Every June, NBA fans are on the edge of their seats or glued to their televisions watching the playoffs and waiting to see which team will make the playoffs. win the Larry O’Brien Championship TrophyIf your students are excited about the NBA Finals or basketball season in general, take the opportunity to include this content in the ELA and science lessons you already teach:
Achieve an easy layup with engaging ELA basketball content and activities
What do your students know about Basketball and the NBA? Help them gain basic knowledge about the sport and its playoff journey using Newsela ELA:
Is sports competition inherently good?
During the NBA Finals, athletes (and their fans) can get even more competitive. But is it the devotion to the game and desire to win the championship Is it good for their mental health? Use this lesson as a debate topic for your students. To help them form opinions and strengthen their arguments, share articles on topics such as:
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The reaction to LeBron James breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career points record in 2023.
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How Youth basketball becomes ultra-competitive sport for some elementary and middle school students thanks to the popularity of traveling sports teams.
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An opinion piece on how the pressure to become a winner can lead athletes to engage in unethical behavior, such as cheating.
LeBron James on and off the court
Even students who aren’t NBA fans are likely familiar with the name LeBron James. He’s one of the greatest players to ever join the league and does a tremendous amount of work off the court to help others in need, including retired NBA players. Use this text set to help students learn more about some of his activism within the league:
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Read the article about how LeBron James argued for more money in the 2016 collective bargaining agreement for provide assistance to retired NBA players.
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Add one student survey to your mission to check what students know about the topic before reading or use as exit ticket to check their understanding following the lesson.
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Extend the lesson by asking students think about ways to support students and teachers in their school community. Then ask them to write a proposal to the administration or school board to defend their point of view.
Basketball Novel Studies
Use our novel studies to help students gain background knowledge about basketball and other important topics as they read stories such as:
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NBA players focus on mental health on and off the court
Most athletes will tell you that the mental aspect of the game is just as important as the physical aspect. Use the NBA Finals as catalyst for a SEL Course on Why Mental Health Matters:
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Before reading, see what students know about mental health by asking a question like, How does mental health affect an individual’s life?
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Have students read an article about former and current Cleveland Cavaliers players. Kevin Love, Miami Heat player and his struggle with anxiety on and off the field.
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Use the reading skills quiz embedded in the article to see how they apply the skills of connecting people, events and ideas; and the meaning and choice of words.
Eliminate Classroom Boredom with Basketball-Themed STEM Lessons
STEM and sports are linked, even more than your students realize. Newsela Science to help students explore how topics like statistics and geometry can impact the game of basketball:
The Science of Basketball
From neuroscience to statistics to other disciplines, math and science play an important role in making basketball competitive and exciting to watch. Use the content and activities in this text set to Learn how STEM affects gaming:
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Look neuroscience research This shows how basketball players who vary their training routines can improve skills such as shooting free throws.
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Ask students to compare who is the better basketball player, Michael Jordan or LeBron James, based on their player statistics.
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Find out how NBA teams use technology like the SportVU camera system to capture more game data than ever before, and how it affects their playing and training routines.
STEM is a given in professional sports
Continue your students’ exploration of STEM in sports by sharing news articles that explain how science, technology, engineering and mathematics affect the game:
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Learn more about mathematical analysis that simulates how to shoot the perfect free throw Everytime.
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Discover the the economic impact that professional sports teams and star athletes can have about their city and their franchise by examining a case study of LeBron James’ time in Cleveland and Miami.
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Go behind the scenes of the NBA Draft Lottery and learn more about the chances of a team receiving the first pick.
Score a three-pointer with Newsela’s library of content and activities
Excite the audience (your students) by sharing this and other interesting content, engaging activities, and relevant assessments during every class, not just during the NBA Finals. Not a Newsela customer yet? With your Newsela Lite Subscriptionyou can request a free trial to access Newsela ELA, Newsela Social Studies and Newsela Science!
