Glory Road Movie Guide

A complete lesson plan with discussion questions, writing activities, and leadership worksheets

This resource helps teachers show the journey of Coach Don Haskins and the Texas Western Miners, a basketball team that made history by being the first to start an all-black lineup in the NCAA championship game in 1966.

WARNING

This is a DEEP LEARNING lesson plan to help students employ a LEADERSHIP approach to SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Included in this leadership movie guide:

Time Stamps
Answer Key
Fillable PDF Version
Google Form Version

What educators are saying:

"This movie was a great discussion starter on race and personal ethics. The review kept them listening and learning from the action packed movie."

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"Great resource for an amazing movie! I used Glory Road as part of our Character development classroom days. This worksheet gave me a way to help ensure students paid attention and gave us good discussion material."

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Movie Guide Activities

Each of our leadership movie guides includes the following activities:

Reflection: allows students to journal about one of the movie's themes prior to watching.
Analysis: questions and prompts to analyze the movie's characters, plot, and climax.
Practice & Discussion: a partner/group activity that takes the principles of the movie and asks students to take action and grow in their own lives.
Extension: a RAFT (Role-Audience-Format-Topic) writing prompt to help students apply their new knowledge.
Lead for Impact: challenges students to pinpoint how the hero of the story exhibited The 12 Fundamentals of Impact and then synthesize how they can apply the lessons to writing their own story.

The activities in Glory Road Movie Guide will challenge students to move closer to mastery in the following life skills:

leadership
cooperation with others
creativity
critical thinking
emotional intelligence
problem-solving
judgement and decision-making

1. Glory Road Movie Guide PDF
2. Glory Road Answer Key for Movie Guide
3. Glory Road Fillable PDF Movie Guide
4. Glory Road Google Form Movie Guide
5. Glory Road Video Preview
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Social Emotional Learning Competencies

These leadership activities are designed to help students meet the following Social & Emotional Learning Competencies as outlined by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL):

Develop SELF-AWARENESS and SELF-MANAGEMENT skills to achieve school and life success.
Use SOCIAL-AWARENESS and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS.
Demonstrate DECISION-MAKING skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.

Movie Synopsis

Glory Road is based on the true story of the 1965-66 Texas Western College (now known as the University of Texas at El Paso) basketball team, which made history by being the first team with an all-black starting lineup to win the NCAA national championship.

The film follows the journey of Coach Don Haskins, who takes over the struggling basketball program at Texas Western. In a bold and groundbreaking move, Haskins recruits talented African-American players to form a predominantly black starting lineup. This decision faces resistance and skepticism from both within and outside the team.

As the team faces numerous challenges, including racial prejudice and hostility from opposing teams and fans, they gradually come together, overcoming adversity through teamwork and determination. The climax of the story is the 1966 NCAA Championship game against the heavily favored University of Kentucky team, coached by the legendary Adolph Rupp. Texas Western's historic victory not only changed the face of college basketball but also had broader implications for the integration of sports.

Glory Road celebrates the triumph over racial barriers and the courage to challenge the status quo. It emphasizes the importance of unity, perseverance, and breaking down racial stereotypes in the pursuit of a common goal.

Movie Rating

PG
Movie Run Time

1 hour, 58 minutes
Grade Levels

7th-12th
Ideal Classes

Career Development, History, English Language Arts, Leadership, Character Education, Life Skills, Youth Groups, Basketball Teams

Glory Road Movie Guide provides activities to help students become better leaders by focusing on the following themes:

Racial Integration and Equality:

The film is primarily centered around the groundbreaking decision of Coach Don Haskins to assemble the first all-black starting lineup in NCAA basketball history. It addresses the racial tensions and challenges faced by the players as they navigate a predominantly white college environment during a time of heightened racial discrimination.
Social Injustice and Prejudice:

The movie depicts the racial prejudice and discrimination faced by African-American players, both on and off the basketball court. It highlights the social injustices prevalent in the 1960s and the courage required to challenge and overcome these obstacles.
Teamwork and Unity:

A central theme in Glory Road is the power of teamwork and unity. Despite the initial struggles and conflicts among the players, they eventually come together, transcending racial and cultural differences. The film underscores the idea that collective effort and collaboration can lead to success.
Leadership and Courage:

Coach Don Haskins' decision to break with tradition and challenge racial norms demonstrates strong leadership and courage. His willingness to face criticism and adversity for the sake of his team's success becomes a focal point in the narrative, highlighting the impact of individual leadership on social change.
Perseverance and Determination:

The film portrays the challenges faced by the Texas Western basketball team as they confront discrimination and skepticism. The players' determination to overcome these obstacles, both individually and collectively, serves as an inspirational message about perseverance in the face of adversity.
Historical Significance:

Glory Road also explores the historical significance of the 1966 NCAA Championship game and the impact it had on breaking down racial barriers in sports. The film highlights how sports can play a role in challenging societal norms and fostering change.