Summary
Why is Jackie Robinson the only player whose number was retired by every baseball team? Find out in this BrainPOP movie on an amazing athlete and pioneer for social justice! In it, Tim and Moby will introduce you to baseball’s “color barrier,” which kept people with dark skin out of the majors for more than 50 years. You’ll find out how a man named Branch Rickey teamed up with Robinson to shatter this barrier, and why Robinson’s athletic talent wasn’t the only reason he was signed! You’ll also learn about the abuse Robinson was forced to endure during his rookie season, and how he rose above it, carving out a brilliant career and paving the way for generations of African-American athletes. Finally, you’ll learn how his base-running ability scared the heck out of opposing pitchers and helped his team win pennant after pennant! Play ball!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Jackie Robinson:
- What is one new thing you learned about jackie robinson?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining jackie robinson.
- Draw or give one example of your own.