. In the1996 Olympics, Jackie was forced to withdraw from the heptathlon due a hamstring injury. However, she went on to capture the bronze medal in the long jump.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee's professional athletic career spanned two decades. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, through her athletic achievements, has earned the title of the "world's greatest female athlete.” Among many notable accomplishments, she won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals over four consecutive Olympic games. Joyner-Kersee was the first woman to earn more than 7,000 points in the Olympic heptathlon. She continues to hold the world record in the heptathlon: 7,291 points. She also holds the Olympic and national records in the long jump. These accomplishments and the example of her life make Jackie Joyner-Kersee a hero, a humanitarian, a symbol of strength and courage, an overcomer, an achiever, and a role model for our youth.
Not as heavily publicized, Jackie has also stood out as a philanthropist through her generosity, kind spirit, and dedication to the development of young people, particularly in her hometown of East St. Louis, Illinois. She established the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Community Foundation in 1988. In 1997, the Foundation joined with the East St. Louis Youth Center Foundation to form the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Center Foundation, of which Jackie serves as chairperson. The Foundation has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs to create the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Boys & Girls Club. The Foundation and Boys & Girls Club serve the citizens of East St. Louis.

Handout 5Print Handout 5

Matching Game

Matching Game  

 

 

Madame C.J. Walker

 

 

 

 

Andrew Carnegie

 

 

 

 

Mother Teresa

 

 

 

 

Andrew Shue

 

 

 

 

Princess Diana

 

 

 

 

Ted Turner

 

 

 

 

Jimmy Carter

 

 

 

 

Milton S. Hershey

 

 

 

 

Derek Jeter 

 

 

 

 

Nane Alejandrez

 

 

 

 

Cesar Chavez

 

 

 

 

Oprah Winfrey

 

 

 

 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

 

 

 

 

Bill and Camille Cosby

 

 

 

 

Denzel Washington

 

 

 

 

Garth Brooks

 

 

 

 

Barney

 

 

 

 

Martin Luther King Jr.

 

 

 

 

Joan Ganz Cooney

 

 

 

 

Paul Newman &                                     Joanne Woodward

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handout 6Print Handout 6

The Match Game: Philanthropist Stories

The Match Game: Philanthropist Stories

 

Story

 

People

 

1. I founded a company that produced a line of beauty products for black women.  I was America's first black female millionaire.  I made many charitable contributions to the black community and specified in my will that my company continue such philanthropy after my death. Who am I?

 

 

MADAM

 

C.J. WALKER

 

 

 

2. I was a rich industrialist in the late 19th and early 20th century.  By the time of my death, I had given away $350,695,653.  To this day, many libraries and educational institutions still bear my name. I also wrote a book about my philosophy of philanthropy, titled, “Wealth.” Who am I?

 

 

ANDREW

 

CARNEGIE

 

 

 

3. I spent most of my long life as a nun ministering to the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India.  Even before my death in 1997, people had been considering that I might become a Saint by the Catholic Church. Who am I?

 

 

MOTHER

 

TERESA

 

 

 

4. Best known as a heartthrob of Melrose Place, I used my star status to found the “Do Something” organization, a non-profit youth organization.  Its Mission Statement reads, “We inspire young people to believe that change is possible, and we train, fund, and mobilize them to be leaders who measurably strengthen their communities.” Who am I?

 

 

ANDREW

 

SHUE

 

 

 

5. Despite adulthood documented by the media and a messy divorce from a prince. I am, perhaps, best loved for my charitable efforts which included AIDS work and an effort to ban the use of land mines. Who am I?

 

 

PRINCESS

 

DIANA

 

 

 

6. Best known as an outspoken media mogul, owner of the Atlanta Braves and CNN Broadcasting, I recently pledged $1 billion to the United Nations. Who am I?

 

 

TED

 

TURNER

 

 

 

7. As a former United States President, I have become highly regarded in recent years for my work with Habitat for Humanity and my efforts to promote peace and justice around he world. Who am I?

 

 

JIMMY

 

CARTER

 

 

 

8. After many failed business ventures, I finally found success with a simple chocolate bar.  I founded a community in Pennsylvania to provide homes for my employees.  One of my favorite philanthropic endeavors was a home and school for orphan boys that I founded and supported for many years. Who am I?

 

 

MILTON S.

 

HERSHEY

 

 

 

9. For the last 10 years, I have been at the top of the talk show ratings.  I have been vocal about wanting to steer clear of trashy topics and have a positive effect on my viewers.  I have tried to encourage reading through my book club and encourage philanthropy through my Angel Network. Who am I?

 

 

OPRAH

 

WINFREY

 

 

 

10. During my lifetime, I was committed to the cause of Civil Rights.  I fought segregation, even went to jail for my beliefs.  I led the March on Washington and my “I Have a Dream” speech has served as a rallying cry for the Civil Rights Movement. Who am I?

 

 

MARTIN

 

LUTHER

 

KING, JR.

 

 

 

 

11. I dedicated my life to serving humanity by improving the working conditions of migrant farm workers in America and advancing the ideals of equality and civil rights for everyone. I founded the United Farm Workers (UFW). Like my contemporary, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I used nonviolent reform, such as pickets, boycotts and peaceful demonstrations To establish minimum wage standards, wage contracts, safer working conditions, child labor reform, and advancement in civil rights for Chicanos and other farm workers. Who am I?

 

 

CESAR  

 

CHAVEZ 

 

 

 

12. I was a fourteen-year-old illiterate gang member who drug trafficked and started a gang of my own. In prison, I met a “lifer” who taught me how to read. When I was released, I started “X-HOODS”, an organization, which worked with young people to “X” out all the bad elements in themselves and their community.  I now go to law school, am a Director of the YMCA, and founder of the Boston Urban Edge's Youth Police partnership. Who am I?

 

 

NANE

 

ALEJANDREZ

 

 

 

13.  I am a Major League Baseball player who began the Turn 2 Foundation in 1996 to help children and teenagers avoid drug and alcohol addiction, and to reward those who show high academic achievement. Who am I?

 

 

DEREK 

 

JETER

 

 

 

14. I come from a very famous family.  We have had lots of tragedy in the family including a sister who was mentally challenged.  I have been an advocate for the mentally challenged for years, but am proudest of the establishment of the Special Olympics.  Over one million people have participated from 130 countries in this event. Who am I?

 

 

EUNICE

 

KENNEDY

 

SHRIVER

 

 

 

 

15. My husband is better known than I am. He has been a leading television star and stand-up comedian for many years. We both have a strong belief in education for all children. To that end we have given money to several colleges and have provided scholarships for over 60 learners to attend college. We both speak on behalf of the importance of gaining an education and both of us have received honorary doctorates for this work. Who are we?

 

 

BILL

 

AND CAMILLE

 

COSBY

 

 

 

 

16. Big Bird, Ernie, and Elmo are my friends. They help me provide wholesome television for preschool children. I am the founder of the Popular Children's Television Workshop and the Creator of “Sesame Street.” Who am I?

 

 

JOAN GANZ

 

COONEY

 

 

 

17. I won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for a movie I was in called Glory. Some day I hope to win an award for a leading performance in a movie. Until then, I keep busy with films and with my volunteer work.  I am currently serving as the spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. I do this because I was a member of a club. In addition, I support the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and a home for people with AIDS. Who am I?

 

 

DENZEL

 

WASHINGTON

 

 

 

18. “Touch ‘em all: Teammates for Kids” is the name of my foundation.  I have organized a group of major league baseball players, entertainers, and corporations to come together and support causes for kids.  You may know me by my black cowboy hat I wear when I perform. Who am I?

 

 

GARTH

 

BROOKS

 

 

 

19. He and his wife are two of the finest actors in the country.  Both are considered to be philanthropists — she in the Arts, especially ballet and he in causes for children.  He funds his efforts by selling salad dressings, sauces, and popcorn.  His charitable contributions since 1981 have been over 80 million dollars. Who are they?

 

 

PAUL NEWMAN

 

and

 

JOANNE WOODWARD

 

 

 

 

20. I am cuddly, funny, and have big feet. I tell stories to children about caring and sharing.  Some people say that I am the first “person” to talk to children about helping the family and community.  If you love the color, purple, you will love me! Who am I?

 

 

BARNEY

 

 

 

 

Philanthropy Framework:

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Unit Contents:

Overview:Sports Legends and Philanthropy--Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe & Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Intro. to Philanthropy Unit (11th) Summary

Lessons:

1.
Sports Heroes and Private Action for the Common Good: Philanthropy Lesson (11th)
2.
Impacting the Public Good: Philanthropy Lesson (11th)

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