I taught for 33 years and I have my MST in the teaching of Social Studies. In 1988, I was awarded the Elementary Social Studies Classroom Teacher of the Year Award from both the New York State Council for the Social Studies and the National Council for the Social Studies. My shop contains mostly social studies materials including web quests, and reader's theater scripts on famous people in history, science and literature.
I taught for 33 years and I have my MST in the teaching of Social Studies. In 1988, I was awarded the Elementary Social Studies Classroom Teacher of the Year Award from both the New York State Council for the Social Studies and the National Council for the Social Studies. My shop contains mostly social studies materials including web quests, and reader's theater scripts on famous people in history, science and literature.
Learn about the contributions made by Caroline Herschel, astronomer. Caroline was the first female to discover a comet and found eight. She also discovered 14 nebulae and went on to compile a catalog of nebulae which is still used today. In addition to the reading passage, there is a DiD You Know? section, comprehension questions , a map activity and a Teacher page with additional activities.
Great for a unit on astronomy or during Women’s History month.
Other readings in my “Let’s Meet…” series include: Alexander the Great, Hammurabi, Hannibal, Hatshepsut, Ramses, Aglaonike , Enheduanna, Sophie Brahe, Hypatia, Agnodice and Aesop.
Check out my internet activity on Space: There are 12 web questions, comprehension questions and extension activities: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/space-the-final-frontier-an-internet-activity-11941871
Looking for a reading passage and activities on Sojourner Truth? If, so, check out this resource which is part of my Let’s Meet Series. Done in the first person, students will learn about the life of Sojourner Truth. Also included are Did You Know? Fun Facts, Comprehension Questions, a Map Activity and a Teacher Page with extension Activities. Could be helpful during Black History Month, Women’s History Month or if you are covering this period of history. The reading passage activity could also be a lesson for a substitute of for a Friday activity.
Check out my Let’s Meet Series:
I have a number of similar reading passages on famous people in this series, “Let’s Meet…” including: Phillis Wheatley(poet), Joan of Arc(Military leader/Heroine of France), Mary Anning (paleonotologist) ,Caroline Herschel(Astronomer), Hildegard of Bingen(writer/composer), Artemisia(Female Naval Commander during the Battle of Salamis), Sophie Brahe(Astronomer), Enheduanna(first known Poet),Hanno(Sea Explorer of the Phoenicians), Agnodice(First Female Doctor of Ancient Greece), Hypatia(First female mathematician), Aglaonike(astronomer), Alexander the Great(famous general), Aesop(Fable Writer of Ancient Greece), Hannibal(famous general), Ramses(Great Pharaoh), Hatshepsut(Female Pharaoh) and Socrates(Philosopher of Ancient Greece).
Looking for a reading passage and activities on Joan of Arc? If, so, check out this resource which is part of my Let’s Meet Series. Done in the first person, students will learn about the life of Joan of Arc. Also included are Did You Know? Fun Facts, Comprehension Questions, a Map Activity and a Teacher Page with extension activities.
Could be helpful during Women’s History Month or if you are coving this period of history. The reading passage activity could also be a lesson for a substitute or for a Friday activity.
Check out my Let’s Meet Series:
I have a number of similar reading passages on famous people in this series, “Let’s Meet…” including: Phillis Wheatley(poet), Sojourner Truth(abolitionist, Women’s Rights Activist, Author), Mary Anning (paleonotologist) ,Caroline Herschel(Astronomer), Hildegard of Bingen(writer/composer), Artemisia(Female Naval Commander during the Battle of Salamis), Sophie Brahe(Astronomer), Enheduanna(first known Poet),Hanno(Sea Explorer of the Phoenicians), Agnodice(First Female Doctor of Ancient Greece), Hypatia(First female mathematician), Aglaonike(astronomer), Alexander the Great(famous general), Aesop(Fable Writer of Ancient Greece), Hannibal(famous general), Ramses(Great Pharaoh), Hatshepsut(Female Pharaoh) and Socrates(Philosopher of Ancient Greece).
In January 9, 1917, a group of suffragettes, called the National Woman’s Party, led by Alice Paul, went to the White House to see President Woodrow Wilson. They hoped to get the president’s support for woman to have the right to vote. Unfortunately, he refused to support women’s suffrage. He believed it was a state issue and not a federal one. The next day, January 10, 1917, the group decided to protest, standing outside 12 different sections around the White House. The women felt that the President would be forced to see them any time he left or returned to the White House. Rain or shine, warm or frigid temperatures, the women silently stood, holding banners and signs. Some of the women got frost bite. Holding banners for hours caused arms to ache.The woman got the nickname “Silent Sentinels”.
This reading shares with students how women persisted in their quest to get the right to vote. It certainly wasn’t easy! They were met with much resistance and were even jailed.
The reading passage includes comprehension questions and extension activities.
Great for study on women suffrage and especially in 2020 for the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment.
Possible Additional Resources of Interest on this topic:
Reader’s Theater Script on Susan B. Anthony. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series.
Webquest on Famous Women in History:
TEN Reading Passages on famous Women in History:
4.TEN Reader’s Theater Scripts on famous Women in History:
The Road to Women’s Suffrage: The CrossCountry Road Trip of Nell Richardson and Alice Burke:
Did you know that Florence Harding was the first woman to be able to VOTE for her husband in a presidential election? Learn about the contributions of some of our first ladies with this fun and informative webquest. For grades 4 and up. 12 Webquestions and updated to include Dr. Jill Biden.
Also have a webquest on Presidents…
This resource is part of my new series, “Let’s Meet…” famous people in ancient history.
With this biographical reading passage, students will learn about the Alexander the Great, the famous Military Leader of the Ancient World. There is a Did You Know? section, comprehension questions and a teacher page with extensions and links. More than a military leader, Alexander the Great’s lasting contribution to the world was the spreading of Greek culture to all he met.
My Let’s Meet… series is growing. Currently, I also have the following in the series:
Hatshepsut, Ramses, Socrates, Hammurabi, Aesop and Hannibal .
Purple Turtle EBOOK: The stories involve Purple Turtle and his friends including Zing,the stuttering rabbit, Biggy Bear, Melody the bird, Squirty the squirrel and others. In each story,a topic is addressed such as friendship, honesty, conservation, getting over fears, etc.
Use this story to discuss children’s common fears.
In “Purple Befriends Monsters”, Do you have a fear? Maybe, it’s spiders. Maybe, it’s a creature living in your closet.In " Purple Befriends Monsters",Biggy invites Purple for a sleepover. When night-time comes,monsters come out frightening Biggy. How will Purple come to the rescue? Grades 1-3,19 Pages,Aadarsh Publishing
Great for kids to read or as a book to read to children. The books have beautiful and colorful illustrations. I am sure your kids will enjoy Purple Turtle Ebooks!
Another Purple Turtle Adventure!
Beautiful illustrations! In this story, “Purple and the Pumpkin Race”,Purple, Zing and Squirty are exciting about participating in the annual pumpkin race. After they carve out their pumpkin to sail, the race begins. Sounds like lots of fun but something goes very wrong!
Great for a fall reading.
Purple Turtle EBOOK: The stories involve Purple Turtle and his friends including Zing,the stuttering rabbit, Biggy Bear, Melody the bird, Squirty the squirrel and others. In each story,a topic is addressed such as friendship, honesty, conservation, getting over fears, etc. In this story, “Purple and World Peace”,Purple meets Dovey the Dove, while walking in the woods. A symbol of peace,the dove is sad that there is so much fighting in the world. Purple tries to find a way to make Dovey smile.
Can use with discussion on cooperation/anti-bullying.
Grades 1-3, Aadarsh Publishing
Great for kids to read or as a book to read to children. The books have beautiful and colorful illustrations. I am sure your kids will enjoy Purple Turtle Ebooks!
Share this STEM reading resource with your students. This particular reading is on Ada Lovelace, thought to be the world’s first computer Programmer. The short reading shares(in the first person) a recounting of the person’s life(in this case Ada Lovelace) There are several Did You Know? fun facts, comprehension questions, a map skill activity for the area of the world the person lived, a teacher’s section with extension activities, the key and additional links.
Great for a STEM reading on a women mathematician, a Friday activity, for Women’s History Month, Pi Day, a substitute lesson and more.
STEM
Woman Mathematician
Reading Passage
Use this reading passage to show students that everything has a history, even pretzels! The resource includes a reading passage, a Did You Know? section of fun facts about pretzels. For example: Baldies are what saltless pretzels are called! There is also a short map skill activity to show students the location of where pretzels originated. There are comprehension questions and a teacher page with extension activities and links.
This resource is a fun Friday activity, before a vacation, substitute day or just a day you wish to show kids that everything has a history!
Other resources in my Everything has a History:
1. The first in my series, Everything Has a History. Why not show your students that even candy has a history with this fun/informative web quest! Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut’s Tomb contained licorice. I also have included several additional resources and extension activities. Great for a Friday, a day before a vacation activity or just when you’d like to share with kids that…everything has a history! History of Candy: A Webquest
2. Everything Has a History…even chewing Gum: History of Chewing Gum!
3. Check out my History of Shoes! Everything Has A History, even SHOES!
4. Check out my History of Peanuts! Learn about the history of the PeanutLearn about the History of the Peanut
5. TULIPS: With spring, comes the sprouting of tulips. Tulips have a very interesting history. Sharing information about the history of the tulip is a great way to show kids that EVERYTHING has a history.
Reading passage, Did You Know? fun facts, comprehension questions, Map-skill activity, Teacher page with extension activities and key.Tulips: Reading Passage/Activities
Nicknamed “the Moses of Her Sex”, Susan B. Anthony was a civil rights leader involved with the antislavery movement and the women’s rights and suffrage movement. She caused quite a commotion when, in 1872, she tried to do something most unusual for a woman. She attempted to vote in a presidential election.
Great for American History lesson, for women’s history month, or for a biography day!
The fun/informative play uses the format of Shakespeare being a guest on a talk show and the studio audience asks questions about his life. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series. Also includes: Comprehension/Did You Know?section, LOTS of extension activities/links/key.
Other plays in the Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series: Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln,Bessie Coleman,Marian Anderson,Sacagawea, Sequoia, Michelangelo, DaVinci, Tuskegee Airmen, Black Death,Love Brewster(Pilgrim)Susan B. Anthony. More to be added…
Learn about the history of space exploration with this informative web quest. There are 16 web questions, comprehension questions and extension activities.
Founded in 1948 by Kim II-Sung, North Korea is officially called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. About the size of the state of Pennsylvania, it has been nicknamed the Hermit Kingdom because it is a country that few from the outside world have visited. With North Korea being in the news a lot lately, this might be a great opportunity to introduce students to the “Hermit Kingdom”.
This web quest has 8 web questions, lots of interesting facts(did you know that North Korea has their very own time zone classification or that at one time all teachers had to learn to play the accordion? There are comprehension questions, extension activities and the key.
Additional Resource of Interest:
Introduce students to the county of South Korea. There are 11 web questions, lots of Did You Know? facts, comprehension questions and a teacher page with 7 extension activities. There is also a key for both the web quest and comprehension questions and additional links for teachers. Although the activity could be done in one class period, if you decide to do some of the extension activities, this resource could be used over several days.
Please consider following me by clicking follow by my photograph. Thank you.
Gail Hennessey
Use Our American Flag webquest of 12 informative questions to learn about Flag Day,Fourth of July and flag history. In addition to the webquest there are 7 extension activities.I always try to include a multi-curricular idea such as writing in the content area with my activities. There are also 16 fun facts about the American flag, flags of the world and the Fourth of July. After students in small groups complete the webquest activity, discuss the information learned as a class. Students can also create a short comprehension review of 5-7 questions to exchange with another group to answer. Grades 4 and up.
Use on Flag Day or any day you have an opportunity to discuss the American Flag with your students!
Learn about the history of Arbor Day and all about trees with this web quest! There are 11 web questions, a Did You Know? section, comprehension questions and a teacher section with keys, additional links and lots(11 extension activities).
This could also be something to use with EARTH DAY, when you are studying TREES and, of, course, for ARBOR DAY! Did you know that more than 30 countries in the world have a day to celebrate trees?
Other resources that would go well during this time:
1. Exploring the Ocean Blue: A Web quest, will introduce students to our oceans. There are nine informative web questions. Fun Facts, comprehension questions,extension activities and links are also provided as is the key. Can be used as part of a unit on oceans, for Earth Day, World Ocean Day or as an activity for a Friday, before a vacation break or as an end of the year activity. This can be a one day class resource or used for a couple of days depending on whether the activities(creative writing/art work/online simulation games, etc.) are used with the students. There are 9
informative web questions. Fun Facts, comprehension questions,extension activities,links: Let’s Explore the Oceans: A Webquest
2. Learn about Jacques Cousteau with this Reader’s Theater Script: Oceanographer, photographer,filmmaker, scientist, writer, inventor, Cousteau spent his life studying the oceans and the marine life that lived in the oceans. His books and films on his studies sparked much interest in our oceans and created an awareness about the need for marine conservation. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series where Jacques Cousteau is a guest on her talk show and answers questions of her studio audience. There are 10 audience questioners, a Did You Know? section, comprehension questions, a teacher section with extension activities, links and the key.Jacques Cousteau: A Reader’s Theater Script
Learn about the history of Earth Day and, our planet, EARTH, with this informative web quest. There are 15 web questions as well as comprehension questions and a Did You Know? fun fact section. The teacher page includes extension activities, the key, and additional links. EARTH DAY, A Webquest"
4. A Biologist and marine zoologist, Carson’s books shared her love of nature, especially the ocean and its inhabitants. Her book, Silent Spring, sparked concern in how chemical pesticides were harming our environment. Carson helped to start the environmental movement in our country, which led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This Reader’s Theater Script could be used as a STEM biography any time of year or especially during the time of Earth Day.Rachel Carson, A Reader’s Theater Script
There are 30 informational questions in the Test your Knowledge Challenge on Maps and Geography. There are also several questions and Did You Know? fun facts.
Others in this series include: Women Trailblazers, Candy/Sweets, Presidents and Ireland/St. Patrick’s Day. More to be posted…
If you’d like a student version or a resource in Word so you can more easily adapt for your needs, just email me. geshrwh@hotmail.com
Also have Test you Knowledge Challenges in the following areas:
Women Trailblazers
Ireland/St. Patrick’s Day
US Presidents
Sweets!
There are 32 informative questions in this Test Your Knowledge Challenge on all things SWEET! Great for a Friday activity or for a substitute activity.
If you’d like the resource in Word, just let me know. If you’d like a student version, I will be happy to provide that, too.
I have similar “challenge” activities on Ireland/St. Patrick’s Day, Presidents and Women Trailblazers. More to come.
Another in my Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series, A Reader’s Theater Script.This fun/informative play has Ms. Bie Ografee’s guest being McSean, a leprechaun. McSean is asked questions by the studio audience about the country of Ireland and the long Irish folklore about leprechauns. Did You Know, Comprehension questions, teacher page with extensions/link/key. Great for unit on folklore/St. Patrick’s Day time or May 13th which is Leprechaun Day!(Yes, there really is such a day).
Check out my other resources:https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/gailhennessey
Other plays in the Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series: Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Maria Anderson, Bessie Coleman, Sacagawea, Sequoia, Michelangelo, DaVinci, Tuskegee Airmen, William Shakespeare, A Visit with a Groundhog,and Susan B. Anthony.More to be added…
Gail
Wish to to practice oral reading fluency in Language Arts and want a biographical play?Need a quick fun Friday or day before a vacation activity? Try this fun/informative biographical play based on the Mark Goodson Production To Tell the Truth Game Show. Grades 4 and up.Comprehension questions, discussion questions and extension activities are included, too.
I also have a play on Abraham Lincoln and an internet activity on Abraham Lincoln.