Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani just made history by signing a huge $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This deal is the biggest ever in Major League Baseball (MLB) and makes Ohtani one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. Ohtani is known as one of the best players in the game and many teams wanted him on their roster.

After lots of talk and speculation, Ohtani decided to join the Dodgers, which caused a big competition between teams trying to sign him. He became a free agent after his contract with the Los Angeles Angels ended, after playing with them for six successful years. The amount of money he will earn is similar to what famous athletes like Lionel Messi and LeBron James make.

Ohtani, who is 29 years old, has already made a big impact on baseball and is seen as a game-changer. Unlike most players who focus on either batting or pitching, Ohtani is great at both. He won the American League MVP award in 2021 and won it again last month, even though he got hurt and couldn't play much in the 2023 season.

Not only has Ohtani been successful in the MLB, but he also led Japan to a big win over the United States in the World Baseball Classic championship. This was a huge moment for Japan, where baseball is really popular. Fans and experts love Ohtani for his talent and achievements, and he's well on his way to becoming one of the greatest players ever.

Ohtani shared a message on Instagram thanking the Angels and saying they will always be special to him. He also promised to keep working hard and being the best player he can be, not just for the Dodgers but for all of baseball, until he retires.

Original news source: Shohei Ohtani: Baseball star joins LA Dodgers in record $700m deal (BBC)

– News Summary
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– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of questions related to the article, such as "Do you think Shohei Ohtani deserved the $700 million contract?" or "Which team do you think Ohtani should have joined?". Have students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates these questions. They should record their classmates' responses and then report back to the class, summarizing the different opinions they gathered.
– Word Association
Instructions: Choose a few key words from the article, such as "Shohei Ohtani," "Los Angeles Dodgers," or "MLB." Write these words on the board. Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give them a few minutes to brainstorm as many words or phrases related to the given words as possible. After the brainstorming session, have each group share their lists and discuss the connections between the words.
– Sketch It
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– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask students to think about and write down their personal opinions on the following questions: "What makes Shohei Ohtani a game-changer in baseball?" and "Do you think Ohtani's $700 million contract is justified?" After they have written their responses, pair them up with a partner to discuss their answers. Finally, have pairs share their opinions with the whole class, encouraging respectful debate and discussion.

Baseball superstar ? Ohtani just made history by ? a huge $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This deal is the biggest ever in Major League Baseball (MLB) and makes Ohtani one of the highest-paid athletes in the ?. Ohtani is known as one of the best ? in the game and many teams wanted him on their roster. After lots of talk and speculation, Ohtani decided to join the Dodgers, which caused a big competition between ? trying to sign him. He became a free agent after his contract with the Los Angeles ? ended, after ? with them for six successful years. The amount of money he will earn is similar to what famous athletes like Lionel Messi and LeBron ? make. Ohtani, who is 29 years old, has already made a big impact on baseball and is seen as a game-changer. Unlike most players who ? on either batting or pitching, Ohtani is great at both. He won the American League MVP award in 2021 and won it again last month, even though he got hurt and couldn't play much in the 2023 ?. Not only has Ohtani been ? in the MLB, but he also led Japan to a big win over the United States in the ? Baseball Classic championship. This was a huge moment for Japan, where ? is really ?. Fans and experts love Ohtani for his talent and achievements, and he's well on his way to becoming one of the greatest ?s ever. Ohtani shared a message on Instagram thanking the Angels and saying they will always be special to him. He also promised to keep ? hard and being the best player he can be, not just for the Dodgers but for all of baseball, until he retires.

1. What is a free agent in sports?
2. How do you think Shohei Ohtani's $700 million contract compares to other athletes' contracts in different sports?
3. Do you think it's fair for athletes to earn such high salaries? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you were a player on a team that lost a bidding war for Shohei Ohtani?
5. Do you think it's impressive that Ohtani is skilled in both batting and pitching? Why or why not?
6. What do you think it means for a player to be a game-changer in their sport?
7. How important do you think the World Baseball Classic championship is for Japan and its baseball fans?
8. Would you consider Shohei Ohtani to be one of the greatest baseball players ever? Why or why not?
9. Do you think it's important for athletes to show gratitude and appreciation to their previous teams? Why or why not?
10. What qualities do you think make a player "the best" in their sport?
11. How do you think Shohei Ohtani's success in the MLB has impacted the popularity of baseball in Japan?
12. What do you think it takes for a player to win an MVP award?
13. How would you feel if you were a fan of the Los Angeles Angels and Ohtani decided to join the Dodgers?
14. Do you think Shohei Ohtani's success will inspire more young athletes to pursue baseball? Why or why not?
15. How do you think Ohtani's promise to keep working hard until he retires will impact his career and legacy?

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