A Whole New Ballgame
Written by Phil Bildner, Illustrated by Tim Probert

Publisher’s Summary:
From the first morning with their odd new teacher fifth grade is full of shocking surprises for best friends Rip and Red.

Primary Source Pairing:
Rip loves basketball and gives a great play by play during the practices and games he plays with Red and their team. A Whole New Ballgame is about friendship and doing what is right (even if it’s hard). Readers will feel like they have a spot in Mr. Acevedo’s classroom and will learn along with Rip, Red, and their classmates. For this primary source pairing, invite students to listen to a play by play of the Cavaliers NBA championship winning game beating the Golden State Warriors in 2016 called by sportscasters Fred McLeod and Austin Carr.

Questions for Discussion:

• Describe what you see and hear.
• What do you notice first?
• What other details do you notice?
• Who are the people who appear in it?
• Who do you think was the intended audience?
• How do you feel when you watch this video?
• Make a connection to the book A Whole New Ballgame and what you hear in the video of Fred McLeod and Austin Carr calling the 2016 NBA game.
• How were Rip’s play by plays similar to what you hear in the video?

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Cavaliers Championship Called by Fred McLeod and Austin Carr: YouTube

Additional Resource:
Hockey Broadcaster Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick Signs Off, NPR, October 23, 2020: npr.org