#testingtheice

[youcanclimbeverymountain-blog]

Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson by Sharon Robinson

Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson

Written by Sharon Robinson

Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Published in 2009 by Scholastic Inc.

ISBN: 9780545052511

Grades: 2 - 5

  Jackie Robinson retires from playing Major League Baseball and moves his family to a house on the lake in Connecticut. Surrounded by his children and the other neighborhood kids, Jackie tells stories of his early days as a baseball player and how African-Americans weren’t originally allowed to play in the MLB and instead had to play in the Negro League. Jackie tells the children of his hard work and determination, which eventually paid off. One wintry afternoon, the children ask Jackie to take them ice skating on the lake. Reluctantly, Jackie agrees, but insists on testing the ice before the children go out onto it despite not being able to swim. Jackie shows the children, through his stories and his actions, that hard work, determination, and bravery are incredibly important qualities to have.

    Reflection: 

  Jackie Robinson reminds me of my father, not because my father was a Major League Baseball player but because my father’s hard work, determination, and bravery has gotten him incredibly far in his life. My father, like Jackie, stands up for what he believes in and works hard to achieve all that he has. Jackie instilled said qualities in his children from an early age and my father has done the same. I admire people like Jackie and my father, and as a teacher, I hope that I can be a role model for my students, as Jackie was to his children and my father is to me. It’s important for students to have role models like Jackie in their lives in order to help to instill hard work, determination, and bravery, among other qualities, in them.

  Classroom Applications: 

Connect: When have you had to be brave? Were you nervous? How did you overcome your fear and why?

Research: Students can research the adversity that African American athletes faced long ago. What are some adversities that athletes still face today? What can be done to help?

Compare & Contrast: What was life like for professional athletes around the time that Jackie Robinson played? What is life like now for professional athletes? How are things the same? How are they different?

Mentor Text – Writing Flashbacks: Students can use this story as a mentor text for writing flashbacks, such as the one that Jackie has when telling his children and the neighborhood children about when he first began playing baseball professionally. Students can also analyze how the element of flashbacks add to a story and make it more interesting for readers.

Follow this link to watch a video of the author and illustrator discussing the book: http://www.scholastic.com/teacher/videos/teacher-videos.htm#3193873256001/45575667001