Celebrate the Creation of Basketball: Read HOT HAND

Tuesday, 12/1/2009

Image ©photoXpress.com

Did you know? Today is the sport of basketball’s 118th birthday!

At the YMCA International Training College in Springfield, MA, Physical Education teacher James Naismith sought to invent a game kids could play during the cold winter months.

He nailed two peach baskets to the wall at either end of the gymnasium, and gave kids soccer balls to toss into them. The sport of basketball is born!

Celebrate this fun fact by reading Mike Lupica’s fun novel from the Comeback Kids Series: Hot Hand. In Hot Hand, Billy Raynor has the best jump shot in his school’s basketball league. But since his father is also his basketball coach, things can get pretty complicated – especially when his parents are in the middle of a divorce. Billy’s little brother needs his family more than ever before, but his dad is too worried over the championship game to notice. Now Billy must find a way to be a good teammate on and off the court.

Also consider bringing basketball into the classroom with this great lesson plan from Education World. In Basketball for Better Verse, students read poetry about basketball, and discuss the imagery used. They then create their own lists of basketball terms, emotions and imagery and write their own poem.

Happy Birthday basketball!

Posted by » walden
Tags »
Category » Books,In the News,