A Look at Serena Williams' Legacy As She Nears Retirement
Ask Students: What will be some of the things Williams is remembered for, according to this story? When did Williams start playing tennis professionally?
Summary
This week, Serena Williams takes the court at the U.S. Open to compete in what is expected to be the last Grand Slam of her legendary career. No one denies that she’s changed the game and many consider her the greatest tennis player of all time. For a transcript of this story, click here.
Discussion Questions
- Who is Serena Williams?
- What will be some of the things Williams is remembered for, according to this story?
- When did Williams start playing tennis professionally?
- Why is Williams retiring now?
- How will Williams seek to stay a public figure after retirement?
Focus Questions
How do you think Williams has impacted U.S. society and culture beyond her tennis records? What do you think will be the most important part of her legacy?
Media Literacy: Do you think stories about leading sports figures are important to include in national news? Why or why not?
Additional Resource
How are the pressures faced by women athletes different from male athletes? How is Serena’s life and career an example of some of these differences? For more background on her life and legacy and the unique challenges she faced, read this story.
Women's History Month Lesson Plans & Resources
Use these timely preK-12 lesson plans and class activities to incorporate key figures and historical events in your Women’s History Month lesson planning. This Share My Lesson collection spans topics like women’s suffrage and women’s rights and features influential women in science, social justice and rock-and-roll.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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