Just Like Jackie

Poetry: craft and structure

Whole Group

• In this issue: “Mini History: The True Story of a Baseball Hero”
• Suggested books: I Am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer

• Video: The Great Jackie Robinson (5 minutes) Build background knowledge on this groundbreaking legend.
• Video: Author Visit With Valerie Boling (5 minutes) Meet the author and hear her read the poem aloud!

• Before reading, watch the accompanying video, “The Great Jackie Robinson.” Brainstorm words that students would use to describe Jackie and his accomplishments. Point students to the title of the poem and ask what it may mean to the poem’s narrator.
• Read the poem one time through. Ask students what they notice about the poem. (The phrase “I stand brave” repeats throughout.) Read through the poem a second time and have students underline or circle the phrase “I stand brave” each time you read it. Ask students what they think it means. Why do they think the author reused that phrase over and over again? Explain that sometimes poets reuse a word or phrase in a poem multiple times to make the reader notice it.
• Draw students’ attention back to the title. How else is the narrator just like Jackie?

• Skills: Self-identity; main idea/self-identity (15 minutes)

Skill: Poetry writing (15 minutes)

• At this point in the year, students might enjoy writing their own poems. Ask students to think of someone who inspires them. When do they think of this person? What do they admire or love about this person? Have students write their own short “Just Like . . .” poem about them.