Cross-Curricular Connections With Sports
When it comes to teaching with sports, the possibilities for meaningful connections are innumerable. Scoring points, statistics, records, and movement lend themselves for sports-themed activities in math and physics. Survey American culture by following national sporting competitions. Use sports to teach character development; teamwork, courage, and perseverance are some of the cornerstones of great athleticism. A lesson in sportsmanship is a lesson in humility — how to win gracefully, and how to handle a disappointment.
Plus, the high emotions, Cinderella stories, underdog hopefuls, and the pressure from the crowd make sporting events the perfect backdrop for a drama to unfold. Choose from a vast selection of sports literature below to grab the interest of any reader.
- NFL in the End-Zone Grades 2-5
- Sports Biographies Grades 3-5
- Sports: High-Interest Easy Reads Grades 6-9
- Sports Favorites: Teamwork and Leadership Grades 3-5
- March Madness Basketball Books Grades 6-12
- Summer Olympics Grades K-8
Articles
Scholastic Parents | Sports genre books with athletes as their main characters. Teamwork, belief in yourself, and humility are common themes. Make great summer reading.
Math Games for Every Sport
Quick math ideas for the classroom that connect to sports.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
by Dr. Susan Shafer
Students will have fun while building their recall skills by writing the record-holders in each category from the Scholastic Book of World Records.
Outdoor Activities: Great Games to Play Outdoors
by Ellen Booth Church
Early Childhood Today |
June ,2003
Kinesthetic awareness is an essential element of outdoor game activities where children learn through movement of their limbs and trunks. Kids translate those movements into words, thoughts, and feelings.
Activity Plan 2-3: Kickball
by Risa Young
Early Childhood Today |
March ,2000
Children will engage in a variety of kickball games designed to increase their coordination skills and motor development in this ready-to-use teaching idea for two- and three-year olds. Activity: Movement/Literacy.
All Activities Issue - Balls & Hoops: Pass-It-Back Relays
by Ellen Booth Church
Early Childhood Today |
June ,2002
Church offers ready-to-use summer teaching ideas in art and music, for mixed ages. In this activity, children will develop motor skills and engage in activities that encourage teamwork and creative thinking.
Activity Plan 2-3: Obstacle-Course Olympics
Early Childhood Today |
April ,1999
Encourage physical development by setting up an age-appropriate challenge course where children use large-motor skills in this ready-to-use teaching idea for two- and three-year olds.
Baseball Books for Beginning Readers
Scholastic Parents |
Fiction and non-fiction baseball books for early readers. Titles include a Caldecott Award-winning book, and a book of baseball poems. Books summaries and links to more information.
Scholastic Parents | Baseball books for middle school idependent readers. Fiction about future baseball hall-of-famers. How-to titles and historical looks at famous athletes.
Baseball Books for Middle-Schoolers
Scholastic Parents |
Baseball novels, histories, and reference books for middle school kids that play baseball or are baseball fans. List includes links to book summaries.
The Magic School Bus Plays Ball
The Magic School Bus: Science Fun Activities |
What a difference friction makes! When Ms. Frizzle's kids get off the Bus into the world of non-friction, they can't even walk. Your kids can work in small groups to find how movement changes when there is more--and less--friction.
Let’s Play Ball!
Sites that include up-to-date sports statistics that your students can use to practice calculating percentages.
Activities
Grades 3-8 | Get in the game -- or in this case, a bunch of games. Hunt down the rules, stats, and facts you need. Then show your math mastery by scoring points for each right answer.
Grades K-10 | This online activity provides a look into the Olympic Games from its past in ancient Greece to the present-day international event.
Grades 3-10 | This rich guide contains a glossary, recommended topics for research, and links to useful resources to start learning about the international sports festival and its ancient roots.
Follow the international sporting event in its modern form from its origins as a small competition in 1896 to the world-class headline maker of today.
Resources
Sports Bloopers Extension Activity
Conduct a survey to find out what sports are the most popular.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson Extension Activities
A play about Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers that shows the racial prejudice faced by the first black player in Major League Baseball.
Babe & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure Extension Activity
On October 1, 1932, during Game Three of the Chicago Cubs — New York Yankees World Series, Babe Ruth belted a long home run to straightaway centerfield.
The Boy Who Saved Baseball Extension Activity
The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game, and Tom Gallagher hopes to lead his team to victory with the secrets of the now disgraced player, Dante Del Gato.
Lesson Plans
What's In a Name?
by Cate Sanazaro
Introduces the difference between the connotation and denotation/definition of words with the examination of sports team names.
Lions, Tigers, and Slugs? Oh, My!
by Cate Sanazaro
Students will analyze the connotation of fictitious names, paying special attention to the human reaction to words.
Iditarod Picture Dictionary
Introduces K-2 students to the Iditarod, a dog sled race across Alaska. Students create a picture dictionary of key Iditarod terms.
