Poem “Why We Play Basketball”

In the first stanza, the speaker says for him and his friends, basketball is more than simply a game. What word does he use to describe what basketball is for them?

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CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.3.4

What is the literal definition of war?

In the final stanza of the poem, Alexie names two reasons why the boys play basketball. What are those two reasons?

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CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.5

CCSS.RL.5.5

The poet says other people refer to basketball as…

• a good source of exercise

• a boring waste of time

• a difficult sport to master

• a game

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CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.5

CCSS.RL.5.5

The speaker and his friends compare basketball to…

• war

• school

• winter

• sunshine

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CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

Write a line from the poem that shows the boys plays basketball with aggression.

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CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.5

CCSS.RL.3.4

The poet claims they play basketball because they want…

• to separate things

• to make new things

• a scholarship to a good school

• to become professional athletes

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CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.9

Which statement do you think the poet would most likely agree with?

• Basketball is unsafe and should be banned in schools.

• Water tastes best in the winter when there is fallen snow on the ground.

• Basketball is hard to learn, and nobody is really good at it.

• Sports can provide an outlet for children who are stressed.

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CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.9