Higher and Higher

1. Set Focus
Pose these essential questions to guide discussion: What makes an activity a “sport”? Why would that designation matter?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article (see below). Encourage them to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• chronic (p. 9)
• morale (p. 9)
• designation (p. 10)
• outlier (p. 10)
• scholastic (p. 10)
• investment (p. 11)

3. Engage
Ask students to share what comes to mind when they think about cheerleading and STUNT. Revisit this discussion after the lesson, having students share any new insights they’ve gained. 

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions.

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: Higher and Higher, a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the following page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.

• What central ideas does the article establish through Nikki Jennings’s story? Why do you think the authors began the article with her story? (Central ideas, author’s purpose) (Nikki Jennings’s story introduces the ideas that cheerleading is a potentially dangerous activity and that cheerleaders can start sustaining serious injuries, such as concussions, at young ages. The authors likely begin the article with Nikki’s story to connect the article’s ideas to a concrete example that might also get the reader emotionally involved.)

• How does the photograph on page 8 support the central ideas of the article? Why do you think the article opens with this photo? (Visual analysis, author’s purpose) (The photo, showing a cheerleader soaring high into the air, supports the central ideas also established in Nikki Jennings’s story: that cheerleading can be dangerous and result in serious injury. The article likely opens with this photo because it is eye-catching and it concisely illustrates some of the article’s central ideas.)

• According to the article, what problem is cheerleading currently facing? What do some experts, like those at the American Academy of Pediatrics, propose as a solution, and why? (Problem & solution)(According to the article, as the risk of serious injury in cheerleading has grown, the safety standards have failed to keep up. Experts, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggest that cheerleading needs to be universally designated a sport because that label requires schools and other organizations to implement more stringent safety protocols, like those that are required for other sports.)

• In the section “Not a Sport,” the authors state that “there has been progress in cheerleading safety.” How do the authors support that assertion? (Central ideas, development of ideas)(The authors support their assertion by connecting a 2006 rule change that prohibited basket tosses on hard surfaces to a 74 percent reduction in catastrophic injuries over the next decade. The authors also note that in 2023, there were fewer emergency room visits for girls ages 12 to 18 for cheerleading than for basketball, soccer, volleyball, and softball, whereas from 1980 to 2001, the number of catastrophic injuries caused by cheerleading exceeded those suffered by female athletes playing all other high school and college sports combined.) 

• How do the last two paragraphs complete the story about Nikki Jennings that began in the first two paragraphs? Why do you think the article ends this way? (Text structure, development of ideas)(The last two paragraphs complete the opening story by discussing the ongoing issues that Nikki Jennings continues to deal with, as well as her memories of the sport. The article likely ends this way to remind the reader that the lack of adequate safety precautions for cheerleaders can have a lasting impact on an athlete’s life.) 

• In the last section, cheer mom Meredith says “[Competitive cheer] is unlike any other sport.” What do you think she means? Do you agree? Why or why not? (Analyze words, compare & contrast) (Students’ responses will vary, but they should support their ideas with evidence and reasoning.)

6. Writing Prompt
Should competitive cheerleading be universally classified as a sport? Write a persuasive essay arguing your opinion.

7. Video
Watch the videos about cheerleading and concussions. What do they add to your understanding?

8. Classroom Debate
Should cheerleaders who perform dangerous stunts wear protective gear?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and the Analyze the Photo skill sheet to practice visual analysis.