Around the basketball court 17 years old Greg “Slam” Harris is within control. His disciplined body does what he informs it, the ball is definitely an extension of his arms and the effective legs permit him to elevate over the ground. From the court however his existence is really a mess. His grandmother is incorporated in the hospital on her behalf dying bed, his grades are horrible, and the closest friend might well be dealing crack. This is exactly what Slam is facing in existence. He wants to visit college then carry on to experience for that National basketball association. Though his grades prevents him from doing that. So, he will get the aid of Mtisha, who Slam loves, to tutor him in math so he is able to stay qualified. Slam’s coach feels Slam is really a showboat and doesn’t play him. Slam befriends that old basketball coach at Latimer who not just gives him basketball tips but additionally gives him tips about existence. The climax from the story happens when Latimer plays Carver for the best is the to begin with team within the condition tournament. It puts friend against friend, Slam versus Ice. It’s a very tight game completely but Latimer is the winner. In the afterparty Slam finds Ice dealing crack to some lady. So, Slam will get inside a grapple with Ice and ends their friendship.
Slam is an extremely bestseller that shows the way a kid in the roads which has a talent can rise from adversity and just how his struggles from the court can effect him in the game. It may also show a young child there are awards if one makes the best decisions in existence. When you place your life blood into what you may become effective. Walter Dean Myers writes wonderfully. You feel like you had been in the game with Slam during games and you can seem to be the discomfort he experiences from the court. go back to top

Author/ Illustrator Study

Walter Dean Myers writes predominately children and youthful adult literature.

He was created in West Virginia in 1937, but he spent a lot of his childhood in Harlem, New You are able to. He was elevated by promote parents coupled with an excellent existence. He’d an address impediment he transformed to create poetry and short tales.
In 1954 he quit senior high school and became a member of the military Reserve. He labored for that New You are able to Condition Department at work, a transformer company, the publish office, along with a rehabilitation center. Also, he authored for a lot of magazines and periodicals. Later in the career, he won a tournament operated by the Council of Interracial Books for kids together with his book, Where Will a Day Go? in 1969. He’s another wife and 4 children. Also, he volunteers at schools in Jersey City where lucrative lives. Back In 1984, he received his degree from Empire Condition College. He’s branched his way of writing to incorporate topics of nonfiction and historic fiction including black history together with his book Now’s Your Time And Effort! and The Righteous Revenge of Artemis Bonner that have an 1880s historic setting. go back to top

The section coping with classroom connections has limitless regions of study. It targets a upper junior high school senior high school audience. The next section will break lower the different usages of Slam inside a classroom atmosphere. The teacher should keep in mind that one connecting every area from the book, and applying a wholistic method of teaching, may have the greatest results.

Social Studies/ This is definitely the region in which the most discussion about Slam can come from.

Geographic studies from the area in which the story happens in addition to population topics coping with minority and integration issues are appropriate discussion topics.

Health Insurance And Sports And Physical EductionOr The writer does a fantastic job depicting real existence situations youthful athletes face with athletics and pressure from peers. Many occasions within our schools Health Insurance And P.E. are connected. This book leads to issues that may be discussed off and on the sports field or court within this situation. Drugs, pressure from peers where students priorities are aimed are appropriate topics to become discussed.

British/ Through the book Slam is focusing on a documentary coping with his existence and the and the neighbors struggles through his as well as their eyes. British students could do documentaries by themselves geograhic and cultural variations when compared and contrasted to Slam’s. They might then email reveal about these variations and similarities. ( in Maryland this can function as a task) Students may also use issues within the book as writing prompts for more reflection.

Math/ Size of a basketball court in addition to techniques coping with score keeping are issues that may be covered within the arena of mathematics. Statistics coping with scoring, rebounding, steals and blocked shot averages all can be covered in math statistics class too.

Art/ The options in art class are endless too. Students could draw picures of the items Slam and the community seem like in addition to sketches or math comic strips coping with specific situations within the book. go back to top

Slam comes from Harlem, New You are able to. Visit these web sites and discover just a little about Harlem while using maps and descriptions of various places to visit and eat. world wide web.artnyc.com/Maps/MapHarlem.html
webpages.shepherd.edu/Itate/HarlemMap.htm
world wide web.si.umich.edu/CHICO/Harlem/text/background.html
world wide web.hometoharlem.com/Harlem/hthcult.nsf/harlem/harlemmap Then discuss the various roads and locations that Slam visited within the book, try to locate them into the spotlight.

Walter Dean Myers also writes poetry, that is apparent together with his descriptive ways within the book. When Myers covers Slam playing basketball he’s very descriptive and also the readers can seem to be what Slam is feeling. Visit this site of poetry of various poets from Harlem: world wide web.nku.edu/

diesmanj/poetryindex.htm Research three different poets from Harlem and Walter Dean Myers. Discuss their poetry and find out should there be any connections to Slams existence.

Slam is very large into basketball and Harlem is renowned for its very own Harlem Globetrotters. Visit this website: world wide web.HarlemAllStars.com Read about the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. Discuss regardless of whether you think Slam would join they or otherwise and employ examples.

Walter Dean Myers increased in Harlem, New You are able to just like his character Slam did. Learn about Myers and the childhood by visiting these websites: world wide web.scils.rutgers.edu/special/kay/myers.html
world wide web.randomhouse.com/teachersbdd/myer.html
home.earthlink.internet/

Listing of Related Books

Other Books by Walter Dean Myers

• Fallen Angels Scholastic, 1998.
• Monster New You are able to: HarperCollins, 1999.
• Darnell Rock Reporting New You are able to: Delacorte, 1994.
• Amistad: A Lengthy Route to Freedom New You are able to: Dutton, 1998.
• Angel to Angel: A Mother’s GiftAt Her Majesty’s Request: An African Princess in Victorian England New You are able to: HarperCollins, 1998.
• Fast Mike, Awesome Clyde, and Stuff New You are able to:Puffin, 1988.
• The Glory Field New You are able to: Scholastic, 1995.
• Harlem: A Poem (Caldecott Recognition Book) New You are able to: Scholastic, 1997.
• Hoops New You are able to: Delacorte, 1981.
• The Journal of Joshua Loper: A Black Cowboy New You are able to: Scholastic, 1999.
• Malcolm X: A Fireplace Burning Brightly New You are able to: Scholastic, 1993.
• Me, Mop, and also the Moondance Kid New You are able to: Delacorte, 1998.
• The Outdoors Shot New You are able to: Delacorte, 1984.
• Motown and Didi: An Appreciation Story New You are able to: Viking, 1984.

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Various Other Books

• Heart of the Champion by Carl Deuker
• Painting the Black by Carl Deuker
• Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
• Ironman: A Manuscript by Chris Crutcher
• Like Siblings around the Homefront by Rita Johnson-Garcia
• Tears from the Tiger (Coretta Scott King Genesis Award) by Sharon Mills Draper
• Forged by Fire by Sharon Mills Draper
• Romiette and Julio by Sharon Mills Draper

Related Websites

• Another Slam! Book Study – faculty.salisbury.edu/

elbond/slam3.htm