It’s a Slam Dunk! Aiming High with Jen Bryant’s Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball

By Donna Sabis-Burns and Amina Chaudhri, on behalf of The Biography Clearinghouse

Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball
by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Frank Morrison

In her Author’s Note, Jen Bryant describes Elgin Balyor as “an artist [who] changed the way the game of basketball is played … he broke with tradition and ventured into unchartered territory … [he] created his own unique moves and shooting style.” She is referring, of course, to the graceful physicality of Elgin’s style and skill, and the fact that he played without any formal coaching prior to high school. Elgin Baylor was recognized by the NBA Hall of Fame in 1977, long after he retired. His career, like the careers of so many Black sports figures and athletes, was marked by obstacles aimed at denying him the opportunity to reach his full potential. Above the Rim gracefully weaves Elgin Baylor’s rise to stardom with significant events in the Civil Rights movement, and Elgin’s own acts of resistance to racism. Frank Morrison’s stunning illustrations add visual context, energy and vibrance, leaving readers wanting more.

Please visit The Biography Clearinghouse for an interview with Jen Bryant and a range of critical teaching and learning experiences to use with Above the Rim. Highlighted here are a few teaching ideas inspired by Above the Rim. The full book entry is available at the Biography Clearinghouse.

Literary and Figurative Language

Jen Bryant wrote Above the Rim in prose verse - a form of writing that does not use a rhyme scheme or rhythm but is formatted to look distinctive on the page, and makes use of word and line spacing to create an effect. The reader must carefully follow the punctuation in order to read prose verse fluently rather than pausing at the end of each line. This form also allows the writer to isolate particular sentences, placing them on lines of their own, which can serve to call attention to them. Bryant does a beautiful job in capturing the rich emotion of Elgin Baylor through careful word choice and line spacing.

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CLOSE READING – multiple meanings and line placement: Introduce the difference between prose and poetry. Read and reread the stanza below. The line “Time was important” pertains to more than the moment being described. “But things can change in time, The child knew. Time was important. That’s why his own name, Elgin, Came from his father’s favorite watch.”   Students can discuss the nuances of the line “time was important” as they understand it in this biography, noting important moments of time in Elgin’s life, and how Jen Bryant’s placement of the line led them to pay close attention.	The students can search for and analyze additional isolated sentences that are sprinkled strategically through the book and illustrate them, too. A discussion on the relationships between text and illustration would be appropriate here as well.  Use Above the Rim as a mentor text for this project	Build on the previous activities by extending the exploration to other nonfiction books in verse, specifically those with a focus on social justice themes or #ownvoices, for example Hoops by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson. A project could involve annotating a book that features this writing strategy. Have students stick Post-It notes on the pages of picturebooks with explanations of their understanding of selected lines from the text. They can present their annotations in small groups and discuss similarities and differences in various authors’ craft techniques.

Analyzing Character

In her interview, Jen Bryant frames her work as a writer with a quote from the poet, Nikki Giovanni: "Writers don't write from experience, they write from empathy." She adds that she hopes her readers will empathize with Elgin Baylor and understand him in the context of his environment. Above the Rim characterizes Elgin as persistent, humble, brave, and more and as such, can be used to teach about character traits using text evidence.

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Using the Think-Pair-Share model, write the quote from Above the Rim, “Sometimes you have to sit down to stand up. And that’s what Elgin did” on a slide or board.    In pairs, have children take turns by asking each other questions like, “What do you think the author meant when she wrote this quote?” “Why is this important to the story?”  “Have you ever wanted to take a stand when you felt something wasn’t right?”	Jen Bryant depicted Elgin as displaying courage, empathy, and so much more. Students can learn about the importance of good character and express desired character traits through a personalized art activity using butcher paper and drawing their body outline and discovering their own sense of empathy and courage within themselves. Check out the lesson in its entirety on the Education World website.	Using the lesson plan mentioned in the "If your have 1-2 days" column, try some of the listed extension activities to have students dive deeper into identifying their own character traits inspired by these ideas: Create a display. Students can post their cut-outs in the school hallway outside the classroom. Or, let students create flowers with their names on the stem and their chosen qualities on the petals. Discuss. Ask students what they know about the emotional/mental/physical benefits of exercise. How might this affect developing strong qualities of character? Make a book. Make a special “I AM…” book. Create a cover with fabric, felt, or pictures from magazines. All about me. Have each student complete an All About Me worksheet, incorporating positive character traits into the “What I do best” and “I wish” sections. Write and illustrate. Have each student choose a quality and illustrate it, or create a comic strip or storyboard showing one or more of their chosen qualities. Older students can write a short paragraph explaining each quality. Or, have students choose their top three qualities and write a poem including them. Partner and practice. Have students in an older grade practice kindness and patience by working with students in a younger grade to complete the pictures and the paragraphs for their class bulletin board.

Donna Sabis-Burns, Ph.D., an enrolled citizen of the Upper Mohawk-Turtle Clan, is a Group Leader in the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education* in Washington, D.C. She is a Board Member (2020-2022) with the Children's Literature Assembly, Co-Chair of the 2021 CLA Breakfast meeting (NCTE), and Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee at CLA.

Amina Chaudhri is an associate professor at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, where she teaches courses in children's literature, literacy, and social studies. She is a reviewer for Booklist and a former committee member of NCTE's Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children.

*The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service, or enterprise mentioned herein is intended or should be inferred.