Baseball Saved Us

Once Dad asked Teddy to get him a cup of water. “Get it yourself,” Teddy said. “What did you say?” Dad snapped back. The older men stood up and pointed at Teddy. “How dare you talk to your father like that!” one of them shouted. Teddy got up, and walked away. I had never heard Teddy talk to Dad that way before.
Why did the author include this detail? 

• To suggest Teddy is a jerk that should get punished. 
• To show how living in the camp was negatively impacting people and changing their behavior. 
• To show that the father should have gotten himself the water. 
• To encourage children to be respectful to their elders. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RF.4.4C

CCSS.RL.6.1

Read these sentences from the text:
"It felt like all these mean eyes were staring at me, wanting me to make mistakes. I dropped the ball that was thrown to me, and I heard people in the crowd yelling, “Jap.” I hadn’t heard that word since before I went to camp—it meant that they hated me"
Why was the character disliked by his peers? 

• People were jealous he was the best baseball player
• Japanese-Americans were still distrusted and discriminated.
• He was not a good baseball player
• He did not show good sportsmanship. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

Why were Japanese Americans taken to interment camps?

• The government thought that Japanese Americans could not be trusted because they were at war.
• Japanese Americans left their home and lives to make their own country.
• Japanese Americans wanted to be together in the desert.
• They thought it would be fun to start a baseball team.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.9

CCSS.RL.8.9

Why do you think that Dad decided they needed baseball?

• Because they wanted to leave the camp.
• Because they could play after doing their chores.
• Because it was something fun to do.
• Because not doing anything was causing everyone to do and act in ways that they usually wouldn't.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RI.1.1

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

What does the word discrimination mean?

• Unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of what they look like, or where they come from.
• Not wanting to be friends with someone.
• Disagreeing on favorite baseball teams.
• having the same beliefs and national origin. 

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

Read the follow sentences form the text:
"We had to use the bathroom with everybody else, instead of one at a time like at home. We had to eat with everybody else, too... We lived with a lot of people in what were called barracks. The place was small and had no walls.
What are barracks? 

• Another word for watch tower
• Horse stalls
• Living quarters for soldiers and where they lived in camp
• Suites 

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

Which line explains how they created the baseball field?

• "There was already a baseball field at the camp."
• "They funneled water from irrigation ditches to flood what would become our baseball field."
• "The children drew one and pretended it was real."
• "One day we woke up and to our surprise, a baseball field appeared."

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RL.3.3

Read these sentence from the passage: 
"I gripped the bat harder and took a couple of practice swings. I was gonna hit the ball past the guardhouse even if it killed me."
What gave the boy the desire to hit the ball as hard as he could?

• He wanted to show off to his teamates.
• He wanted to make his dad proud.
• Because the guard was always watching him, the sun glinting off his glasses, always staring and that made him mad.
• Because if he did he would have been able to leave the camp. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RF.5.4C

Read the following sentences:
"Things were bad again when we got home from Camp after the war. Nobody talked to us on the street, and nobody talked to me at school, either."
Why was life still hard for the main character once he returned home?

• He missed the camp life.
• He didn't get to play baseball anymore.
• People still associated the Japanese Americans with the war and Pearl Harbor.
• He was still the smallest kid and no one wanted him on their team because he was so short.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RF.4.4C

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

Which statement best expresses the story's theme?

• Sometimes in life, people are mean, but oh well.
• Even in difficult times, it is important to not let others get the best of you. 
• In difficult times, people should play baseball. 
• Sometimes, it is good to have friends and family around. 

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.9