It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

Teacher Resource Page Reproducible Family Page Grades 3–5 Teaching Guide and Poster Dear Teachers,

Yogi Berra in the Classroom It Ain’t Over Welcome to It Ain’t Over ’Til It’s Over, a social studies and character development program based on the life of baseball great and American hero Yogi Berra. These lessons Yogi Berra came from modest beginnings and worked hard to ’Til It’s Over and worksheets were developed for grades 3–5 by the become one of the greatest baseball players of all time and a Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center. model citizen. Through personal sacrifice, a positive mind-set, Dear Families, and strong values, he became a role model for generations of In school your child has been learning about citizenship and good character Throughout the program, students will learn about our Americans. shared American heritage and the values that unite us as by looking at the life of one of New Jersey’s great heroes, Yogi Berra. Created The Yogi Berra a country. Yogi Berra was born in 1925 in “The Hill” section of St. Louis, by the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, this curriculum has been Museum & Learning specially made for New Jersey students and families. Center is right next door! Missouri, an enclave of hard-working Italian immigrants trying They will also learn how far determination, teamwork, to realize the American dream. His life story is a guided tour Located on the campus of Montclair State University, the Yogi Berra Museum & Plan an exciting class trip to this respect, and good citizenship can take them and find ways interactive education center, located of some of the most important events of the 20th century, Learning Center is a great place for your family to talk about what it means to be in Little Falls, New Jersey. Go to to improve these characteristics within themselves. including: an American hero. Plus, it’s right next door! yogiberramuseum.org to find out about our educational It Ain’t Over ’Til It’s Over meets New Jersey state • The Great Depression tours and workshops for standards in social studies and life skills, and is filled with • World War II students. worksheets, lesson plans, and information for families. • The golden age of television We hope that you and your students enjoy this dynamic • The civil rights movement of the 1960s The Great Yogi Scavenger Hunt curriculum and plan a class trip to visit the Yogi Berra • The digital revolution of the 1980s through the present Museum & Learning Center in person!

Yogi Berra’s life experience and exemplary character can teach Sincerely, us all something about being a good citizen to both our nation Instructions: and our neighbors. Yogi Berra was a great champion and a great citizen. When your family visits the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Why visit the Yogi Berra It Ain’t Over Yogi Berra Center, carry this sheet with you and hunt for the following Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center Museum & Learning items. Make check marks next to the images of Yogi Berra that you find. Center? ’Til It’s Over When you’re finished, add up your number of check marks. A social studies and character development program New Jersey Education Standards for Grades 3–5 Check the scoring table to see if your “box score” wins! Standard Benchmark Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Yogi Berra’s values, extraordinary accomplishments, and 21st-Century Life and Career Skills lifelong commitment to the education of young people Keep your eyes peeled and remember what Yogi says: My box score: Accountability, Productivity, and Ethics Ethical behaviors support human rights and dignity in all aspects of life. x x x are the inspiration and foundation of the Yogi Berra “It ain’t over ’til it’s over!” Share Yogi Berra’s incredible life story Museum & Learning Center (YBMLC). Since with your 3rd through 5th graders. This Creativity and Innovation The ability to recognize a problem and apply critical thinking and Scoring chart: officially opening its doors on December 4, 1998, the social studies and character development problem-solving skills to solve the problem is a lifelong skill that x x q q develops over time. YBMLC has become a hugely popular destination for in Navy uniform celebrating a 9–10 check marks = grand slam! program will help them discover how a sports fans and educators alike. victory 7–8 check marks = home run! Brainstorming activities enhance creative and innovative thinking in q working class kid became an American individual and group goal setting and problem solving. x x in Yankees uniform 5–6 check marks = double! hero and a role model for millions. Like Yogi Berra himself, the YBMLC Social Studies q with a U.S. 1–4 check marks = keep swinging! appeals to all generations. It’s a nostalgic q catching Look inside for: Civics, Government, and Human The United States democratic system requires active participation of To schedule a class president Rights its citizens. x return to a time when baseball was just trip or for more Guess what! You can also go to • Classroom poster a game. And it’s a stimulating learning q In an interconnected world, it is important to consider different information, visit hitting www.yogiberramuseum.org • Lesson plans and environment for thousands of students, yogiberramuseum.org. q working with cultural perspectives before proposing solutions to local, state, national, x student worksheets and global challenges. the leaders of tomorrow, who are taught q golfing young people to do this scavenger hunt online. • Family materials the tenets of character development— History, Culture, and Perspectives Personal, family, and community history is a source of information for individuals about the people and places around them. x x x respect, responsibility, and integrity. q with teammates q bowling The study of American folklore and popular historical figures enables Americans with diverse cultural backgrounds to feel connected to a The Yogi Berra Museum & Learning x x Find out more about the Yogi Berra Museum & national heritage. Center is located on the campus of Montclair State American culture, based on specific traditions and values, has been University. Its exhibits and educational programs promote Learning Center at yogiberramuseum.org. influenced by the behaviors of different cultural groups living in the x x such values as good character, sportsmanship, peer United States. leadership, and citizenship. Source: 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards

Lesson One: Our American Lesson Two: It Takes Character Lesson Three: Be an All-Star Heritage Goals: Discuss cultural role models Citizen Yogi Berra (1925–present) It Takes Character Be an All-Star Citizen Goals: Explore the common heritage and the importance of character in Goals: Explore what it means to be a and values that all Americans share oneself and others good citizen Time required: 40 minutes Time required: 40 minutes Time required: 40 minutes The vacant lots where Yogi Berra played baseball in his bare Activity: Yogi Berra was an all-star citizen, and you can be, too! Choose a community that your team Materials required: Yogi Berra Materials required: It Takes Materials required: Be an All-Star feet don’t look like the training ground of a great American would like to help. Then create a specific plan showing how you can make a difference! Choose a character (1925–present) Worksheet 1, pen/ Character Worksheet 2, pen/pencil, Citizen Worksheet 3 hero, but they were. From an early age, Yogi loved baseball. October 6, 1953 trait you would like pencil, paper paper, art supplies, It Ain’t Over ’Til Getting Started: He practiced his skills playing games and “sandlot” baseball It’s Over Reproducible Family Page to improve. Discuss Getting Started: 1. Ask: Do you think it is necessary to with his friends. However, he hardly looked like an athlete, ASTOUNDING! Getting Started: different ways to 1. Ask: Do you think that we’re support your community, state, and and many thought he was too short and awkward What help can we all raised with the same set of Ask: Do you admire any athletes, nation? Why or why not? Discuss the Five Championships in a Row! develop this character 1. to play in the big leagues. But with hard work and What does our provide? What are some values? Discuss the idea that all actors, or musicians? Discuss why it role of citizenship in daily life. With their 4–3 win against the trait and encourage community need? personal values we can Americans, regardless of family can sometimes be hard to find a determination, Yogi would become one of baseball’s 2. Explain that Yogi Berra has always Brooklyn Dodgers yesterday the it in others. Create a use to help others? background and race, share a set good role model. Ask: What do greatest success stories. supported not only his family and New York Yankees won their of common values (e.g., being you want from a role model? poster showing your teammates, but also his community. nice, working hard, playing fair, fifth World Series championship path to success. The 2. Explain that Yogi Berra is well Yogi is a leader who supports Growing up during the Great Depression—the tough being helpful, following rules). in a row. Catcher Yogi Berra had known for his positive character education, youth sports, and many path can include a map, On the board, make a list of times of the 1930s—was difficult. Yogi lived in a part of traits. Throughout his long charities. He believes that, as an another great series. a flowchart, or pictures. values that students feel are career, and into the present, he American citizen, he has important St. Louis, Missouri, called “The Hill,” a neighborhood of common to everyone. Mr. Berra has been one of the has demonstrated determination, responsibilities. hardworking Italian immigrants. There was little money, 2. Ask: Are you surprised that there are sportsmanship, valuing teamwork, league’s best hitters all season. 3. Ask: What are ways that young and Yogi left school in the eighth grade to go to work shared values in communities across respect for himself and others, and He is known to swing at any people and adults can be good and help his family. a state as big as New Jersey? Why do good citizenship. citizens? pitch. His fearlessness and you think this is true? Point out that 3. Write these character traits on Primary Source(s) Secondary Source(s) Americans share more than just 4. If you’d like to explore the topic But Yogi kept playing baseball whenever the board and, as a class and with determination are part of what inspires his fans. This latest We want values; they also share traditions of citizenship further, discuss ethics. the help of a dictionary, write he could, and in 1943 he was signed to win adds another championship to his great career. and heritage. Define heritage Start with a dictionary definition to explore being definitions of each. a contract by the New York Yankees’ a good citizen in: (common traditions) and discuss of ethics. Next ask: What is ethical minor-league team. However, Yogi how it connects to shared values. Using the Student Worksheets: behavior? our state, our city, made another sacrifice—he joined Using the Student Worksheets: 4. Distribute It Takes Character Using the Student Worksheets: our neighborhood, Worksheet 2 and read the articles the U.S. Navy to fight in World War 3. Distribute Yogi Berra 5. Distribute Be an All-Star October 9, 1956 our street, and our together. Then ask students to (1925–present) Worksheet 1. Citizen Worksheet 3. Divide the II. One year after the war ended, he family. select a character trait they would AMAZING! Read the article together, then class into teams and explain: Each joined the Yankees, like to have. (circle one) divide students into several small team will complete a short research and would become Yogi Catches Perfect Game in World Series! teams. 5. Divide the class into small teams, project that explores different ways one of the game’s according to their selected to be a good citizen. Assign each 4. Give each team five minutes to History was made at Yankee Stadium yesterday. character traits. Assist teams in team a different “community” to most beloved figures. complete the activity on the New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra caught Notes Notes completing the activity. focus on: the state of New Jersey, worksheet. Activity: a perfect game from pitcher Don Larsen. The Notes Wrap-up: your city, your neighborhood, your Today Yogi Wrap-up: school, or your family. Brooklyn Dodgers didn’t reach base once, and 6. Provide time for each team continues to help Gather your team. Each of 5. Ask: Do you think that everyday to give a short presentation of 6. Remind students that a good and inspire others. you should write a list of Mr. Berra handled every pitch perfectly. This is traditions might be important for their poster. research project is well organized. the first time in history a perfect game has bringing people together? Why or The traditions of 10 traditions practiced by why not? 7. Distribute copies of the 7. Encourage them to be thoughtful hard work and your family or community. occurred during a World Series. Reproducible Family Page It Ain’t and creative in their presentations. 6. Create a list of ways that conflicts determination that When you’re finished, Mr. Berra showed great determination and focus Over ’Til It’s Over to each might be avoided or overcome by Wrap-up: came from Yogi’s read your lists aloud and in every inning. Despite the heavy pressure of student. Encourage them to share sharing traditions or stories, and 8. Instruct students to write a what they have learned about Yogi childhood helped compare them. Every the World Series, he stayed calm and worked reminding others of our shared schedule for a personal plan. Berra with their families. to make him an time you find a tradition with his pitcher. It was clear yesterday that heritage. The plan should have specific goals and dates when those American hero. you share with someone Mr. Berra values teamwork and helping his goals will be accomplished. else, you both get a point. fellow players.

Photos, top to bottom: © Diamond Images/Getty Images; courtesy Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center; © Issei Kato/Reuters/Corbis. Photos, top to bottom: © Diamond Images/Getty Images; courtesy Yogi Compare the point totals Photos: © Bettman/Corbis. Not enough room? Just copy this organizer onto another sheet of paper. from each team. ksh kshe kshe r ee r e r e Name : o t Name : o t Name : o t Lesson Overviews W W W

Photos, top to bottom: © Diamond Images/Getty Images; courtesy Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center; © Issei Kato/Reuters/Corbis. Photos, top to bottom: © Diamond Images/Getty Images; courtesy Yogi Compare the point totals Photos: © Bettman/Corbis. Not enough room? Just copy this organizer onto another sheet of paper. from each team. Teacher Resource Page Reproducible Family Page Grades 3–5 Teaching Guide and Poster Dear Teachers,

Photos, top to bottom: © Hulton Archive/Getty Images; © Francis Miller/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images. Images; © Francis Miller/Time Life Pictures/Getty Photos, top to bottom: © Hulton Archive/Getty Images. Berra Museum & LearningLife Pictures/Getty Center; © Bernard Hoffman/Time Photos, top to bottom: courtesy Yogi with generous support from Jewels of Charity Images. Life Pictures/Getty Photo: © Bernard Hoffman/Time with generous support from Jewels of Charity Photo: © Diamond Images/Getty Images. Photo: © Chris Faytok/The Star-Ledger via US Presswire. “When youcometoafork in theroad…takeit!” Respect yourself and others. The choices you make today Visit the Yogi Berra Museum&Learning Centertodiscover more aboutbaseball great and American hero Yogi Berra. will shapeyourfuture. Be agoodcitizen. Be a team player. Be determined. yogiberramuseum.org with generous from support Jewels ofCharity