Standards Correlations

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will read and summarize a text about a new rule that allows college athletes to get paid.

Key Skills

summarizing, text features, vocabulary, cause and effect, reading for information, compare and contrast, narrative writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The text explains how college athletes can now profit from their fame and some pros and cons of this change. 

Structure: The article begins with the story of football player Todd Gurley, then zooms out to discuss the larger issue of paying college athletes.

Language: The text includes some challenging vocabulary, which is defined in the article and in the vocabulary box.

Knowledge Demands: Students should understand the difference between college sports and professional sports. Also, some football terms are used.

Levels

Lexile: 700L-800L 

Guided Reading Level: U 

DRA Level: 50

Lesson Plan: Cashing In

Essential Questions

  • What can you do if you think a rule is unfair? 
  • Should students focus mainly on school? 

Literature Connection

  • Novel: The Prodigy by John Feinstein 

1. Preparing to Read 

Preview Text Features (15 minutes)

Guide students to locate the article. Then preview the text features by asking the following questions:

  • Read the title and subtitle (the text below the title) of the article. What do you think will change now that college athletes are able to make money from their fame? Make a prediction. Sample answer: College athletes may use more of their time to sell goods or appear in ads, leaving them with less time to practice their sport and focus on schoolwork. They may also become more famous, because doing so might help them earn money. 
  • Read the sidebar, “What Is NIL?” What does NIL stand for? Sample answer: NIL is short for “name, image, or likeness.” 

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words aloud (suspended, salary, likeness, endorse, feasible) and discuss their definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading 

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

  • Set a purpose for reading by explaining to students that by reading “Cashing In,” they’ll learn about a new rule that allows college athletes to use their talent to earn money.  
  • Point out the Pause and Think boxes. Tell students they can check their understanding of what they’ve read by answering these questions.
  • Point out the activity at the end of the story, and tell students they will complete it after reading. Encourage them to briefly scan the questions and to keep them in mind as they read.  

2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

Guide students to read the article. Once they understand it well, discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)

  • In the article’s opening section, the author says that Todd Gurley’s story would have a different ending today. Why is that? (cause and effect) Gurley was suspended for selling his autograph. Today, college athletes are allowed to sell their autographs. Gurley would not face any consequences.
  • Based on the section “Making Deals,” what is one way that college athletes still can’t make money? (reading for information) Colleges still can’t pay athletes a salary.
  • Based on the section “Making Deals,” which college athletes are likely to make the most money from the new rule? (reading for information) Top athletes in big sports like basketball are likely to make the most money. 

Critical-Thinking Question (5 minutes)

  • In the article, two athletes give their opinions on the new NCAA rule allowing them to earn money from their fame. Compare the opinion of Lexi Sun (in the section “Making Deals”) with that of Margzetta Frazier (in the section “‘It Changes Everything’”). How are their opinions different? (compare and contrast) Sun isn’t sure that the new rule is a good thing. She says, “I’d be one of the few athletes to say I don’t know.” She seems to be concerned about managing her time and energy as an athlete and a businessperson. On the other hand, Frazier seems wholeheartedly supportive of the new rule. She seems excited about turning her TikTok presence into a real job.

3. Skill Building and Writing (30 minutes)

  • Have students work in pairs to complete the Spotlight Skill activity at the end of the article.
  • Use our Summarizing Skill Builder, available in higher- and lower-level versions. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders for this article.)
  • Writing prompt: Imagine that you are an agent, a person who helps celebrities get deals to advertise products. Write a short letter that you will send to college athletes in your area, explaining the new rule and offering your services.

Learn Anywhere Activity

An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom

Do the Math

The article “Cashing In” mentions several important numbers. Try these math problems that can help you understand why the numbers matter.

  • The article says that in 2014, more than 90,000 fans showed up to each of Todd Gurley’s games and paid as much as $200 per ticket. If exactly 90,000  fans came to a game and each fan paid exactly $200 for a ticket, how much money would the college make from ticket sales at that game?
  • The article says that Gurley has made almost $50 million playing in the NFL. If Gurley has played in the NFL for 7 years, roughly how much has he earned in an average year?
  • The article says that about 2 percent (2 out of every 100) of top college players go on to professional leagues. If a college has 250 excellent athletes, how many of them can expect to make it to the pros?

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