ReadWriteThink: November 6, 2009: James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, was born in 1861.

November 6, 2009

		Dr. James Naismith, athletic director of the YMCA in Springfield, MA, had a problem— the cold winters kept everyone indoors. So in 1891, he invented the game of basketball. Players had to throw a soccer ball into a peach basket resting on top of a ten-foot pole. The sport quickly grew in popularity, though amazingly, it took more than ten years for someone to come up with the brilliant idea of cutting a hole in the bottom of the peach baskets! image © 2009 www.clipart.com

James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, was born in 1861.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Looking at the rules of a game allows for a perfect opportunity for students to practice their expository reading and writing skills.

Print out copies of Naismith’s original 13 rules for basketball. Put students into groups (since some students know a lot about basketball and some very little) and ask them to read the original rules and to identify—with different colored highlighters—the rules that are still in effect today and the rules that have been changed or eliminated. Then, ask students to write one rule that has been added to the original list and another rule that has been changed dramatically from the original source. Have students present these new and modified rules to the class.

Working individually, students should brainstorm a list of sports and games that they know well. Have students select one from their list and write ten rules for playing that sport or game. Remind students that their audience is people who have never played or heard of that sport or game before. In addition to the ten rules, students should also identify the equipment and time needed to play. Afterward, students should read each other’s lists to be sure that all necessary rules are included.

Lesson Plans

Play Ball! Encouraging Critical Thinking Through Baseball Questions
This lesson gives students an opportunity to research and discuss baseball facts and championship moments. Working cooperatively, students form and analyze questions, which they use to create and play a trivia game.

A Poem of Possibilities: Thinking about the Future
Inspired by John Updike’s poem “Ex-Basketball Player,” high school students create a poem presenting a vivid picture of who they will be and the lives they will lead five years in the future.

A Race With Grace: Sports Poetry in Motion
In this lesson, students in grades 3–5 explore the grace and beauty of motion in a variety of sports. They write in reflective journals, view and interpret media, conduct Internet research, take digital photographs, and create original poems.

Web Links

History of Basketball
This website includes a biography of Naismith and a section on how the game of basketball has developed over time.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The official name of the Basketball Hall of Fame honors Naismith for his invention of the sport. This website has everything you ever wanted to know about the history and current game of basketball.

First College Basketball Game
America’s Story, from the Library of Congress, provides a readable account for kids about the first college basketball game ever played, as well as Naismith’s invention of the game.

Texts

James, Steve (director). 1994. Hoop Dreams.
This riveting documentary follows two boys from inner-city Chicago as they try to reach their dreams of playing in the NBA.

D.K. Publishing. 2005. Basketball. DK Children.
The large color photographs and readable text introduce a variety of information about the game of basketball.

Baskin, Nora Raleigh. 2005. Basketball (or Something Like It). HarperCollins.
This fictional book tells the story of four teammates who become friends as they bond over the problems their parents cause.

Ulmer, Michael, and Mark Braught. 2005. J is for Jump Shot: A Basketball Alphabet. Sleeping Bear Press.
History, trivia, and rules of the game are all covered in this picture ABC book.