TeachersFirst: Resources for Baseball Season

TeachersFirst Resources for Baseball Season:

Whether it is time for Spring Training or the World Series, browse these options for curriculum connections to engage the sports fans in your classroom. If you wish to narrow this list of baseball resources for a specific topic and grade level, try entering your topic and baseball as search terms in the TeachersFirst keyword search, setting the grade level you seek, as well.

36 record(s) found - search again

Baseball Statistics Menu Grade 4 to 10 - Baseball Almanac- 9204

This content-rich website, from the Baseball Almanac, offers definitions of some of the more common - and also more obscure - offensive, defensive, and pitching statistics. There are links to learn more about abbreviations, a baseball stats calculator, history of baseball, players of baseball, quotes about the game, and several others. This site does include some small advertisements.

In the Classroom:
There are lots of class possibilities here: let students create formulas from the definitions, compare stats for the favorite teams, research the history of the sport or a specific player, or try to write their own original quotes about baseball.

Baseball Cards 1887-1914 Grade 3 to 10 - Library of Congress- 9211

The Library of Congress has collected this exhibit of early baseball trading cards, published at a time when collecting was a passion among adults, not children. The site is interesting as a reflection of cultures and interests at the turn of the century, and also for its portrayals of some of the greats of the game as their contemporaries saw them.

In the Classroom:
Share this link on your class website for your baseball card collectors! Use the site to teach about the early days of baseball. Have younger students create a Venn Diagram comparing baseball today with baseball of the 1880s. Have older students create a blog entry from a famous baseball player of the past.

Baseball and Jackie Robinson: Early Baseball Pictures Grade 6 to 12 - Library of Congress- 4492

Baseball and history fans will love this Library of Congress site with historical pictures that trace the heritage of our nation’s pastime. Each page of pictures provides the historical context for the shot. The site also has a special presentation on Jackie Robinson and his historic breaking of baseball’s color line.

In the Classroom:
Share these authentic pictures with your students! Use this site to teach about baseball history, African-American history, and more.

Major League Baseball Grade 4 to 12 - MLB Advanced Media- 9212

Major League Baseball has its own home page, an entry point for information on teams, player, statistics, and history. Keep up to date with current baseball news, video clips, and more. Some of the activities at this website require Media Player. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Get your students excited about statistics, using this baseball website. Share the video clips on an interactive whiteboard. Talk about the current events in baseball. Visit the stats page for some mathematical fun!

The National Baseball Hall of Fame Grade 4 to 12 - National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc- 3735

The National Baseball Hall of Fame offers lots of information on famous players and the history of the game. It's a great starting point for students interested in baseball's impact on American culture, especially in the early 20th century. Visit the Sights and Sounds link to view videos, hear authentic news clips and interviews, and more. This site does requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share the videos, interviews, and more on your interactive whiteboard or projector. As baseball season begins, have cooperative learning groups explore different elements of this site. Have the groups prepare a multi-media production. Perhaps a video clip of their own!

Baseball America Grade 4 to 12 - Baseball America, Inc.- 9213

Baseball America Online provides coverage of high school, college, and minor league ball as well as "the bigs." This site includes A LOT of information, podcasts, and more. Some of the activities require Windows Media Player. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share this link with your students who love the game! Use this site to discuss the math behind baseball statistics, drafts, and more.

Exploratorium - Science of Baseball Grade 4 to 10 - Exploratorium- 9194

The Science of Baseball is the Exploratorium's collection of activities and descriptions involving physics, biomechanics, and baseball. This website takes a topic that students love (baseball) and puts it into scientific terms to enhance the educational experience. What makes a curve ball curve, anyway? How quickly does a batter have to react to hit a ball thrown at 95 miles per hour? There's lots of real-world physics at this site, and the presentation is engaging as well as instructive. Many of the interactive challenges require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Treat your students to this content-rich website using your interactive whiteboard or projection screen. Take your class outside to try their hands at some of the experiments. Or have cooperative learning groups explore different sections of this multi-faceted website. What a fantastic way to excite your students about learning science.

Presidential Baseball Grade 6 to 12 - Northwestern University- 4241

You’ll need to be a real baseball fan to avoid striking out at this online game that compares presidents and baseball players. The players are mostly obscure, but even a good guess or two makes this one fun. It’s done by the folks who created Northwestern University’s Oyez, Oyez about the Supreme Court. Different, but worth a visit. This site require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Divide your class into two teams and play a round of Presidential Baseball! Share the questions on an interactive whiteboard or projector.

TeachersFirst Resources for Baseball Season Grade 3 to 12 - TeachersFirst- 142

Looking for a way to include baseball in your teaching? Whether it is time for Spring Training or the World Series, browse these options for curriculum connections to engage the sports fans in your classroom. If you wish to narrow this list baseball resources for a specific topic and grade level, try entering your topic and baseball as search terms in the TeachersFirst keyword search (under the Search menu), setting the grade level you seek, as well.

Baseball, the Color Line, and Jackie Robinson Grade 6 to 12 - The Library of Congress- 9209

This Library of Congress collection has information on Jackie Robinson and lots more. As always, the images are the star of the show, and there are pictures of early teams, documentation on Robinson's entry into the big leagues, and much more. Students can click on a time period (1860s-1890s, 1900s-1930s, 1940-1946, 1947-1956, 1957-1961, or 1962-1972) to learn more about the history of African-Americans and baseball.

In the Classroom:
Provide your students with this website and a good 20-minutes of exploration time. Then, have your class write journal entries through the eyes of the African-American baseball stars. Or divide up the class into cooperative learning groups. Have each group research a specific time period and share their finding with the class.

Baseball Reference Grade 4 to 12 - Sports Reference, LLC- 9205

Come to this website for one-stop learning about baseball. Some of the many activities and links at this website include "Stats of the Day," "Minor Leagues," "Teams," "Players," and "Today in Baseball History."

In the Classroom:
Use the information at this website in math or history class. This is great supplemental material for statistics, U.S. history (since 1880s), African-American history, and others. Have students use this site for individual research projects about topics provided at this website. Use the "Stats of the Day" information as an anticipatory set for a math or statistics lesson.

A Graphical History of Baseball Grade 6 to 12 - Michael Bein- 9199

The design is really basic, but this site offers on-line graphs comparing baseball data like batting averages over the past century. It would be a great starting point for a lesson on interpreting graphs.

In the Classroom:
Share the graphs on your projector or whiteboard, then challenge students to create their own graphical representations to help fans compare baseball players, teams, revenues, and more.

The Physics of Baseball Grade 4 to 12 - Alan Nathan, University of Illinois- 9195

The closest thing we've found to one-stop shopping for baseball physics, this site catalogs more than a dozen resources from simple explanations to Java applets that plot fly ball trajectories. There are also videos, experiments, and countless other activities. You'll find lots of resources for building lessons or demonstrating principles. Although not aesthetically pleasing, this content-rich website provides unlimited information about baseball and the history and science of the sport. This website requires Adobe, Windows Media Player, and Flash. You can get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Use this website to find content for your science and/or physics lessons. Share the video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector.

Baseball Stats Grade 6 to 8 - Science Netlinks- 8965

This "sports-friendly" lesson plan does an excellent job of incorporating technology, math, and information about baseball. Designed for middle school students, this interactive lesson plan challenges students to explore statistics and other data related to baseball. Thinking questions, printable worksheets, links for students to use, assessments, and extension activities are all provided. General benchmarks are included. This site requires Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Use this lesson plan to motivate your students to learn more about statistics. Divide your class into cooperative learning groups and have them complete various activities in the lesson plan. Extend your study of statistics by assigning groups to track statistics in your school: cafeteria choices, basketball stats, bus rider numbers, locker use, and more. Make a class “Statwiki” for students to share their discoveries.

Baseball Multiplication Grade 2 to 4 - EMGames- 10167

Roll the dice, multiply the two numbers that appear on each dice, type in your answer on the interactive calculator. Explicit audio directions are provided at the beginning of this activity, but you can click to skip the instructions. Be aware: this activity is free; however most of the site is for a fee.

In the Classroom:
Share the instructions and activity on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students work with partners to try the baseball "game." Don't forget the headsets!! You may want to list this site on your class webpage or wiki, so students can practice baseball multiplication at home!

Negro Baseball Leagues Grade 3 to 12 - TK Publishers & Blackbaseball.com- 9210

This is a comprehensive site offering detailed information on the black leagues and the players who made them great. This is an excellent addition to Black History Month! There are links to learn about the history of black leagues, the players of black leagues, and the teams of black leagues. Be aware - there is a link to buy merchandise from the Negro Baseball League. However, all of the information provided is free.

In the Classroom:
Use this website to introduce black achievements in a different context. Use an interactive whiteboard or projection screen to share the many photos and achievements of these baseball icons, often forgotten.

Ballparks of Baseball Grade 4 to 12 - - 4535

Here is a tribute to baseball as an essential part of American culture. Learn everything you every wanted to know about each of the Major League ballparks, from seating charts to attendance figures, to the history behind former ballparks, you’ll find it here. The site does include some minor advertisements. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Gearing up for baseball season? Share this site with your students in history, physical education, or other relevant classes.

BaseballLibrary.com Grade 6 to 12 - The Idea Logical Company, Inc.- 3896

Users will find lots of detailed baseball history at this nicely written site. There are dozens of links to historical events, biographies, team histories, and statistics. Those interested in baseball as part of American history can find much to enjoy at this one. You can even find "this date in baseball history" trivia.

Be aware: this site has many advertisements. Portions of this site require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Have cooperative learning groups explore various sections of this site. Have the groups create a multi-media presentation: wiki, blog, video, or PowerPoint.

Batter's Up Baseball Grade 1 to 6 - Prongo.com- 9203

This website offers a Flash-enhanced math game built on a baseball theme. The problems (addition or multiplication) presented vary widely in difficulty, so the game could be used across several grades or with students of varying ability. Students have the option of choosing single digit questions, double digit questions, or a home run (difficult question). This website requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Demonstrate this colorful website on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students work on individual computers at their current math level. Use this website for review before an addition or multiplication quiz on single or double digits. If individual computer are not available, use your interactive whiteboard or projector and play a class game of "around the world" with the math questions.

Fun with Baseball Stats Grade 6 to 8 - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics- 9197

Here's a lesson for middle school students, from the NCTM Illuminations site, that will familiarize students with both baseball and statistics. Teachers may want to add their own creative touches to this one. Standards, detailed instructions, printable pages, and more are included. This website requires Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Use this ready to go lesson to "take your students to the ball field."

Baseball and Jackie Robinson Grade 6 to 12 - The Library of Congress- 3733

This Library of Congress collection has information on Jackie Robinson and lots more. This site includes lesson plans, class activities, and more. McRel standards are included. As always, the images are the star of the show, and there are pictures of early teams, documentation on Robinson's entry into the big leagues, and much more. This site also includes some information about primary sources. Well worth a visit.

In the Classroom:
Use this lesson plan with your secondary students to combine history, research using primary sources, and baseball.

Baseball Physics Fun Stuff Grade 6 to 12 - bostonbaseball.com- 3721

This site shares a sample of physics as it relates to baseball, from a Boston Red Sox fan information collection. Other highlights include the effects of temperature, altitude, and wind. There is also an interesting discussion of the physics behind corked bats.

In the Classroom:
Excite your students about physics using this simple site!

Baseball Grade 4 to 10 - Myvocabulary.com- 8081

Take me out to the ballgame.... This website provides unique vocabulary activities that all correlate with baseball! Some of the activities are interactive (word puzzles) and other activities are printable. There is also a few historical and reference facts. So take your students out to the ballgame and teach them some new science vocabulary terms.

In the Classroom:
The interactive vocabulary activities would work very well on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use your students' love of baseball to introduce some new science vocabulary words.

Baseball (A Fan's View) Grade 4 to 8 - John R. Potter- 9208

This website offers a word scramble with words and phrases from fans.

In the Classroom:
Before handing out the printed copies of the word scramble, project the word scramble on an interactive whiteboard or projector and discuss the meaning behind some of the phrases.

Sports Writing: Tinkers to Evers to Chance Grade 5 to 10 - Schenectady City School District- 9206

Here's a sports writing assignment that lets students experience some of the great players of baseball's early years. Some may find it challenging, but it would be a great assignment for students interested in the topic.

In the Classroom:
Have your class complete the news article assignment and post them on your class blog.

Science and Sports Grade 4 to 12 - The Exploratorium- 1406

Here's another site from the Exploratorium. A high-tech look at the physics involved in hockey, baseball, skateboarding, surfing, and other sports. Younger kids can grasp the concepts; older students can learn the details. There are webcasts, interactives, and more. This site requires Media Player. Includes sound and video clips, but they aren't essential to using the site. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share this interactive site with your students to excited them about learning physics! Although some of the pages are "text heavy," this is a great site for research.

Baseball Word Scramble Grade 4 to 8 - John R. Potter- 9207

This website provides a simple word search that you can print and copy for student use.

In the Classroom:
Project the word search on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Assign each student 1-2 words to look up and define. Give the students a few minutes to look up the definitions. Share the definitions together before completing the word search.

Math Baseball Grade 1 to 6 - Funbrain- 9201

This is an on-line game in which students advance runners and score runs by completing math problems of varying difficulties. Students can select easy or difficult problems, either non-algebraic or algebraic, and operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or a combination).

In the Classroom:
Have you students work on individual computers and "take a swing" at this math activity. It offers a highly motivating review activity on various difficulty levels, enabling the teacher to differentiate the instruction based on the math levels of the individual students.

Math Baseball Grade 1 to 7 - Pearson Education, Inc.- 3725

This is an on-line game in which students advance runners and score runs by completing math problems of varying difficulties. You can select easy or difficult problems, either non-algebraic or algebraic, addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. Watch the runners move as the scoreboard changes.

In the Classroom:
Use this site for extra practice in basic arithmetic and algebra. Save this site in your favorites on your classroom computer.

Base Word Baseball Grade 1 to 3 - Tutoring for Tots- 10035

Students participate as "The Chipmunk Chompers" and "The Raccoon Rangers" to compete for base word batting averages. The animals pitch the base word and students choose the correct suffix for the end of the word. This is a simple activity for beginning readers and those who need a little more practice with word endings. After 10 hits, students advance to the next level. This site requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Divide your class into two teams and have a competition. Set this site up as a learning center during your language arts block. List this link on your class website for students to access both in and out of the class.

White House Kids Sports Grade 4 to 8 - White House- 8368

The close relationship between promoting physical fitness and the White House can be followed through four links at this site: Baseball and the Presidents, Athletic Teams visiting the White House, the Tee Ball Tournament on the White House lawn, and the Fitness Initiative. This site requires Adobe Acrobat and Media Player. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Health and PE teachers can collaborate with classroom teachers and present White House-related health initiatives while students are learning about the presidency in the classroom. Classroom and PE teachers may ask students to write reports on the various athletes that have been honored by the President. Your students might also enjoy accessing this site from home, so share it on your teacher web page.

What'sThat Stuff? Grade 9 to 12 - American Chemical Society- 6694

High school chemistry teachers will find this collection dealing with the chemistry behind everyday objects and substances an interesting way to connect chemistry's abstractions to real life. Dealing with everything from light sticks to asphalt and baseballs, the site explains the chemical processes that make these things valuable.

In the Classroom:
If you're looking for good examples of applications, these might make an interesting starting point.

Game Central Station Grade K to 12 - - 1270

A nice collection of K-12 resources which includes both activities, lesson plan, and specific suggestions for games like soccer, basketball, and baseball. Highlights include Team Building, Fitness Lesson Plans, Teamwork Activities, and more.

In the Classroom:
This site is ideal for ice-breaker activities at the start of the school year. Physical education teachers will also find some great lesson ideas here!

See user comments on this resource. -

Fastball Reaction Time Grade 4 to 10 - Exploratorium- 9198

Use this interactive to test your reaction time and see if you can hit the ball out of the park. The activity will show you your reaction time to each "pitch." This engaging website requires Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Have students work with a partner to explore this web activity.

The Sweet Spot Grade 6 to 12 - The University of Sydney- 9196

This website provides a detailed activity that focuses on the "sweet spot." Batters know from experience that this is the special spot found on the bat, where the shock of the impact felt by the hands, is reduced so much that the batter is almost unaware of the contact with the ball. Find out more about the "sweet spot" at this Australian site. Several video clips are included. The site requires QuickTime. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

In the Classroom:
Use this "ready to go" resource to teach your students about the physics behind the "sweet spot."

Fastpitchsoftballdirectory.com Grade 4 to 12 - - 4489

This search engine is a great find for all softball fans looking for links to college, youth, and high school fast pitch teams, as well listings for a number of associations, camps, and clinics. The site also has instructional and inspirational material for coaches and athletes.

In the Classroom:
Use this site for group research projects. Lots of information is available.