a teacher’s guide

suggested grade level: 3 rd - 4 th

catching the moon

the story of a young girl’s baseball dream
written by crystal hubbard
illustrated by randy duburke
Watch the video of actors
Kevin Costner and
Jillian Estelle
reading this story at
storylineonline.net
about this story
SYNOPSIS
If there was anything in the world better than playing baseball, Marcenia Lyle didn’t know what it was. As a young girl
in the 1930s, she chased down fly balls and stole bases, and dreamed of one day playing professional ball. With spirit,
spunk, and a great passion for the sport, Marcenia struggled to overcome the objections of family, friends, and coaches,
who felt a girl had no place in the field. When she finally won a position in a baseball summer camp sponsored by the
St. Louis Cardinals, Marcenia was on her way to catching her dream. Full of warmth and youthful energy, Catching the
Moon is the story of the girl who grew up to become the first woman to play for an all-male professional baseball team.
Readers everywhere will be inspired by her courage to dream and determination to succeed.

THEMES IN THE STORY

Determination, Goal-setting, Gender stereotypes, Women’s history

P A G E 2 • A t e a c h e r ’ s G U I D E • c at c h i n g t h e m o o n • © 2 0 1 8 S A G - A F T R A F O U N D A T I O N
About This Guide: The purpose of this guide is to enhance the ELA curriculum by providing quality children’s literature to engage
students in listening to expressive read alouds. Suggested story related activities are aligned with ELA Common Core Standards.
reading and writing
suggested grade level: 3rd - 4th

ela common core standard

Reading Literature: Students read and respond to works of literature with emphasis on comprehension, making
connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textural evidence. (Standards listed below are for third
and fourth grades, but can be adapted to second grade standards.)

before reading
Standards: CCSS.SL.3.1, CCSS.SL.4.1

Objective: Tap knowledge and build background to prepare for reading the story.

Procedure:

Step 1: Build background by discussing the following points with students:

• Have students talk about dreams they have for their futures. You might want to clarify the
meaning of dream.

• Discuss what it will take to make their dreams come true.

• Ask what obstacles each of them may face in making their dreams come true and how they
might overcome them.

• Have you ever tried to convince an adult that you should be allowed to do something? What was
it? What did you do? How successful were you in persuading the adult?

• What do you know about baseball? Do you know of any rules about playing this game that have
changed?

Step 2: Tell students they are going to listen to a story about a girl who had a dream to play baseball and how
she worked to make that dream come true.

during reading
Reading Focus: Problem-Solution

Standards: CCSS.SL.3.2, CCLL.RI.3.1, CCSS.RI.3.3, CCSS.SL.4.2, CCLL.RI.4.1, CCSS.RI.4.3

Objective: Students will listen to story and answer teacher posed questions appropriately.

Procedure:

Step 1: Explain to students that they should listen to the story to answer these reading focus questions:
• What was the main character’s dream?
• What obstacles did she face in realizing her dream?
• How did she overcome these obstacles?
• Did she realize her dream?

Step 2: Discuss the reading focus questions after listening.

P A G E 3 • A t e a c h e r ’ s G U I D E • c at c h i n g t h e m o o n • © 2 0 1 8 S A G - A F T R A F O U N D A T I O N
About This Guide: The purpose of this guide is to enhance the ELA curriculum by providing quality children’s literature to engage
students in listening to expressive read alouds. Suggested story related activities are aligned with ELA Common Core Standards.
after reading
Standards: CCSS.RL.3.4, CCSS.RL.4.4

Objective: Students will understand what an idiom is and explain the meaning of common idioms.

Materials: Chart paper

Markers
Drawing paper
Teacher Prep: Google It!: Search common idioms. Select idioms and make a list. Write an idiom on an
index card. (1 for each student);

Procedure:

Step 1: Write the title Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream on chart paper.

Step 2: Begin with a discussion about the literal meaning of catching the moon. Draw the literal meaning of
catching the moon on chart paper.

Step 3: Guide students in a discussion about what the first part of the title might mean and how this meaning
relates to the rest of the title. Write its figurative meaning.

Step 4: Explain to students that the phrase, catching the moon is an idiom. Idioms are words or phrases whose
figurative meaning is very different from the literal meaning. Every culture has its own collection of
idioms. Ask students why it would be important to understand idioms when reading.

Step 5: Select an idiom from your list and write it on chart paper. Call on a student to draw the literal meaning.
Explain to students its figurative meaning.

Step 6: Select another idiom and follow the same procedure, but this time guide students in explaining its
meaning.

Step 7: Ask students for examples of idioms they have heard. Call on students to give meaning.

Step 8: Complete Activity below:

1. Give each student an index card with an idiom written on it.
2. Have them draw the literal meaning and write the figurative meaning.
3. Use the idiom in a sentence.
For example: the big cheese
Drawing: depicts a large slice of cheese
Meaning: someone who is in charge
Sentence: My teacher is the big cheese in the classroom.

READING RESPONSE
Standards: CCSS.RL.3.1, CCSS.RL.3.3, CCSS.W.3.10, CCSS.RL.4.1, CCSS.RL.4.3, CCSS.W.4.10

Objective: Students will answer the prompt using at least two details from text to support the response.

Prompt: What words would you use to describe Marcenia? How do you think those characteristics helped her
make her dream come true?

Materials: Paper, pencil

Procedure: Have students complete response according to the needs of your class – independently, partners, or whole group.

P A G E 4 • A t e a c h e r ’ s G U I D E • c at c h i n g t h e m o o n • © 2 0 1 8 S A G - A F T R A F O U N D A T I O N
About This Guide: The purpose of this guide is to enhance the ELA curriculum by providing quality children’s literature to engage
students in listening to expressive read alouds. Suggested story related activities are aligned with ELA Common Core Standards.
writing
Persuasive Writing
Standards: CCSS.W.3.2, CCSS.W.4.2

Objective: Students will write a report on a famous female athlete using grade appropriate sentence structure and spelling.

Materials: Access to books or internet for research on selected famous female athlete
Paper
Google It!: Search Female Athlete Graphic Organizer – Trading Card template

Procedure:
Step 1: Select a female athlete to research.

Step 2: Gather information from resources and complete organizer.

Step 3: Complete the writing process according to the ability of your class.

Step 4: Publish using trading card template.

P A G E 5 • A t e a c h e r ’ s G U I D E • c at c h i n g t h e m o o n • © 2 0 1 8 S A G - A F T R A F O U N D A T I O N
About This Guide: The purpose of this guide is to enhance the ELA curriculum by providing quality children’s literature to engage
students in listening to expressive read alouds. Suggested story related activities are aligned with ELA Common Core Standards.
across the curriculum activities
SOCIAL STUDIES – GENDER EQUALITY
MATERIALS —
Large sheets of paper (1 per group), Black and red markers (1 per group), Research resources for activity

PROCEDURE —
Step 1: Separate the students by gender into groups of 3 or 4.

Step 2: Give each group a large sheet. Instruct the students to write words that describe boys on one side of
the paper and words that describe girls on the other side.

Step 3: When finished, display their lists and discuss accuracy.

Step 4: Make new groups of mixed gender. Give each group a list. Ask them to look at the list and decide if
any words should be applied to both genders or remain as “boy” or “girl” words. Have them draw a red
circle around words that can be applied to both genders.

Step 5: Bring students back as a whole group to discuss results.

Step 6: Ask students why some people think some things are “girls only” or “boys only.” Does this seem fair?

Step 7: Guide students in a discussion addressing gender equality.

Step 8: Research Activity: students can choose to complete one of the following:
ELA Standards: CCSS.W.3.7, CCSS.W.3.8, CCSS.W.4.7, CCSS.W.4.8
• Title IX – a law that provided equal opportunities for female athletes, especially in high
schools and colleges. Have students work with a partner to find out how the law has
impacted women’s sports.

• 19th Amendment – an amendment to the constitution giving women the right to vote.
Students can research the fight for women’s suffrage and create a timeline of important
events leading to the ratification of the amendment. Students can choose a famous
suffragette to research and explain her role in the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

MATH – MATH FACTS BASEBALL

MATERIALS —
Math Flash Cards, 3 bases, home plate

TEACHER PREP —
Make bases and home plate out of Foam sheets

PROCEDURE —
Step 1: Create a baseball diamond in the classroom using foam bases.

Step 2: Divide the class into two teams. Batting team stands behind home plate in a line. Fielding team stands behind
2nd base.

Step 3: Teacher stands on the pitcher’s mound and delivers the “pitch” by showing a flash card. The first “batter” has
3 seconds to answer correctly. If correct, “batter” takes a base; if incorrect, “batter” is “out.” Players keep
advancing around bases each time a “hit” is made, just like in baseball. Play continues until team gets 3
outs. Fielding team is then up to bat.

P A G E 6 • A t e a c h e r ’ s G U I D E • c at c h i n g t h e m o o n • © 2 0 1 8 S A G - A F T R A F O U N D A T I O N
About This Guide: The purpose of this guide is to enhance the ELA curriculum by providing quality children’s literature to engage
students in listening to expressive read alouds. Suggested story related activities are aligned with ELA Common Core Standards.
MUSIC/TECHNOLOGY – TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
Students rewrite the lyrics and make a music video.

MATERIALS —
Google It!: Search “Take Me out to the Ball Game” video and lyrics
Song sheet with lyrics (1 per student)
Paper
Video technology

PROCEDURE —
Step 1: Have students learn “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Step 2: Explain to students that they will rewrite the lyrics to suit another sport or activity they like
(soccer, basketball, football, dance, skating, etc)

Step 3: Group the students according to interests.

Step 4: Using available technology, have groups work to make a music video using their song.

Step 5: Host a preview day and invite parents to see the finished videos. Serve baseball food like hot
dogs, peanuts, crackerjacks, cotton candy, and soft pretzels.

P A G E 7 • A t e a c h e r ’ s G U I D E • c at c h i n g t h e m o o n • © 2 0 1 8 S A G - A F T R A F O U N D A T I O N
About This Guide: The purpose of this guide is to enhance the ELA curriculum by providing quality children’s literature to engage
students in listening to expressive read alouds. Suggested story related activities are aligned with ELA Common Core Standards.
about us
about storyline online
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s children’s literacy website Storyline Online® streams imaginatively produced videos
featuring celebrated actors to help inspire a love of reading. Storyline Online receives millions of views every month
in hundreds of countries. Visit Storyline Online® at storylineonline.net.

about the sag-aftra foundation

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation provides vital assistance and educational programming to the professionals of SAG-AFTRA
while serving the public at large through its signature children’s literacy program. Founded in 1985, the Foundation
is a national non-profit organization that relies solely on support from grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual
contributions to fund our programs. Visit sagaftra.foundation.

storyline online brought to you by

P A G E 8 • A t e a c h e r ’ s G U I D E • c at c h i n g t h e m o o n • © 2 0 1 8 S A G - A F T R A F O U N D A T I O N
About This Guide: The purpose of this guide is to enhance the ELA curriculum by providing quality children’s literature to engage
students in listening to expressive read alouds. Suggested story related activities are aligned with ELA Common Core Standards.