Educational Books for Kids
Arthur Ashe, James Blake, Billie Jean King, Gale Sayers, George Taliaferro — all champions! Despite personal challenges they never whined. They just won! Hard work, determination, and perseverance made them champion athletes. Striving for equality and human dignity for all human beings made them champion citizens.
The short stories in these five books will entertain and inspire third-grade readers nationwide with an insight into how these well-known athletes overcame big obstacles, reached impossible goals, and then worked to guarantee equal opportunity and fair treatment to all people.
At some time while growing up, children will face being left out of a group, losing someone they love, not having enough money, moving to a new school, having their feelings hurt, or making a big mistake. Athletes in our Champion Citizen book series inspire children to find the champion in themselves to succeed in sports and in life.
These books and lesson plans are flexible enough to be an independent reading program or an intensive six-week reading program in the classroom. Appropriate for after-school programs, home-school students, scout troops, religious groups, youth sports teams or a child who enjoys reading.
Champion Citizens Books
Each athlete or representative contributed photos and information to their books!
The Hamilton County Community Tennis Association (HCCTA) in central Indiana created a reading program for third grade level readers called Elementary Reads. This program offers educational opportunities, builds self-esteem, encourages helping others, and promotes overall fitness.
Five groups of Indianapolis-area high school students wrote the text for Elementary Reads’ first original book series called Champion Citizens. The goal is to inspire kids to be their best by exposing them to real-life stories about famous athletes, their struggles and the steps they took to be successful in their careers and in life.
Champion Citizens Lesson Plans
Each book has its own set of lesson plans. Subject areas are art, fitness, geography, history, language arts, and math. Student work sheets and a teacher resource guide are included. All five plans can be purchased for $10..