High School Informational Text Handouts

This 4-page pre-reading handout provides students with important background information for understanding William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. This resource includes a two-page handout on the history of the Roman Republic. The resource also included is a comprehension check and answer key so that teachers can assess whether students have understood important details from the handout.

Learning about the history of the Roman Republic will provide students with the contextual information necessary for understanding certain lines in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. You could have students read this handout for homework before starting the play; or you could have students read the handout aloud together in class before giving them the comprehension check worksheet.

If you like this pre-reading handout, you'll definitely want to check out my 160-page Complete Teaching Unit on Julius Caesar. The complete unit features colorful and engaging worksheets on every scene in Shakespeare's play. Because the complete unit is both professionally designed and academically rigorous, it is especially well-suited for courses like Honors English and AP Lang.

Wishing you an amazing experience with teaching this complex play. If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch. And don't forget to check out the Complete Teaching Unit on Julius Caesar....

Happy teaching,

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Remember to “follow” my store to receive email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these complete units on Shakespeare's masterpieces:

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Romeo and Juliet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Julius Caesar

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Macbeth

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Othello

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Hamlet

COMPLETE UNIT with Workbooks on Much Ado About Nothing

INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE: Biography, Globe Theater, Language, & Meter

Great for an INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK. Give the students the factoids and have them do one or more of the extension activities.

Some Fun Facts about King Tut! Use with a study of Egypt, around Halloween or for November 4th, King Tut Day!

If you are looking for additional resources on Egypt, perhaps, you may find these of interest:

1. Play on King Tut(Lots of information on mummies and the most famous mummy of all!) Wrapping with a Mummy: King Tut, a Reader's Theater Script

2. Learn about a WOMAN that was Pharaoh of ancient Egypt: Reading passage/did you know and extension activities: Hatshepsut, First Female PHARAOH

3. Review activity: Mystery Message solved using key vocabulary words about Egypt: Egyptian Secret Message Review Activity

5. Kids love mummies. Great for Halloween time(or for a unit of study on ancient Egypt) Learn all about mummies of the world. Included: Bog Mummies, Otzi, Chinchorro Mummies, Taklamakan Desert Mummies, Egyptian Mummies and more. 12 informative text questions/comprehension questions/extension activities, key, fun facts.MUMMIES, A Webquest!

6. Reading Passage on Ramses the Great: Comprehension questions, did you know, extension activities: Ramses the Great!

Other FREEBIES:

1. BOOK Fun Facts(great for National Library Day, 4/15 and Library of Congress Day, 4/24: Book Fun Facts

2.Earth Day Freebie: Earth Day Freebie

3. Women' s History Month Freebie: Women's History Month Freebie

4. Black History Month Freebie: Black History Month Freebie

5. Pumpkin Facts: Pumpkin Fun Facts

6. Amazing Mummy Facts: Amazing Mummy Facts

7. Amazing Chinese New Year Factoids: Chinese New Year Factoids

8. April Fools’ Day Freebie: April Fools’ Day Freebie

9.Amazing Presidential Fun Facts: Presidential Factoids

Great for an INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK. Have students review the factoids and do some of the extension activities.

Great for a study on China or during Chinese New Year. In 2024, Chinese New Year begins on February 10th and is the Year of the Dragon.

You may find these resources of interest:

1. Part of my Country in Focus series: A great resource that helps develop skills such as reading for information and using research and computer skills. This web quest gives students an overview to the country: map skills, info on panda bears, Great Wall, Terra Cotta Solders-more. Extension activities/key (12 page resource with 10 informational web questions).China, A Country in Focus: A Webquest

2.Want a fun activity to review vocabulary terms for a unit of study on China? Looking for an enrichment activity in history? Try my Chinese Puzzler: Secret Message Review Activity. The activity involves students working individually or in groups to review vocabulary terms connected with China. Then,a following direction activity is next where students place letters from the different terms into boxes found at the end of the activity page. Once all the boxes are filled, a "secret message" about China is revealed! The teacher page includes additional information to share about the "secret message"! If you prefer to offer a vocabulary box, I have included this as well.Chinese Secret Message Review Activity

3. Learn about the Great Wall of China with this informative reading. Also included are 10 Did You Know? facts about the Great Wall, ten comprehension questions, a teacher page with extension activities, additional links and the key.Great Wall of China Reading/Activities

4. Unit on China: Did you know that enough dirt was used to create the Great Wall of China to circle the earth with an 8 ft. high wall? Did you know that ice cream was probably first invented by the Chinese(frozen milk/rice)? Did you know that the yo-yo was invented by the Chinese or that the number 9 and the color red are considered good luck in China? I taught a unit on China for 32 years and would love to share some my notes, activities and resources I used with my students.Let's Explore China!

Check out others in the Exploring World Landmarks Reading Passage Series: Eiffel Tower, Uluru Rock/Ayers Rock and the Taj Mahal.

Other FREEBIES:

1. BOOK Fun Facts(great for National Library Day, 4/15 and Library of Congress Day, 4/24: Book Fun Facts

2.Earth Day Freebie: Earth Day Freebie

3. Women' s History Month Freebie: Women's History Month Freebie

4. Black History Month Freebie: Black History Month Freebie

5. Pumpkin Facts: Pumpkin Fun Facts

6. Amazing Mummy Facts: Amazing Mummy Facts

7. April Fools’ Day Freebie: April Fools’ Day Freebie

8. King Tut Day Freebie: King Tut Day Freebie

9.Amazing Presidential Fun Facts: Presidential Factoids

Perhaps,you'd like to follow my TeachShare Store. Click by the green star by my photograph. I send monthly notes and have specials from time to time.

I found my visit to the "Mayflower Barn" on a trip to England(about 40 minutes by train from London) so very interesting. William Penn is buried in the church yard.

Please consider following me. Click on the green star by my picture. Thanks!

Highlights for December:

1. Holiday Traditions around the World(Webquest)Holiday Traditions from Around the World

2. Learn about Charles Dickens(author of A Christmas Carol)(Webquest): Charles Dickens! A Webquest

3. All about New Year Traditions around the World(Webquest):New Years Around the World(Webquest)

4. Holiday Traditions at the White House(Interactive Notebook Activity)Holiday Traditions at the White House

5. History of Candy(Webquest) Show kids that everything has a history...even Candy!History of Candy!A Webquest

Inauguration Day(Webquest). Learn all about the day!All about Inauguration Day! A Webquest

Ever wonder what became of the Mayflower? The ship sailed with 102 Pilgrims over the Atlantic to North America, in 1620. If you are expecting to find it docked to some pier, or in a museum, you’d be wrong. That’s because the Mayflower most likely ended up as scrap wood and may have ended up in an old Quaker Barn in Great Britain! This Reading Passage is a possible Interactive Notebook Activity with Did You Know? facts and several Your Turn questions.

Other possible resources of interest:

1.Want a fun and informative activity to teach your students about the history of Thanksgiving?This webquest has ten informative text questions on the history of Thanksgiving(including the Macy's Day Parade). TURKEY facts,too! Thanksgiving and Turkeys: A Webquest

2. Learn about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims with this informative web quest!There are ten informative text web quests,extension activities,fun facts. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. Mayflower and Pilgrims: A Webquest

3. A Ms.Bie Ograffee Reader's Theater Script, an interview with Love Brewster, a Pilgrim of Plymouth Colony.Love was an actual member of the 102 Pilgrims that came to America. He was about nine years old. Interestingly, several in his family also had unusual names. He had a sister named Patience, another named Fear and a brother named...Wrestling! Learn lots of interesting information about the Pilgrims and the Thanksgiving feast, of 1623, with this fun format.

Using the format where Love Brewster is a guest on Ms. Bi Ograffee's Talk Show, the studio audience asks Love questions about the voyage on the Mayflower, the first winter and the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. The play includes comprehension questions, a Did You Know? Section, a Teacher Page with extension activities, links and the key:Reader's Theater Script on Love Brewster, A Pilgrim at Plymouth Colony

Great for around Thanksgiving time or for a unit of study on the Pilgrims.

Reading Passages:

George Washington and the Camel

Calvin Coolidge and the “Pennsylvania Avenue Zoo”

John Quincy Adams Takes a Swim

Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Cheese

Sojourner Truth

Santa Fe Trail: Wind WagonThomas

Revolutionary War Heroine: Catherine “Kate” Moore

Barry(Battle of Cowpens)

Enheduanna, First Known Poet in History

Artemisia(Female Naval Commander during the Battle of Salamis)

Hanno: Phoenician Explorer

Ramses the Great

Hatshpsut

Hammurabi

Alexander the Great

Aesop

Socrates

Hannibal

Hypatia: First Woman Mathematician

Aglaonike(Greek astronomer)

Agnodice(First Female Doctor of Ancient Greece)

Julius Caesar

Archimedes

Sparticus

Diocles

Joan of Arc

Phillis Wheatley

Mary Anning

Caroline Herschel

Sophie Brahe: Astronomer and Horticulturist

Hildegard of Bingen(Middle Ages)

Aida de Acosta(First Woman to Fly a Powered Aircraft)

Women’s Suffrage: The Silent Sentinels

History of Pretzels

History of Marshmallows

History of Tulips

Snowmen in History

History of April Fools’ Day

Great Wall of China

Eiffel Tower

Ayres Rock(Uluru)

Taj Mahal

Travel to Iceland

Travel to Greece

Travel to Japan

Share with your students some of the factoids of contributions of African Americans. There are several extension activities you can have the students do, too.

Covering Black History Month? Check out these resources:

• Check out my twelve fact-packed Black History Month Webquest/Extension Activities: Black History Month: A Webquest

Read my Reader’s Theater Script on Bessie Coleman:Bessie Coleman, Aviator! A Reader's Theater Script

Check out my fact-packed Webquest on Martin Luther King/Extension Activities: Martin Luther King, A Webquest

Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on Harriet Tubman: Harriet Tubman, A Reader's Theater Script

Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on Rose Parks: Rosa Parks, A Reader Theater's Script

Check out my web quest on First Lady Michelle Obama: First Lady Michelle Obama, A Reader's Theater Script

Constitution Day:

CONSTITUTION! Learn some fun facts on the Constitution. Activity for Constitution Day! Each year, Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17th, unless the day falls on a Sunday. This is the date, in 1787, when delegates to the Constitutional Convention, signed the Constitution. They had met for 116 days, at the State House(now called Independence Hall), in Philadelphia, PA.

Constitution Day is also called Citizenship Day. It’s a day to celebrate this important document of our nation!

Check out these Did You Know? Fun Facts about the history of the Constitution.

You may find this resource of interest:

Part of my Ms. Bie Ografe series of plays, this Reader's Theater Script is on the "Father of the Constitution", James Madson(1751-1836), and his sharing with students the history of the writing of the Constitution. Madison who would become the 4th President of the United States(1809-1817)), played a very important role in the forming of our US Constitution. In addition to being a delegate, he introduced the first additions to the Constitution(amendments) which came to be known as the Bill of Rights. With 13 audience questioners, a Did You Know Section, comprehension questions, a Teacher Page with extension activities, key and additional links, students will learn about the writing of our important government document, the Constitution.Constitution. A Visit with James Madison,"Father of the Constitution, A Reader's Theater Script

Activity for Constitution Day. :-)

August 12th is World Elephant Day. Save the Elephant Day is April 16th. Use this information to share facts about elephants with kids. There are also several extension activities as well as links you may find of interest.

Possible Interactive Notebook Activity.

Check out my Elephant Safari Webquest: Elephants! A Webquest

This possible Interactive Notebook activity is a fun activity to use around Halloween!

There are 12 Fun Facts about the holiday with several activities to do with the students.

Please consider following me if you find this resource of value. Thanks,

Gail

Related Resources:

1. With 15 informational web questions, this resource is just the thing to use as a learning tool about the holiday of Halloween. Bats, Owls, pumpkins, the human skeleton, the origin of Halloween, superstitions, and famous stories in literature, are covered. There are comprehension questions, lots of fun facts, extension activities(including writing in the content area), and additional links for teachers.All Things Halloween, A Webquest!

2. Mummies aren't just found in ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies have been found all over the world! In fact, the oldest man-made mummies are found in the country of Chile! Mummies can be naturally created or man-made. This web quest includes the different types of mummies and has 12 web questions including information on Bog Mummies such as Tollund Man, the Inca Mummies,the Taklamakan Desert Mummies of China, Otzi, the frozen mummy, the Chinchorro Mummies of Chile, the Egyptian mummies... and more. There are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a teacher section with extension activities, additional links and the key. Great for a Friday activity, at Halloween time, or if you are studying ancient Egypt. Mummies! A Webquest

3. Candy is on Kids' minds with Halloween.Over 35 million pounds of candy corn is made each year! Show your students that even candy has a history!Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. Several additional resources and extension activities,too. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. Everything Has A History, Even Candy! A Webquest

4.Pretend you are a pumpkin sitting on a front porch on Halloween night. What do you see? What do you hear? How do you feel? Write a story about your evening. Just one sample of extension activities included. This informative webquest on PUMPKIN would be great for LA classes,a fall activity, or for a substitute lesson!

There are 10 web questions, comprehension questions and 11 extension activities/links. Pumpkins! A Webquest

My website for teachers/kids

Gail's Website for Teachers/Kids has lots of free geography activities, short reads, factoids on different topics, news, career surveys, bell ringers and more. Please sign my guestbook. I love to see where my visitors call home!

Using the news in the classroom to introduce topics in history. A Phoenician trading ship was discovered off the coast of Spain and it is hoped that since the ship is only about 6 ft. down, marine archaeologists plan to bring the ship to the surface this year. Freebie includes fun facts about the Phoenicians and several activities as well as the news story.

Learn some interesting facts about the famous writer, Charles Dickens.

Great around the holidays if you are studying his book, A Christmas Carol!

Mrs. Bie Ografee Talk Show Reading Theater Scripts:

Vikings

Ferdinand Magellan

Marco Polo

Christopher Columbus

Leonardo da Vinci

Michelangelo

Visit with a Crusader

Visit with a Victim of the Black Death

Martin Luther King Jr.

Rosa Parks

Harriet Tubman

George Washington Carver

Katherine Johnson

Tuskegee Airmen

Marian Anderson

Marie Curie

Galileo Galilei

Sir Isaac Newton

Albert Einstein

Jane Goodall

Moon Landing: Interview with first astronauts to walk on the moon

Rachel Carson

Jacques Cousteau

Thomas Edison

Elizabeth Blackwell

Visit with a Pilgrim

Revolutionary War Female Spies

Revolutionary War Tory

Thomas Jefferson

James Madison, Father of the Constitution

Pioneer Woman, Narcissa Whitman

Civil War Women Soldiers

Sacagaewa

Sequoyah

Lewis and Clark

Abraham Lincoln

California Gold Rush: Visit with a ‘49er

Wright Brothers

A Road trip Across the USA for Women’s Suffrage

WW 2: Women Pilots

Susan B. Anthony

Sonia Sotomayor

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Louisa May Alcott

Edgar Allen Poe

William Shakespeare

Charles Dickens

Johnny Appleseed

Visit with a Leprechaun

Visit with a Groundhog

To Tell the Truth Plays:

Hans Christian Andersen

Amelia Earhart

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

First Lady Edith Wilson

First Lady Florence Harding

King Tut

First Lady Hillary Clinton

First Lady Michelle Obama

First Lady Abigail Adams

First Lady Martha Washington

First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln

First Lady Dolly Madison

First Lady Lady Bird Johnson

My website for teachers/kids has lots of geography activities, short reads, factoids on different topics, news, career surveys, bell ringers and more.

In 2024, the State of the Union Address is scheduled for March 7th. Introduce students to the speech given by Presidents with this freebie.

Check out this resource to have students learn more about the history of the State of the Union Address. There are 10 web questions, 9 Did You Know? Facts, 6 comprehension questions, a student page(handout to give for homework or extra credit for the night of the State of the Union Address), a teacher page with a couple of extension activities and the key to both the web quest and the comprehension questions. This would be a great opportunity to bring the news into the classroom with the 2018 State of the Union Address scheduled for January 30th.

State of the Union Address: A History(Webquest)

Please consider following my TeachShare Store by clicking follow by my photograph. Thank you!

Dive into the fascinating world of prehistoric giants with The History of Dinosaurs Reading Passage, Q&A, and Note-Taking Sheets**!** This comprehensive The History of Dinosaurs Reading Passage, Q&A, and Note-Taking Sheets resource is designed specifically for middle to high school students, making it perfect for homeschoolers and traditional classrooms alike. ***The History of Dinosaurs Reading Passage, Q&A, and Note-Taking Sheets ***resource provides a detailed, engaging, and age-appropriate exploration of dinosaurs, covering essential topics like their origins, adaptations, extinction theories, and the connection to modern birds. Students will develop critical thinking and note-taking skills while exploring the scientific, historical, and biological aspects of these incredible creatures.

Tailored to meet the needs of middle and high school learners, this resource helps students grasp complex topics with ease. The well-structured reading passage breaks down information into manageable sections, ensuring clarity and comprehension. Paired with guided note-taking sheets and 20 thought-provoking Q&A questions, it encourages students to delve deeper into the content while practicing essential academic skills like critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning.

INCLUDED IN THIS RESOURCE:

• A detailed, reading passage on the history of dinosaurs.
• 20 thought-provoking Q&A questions with an answer key.
• Editable and printable note-taking sheets for guided learning.
• Topics include: dinosaur adaptations, extinction theories, paleontology, and their connection to modern birds.

PERFECT FOR:

• Middle and high school students.
• Homeschooling families.
• Science and history classrooms.
• Supplemental learning for paleontology and biology units.

WHY CHOOSE THIS RESOURCE?

• Engaging and age-appropriate content.
• Combines science, history, and biology in a single lesson.
• Saves teachers and parents hours of lesson preparation.
• Designed with flexibility for various learning styles.

BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS/HOMESCHOOL PARENTS:

• Ready-to-use materials that save valuable planning time.
• Includes detailed answer keys for efficient grading.
• Encourages independent learning and critical thinking.
• Flexible design to accommodate different teaching styles and student needs.
• Printable note-taking sheets help guide students in structuring their thoughts.
• Provides engaging content that seamlessly integrates science and history.

BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS:

• Enhances reading comprehension and analytical skills.
• Encourages curiosity about natural history and paleontology.
• Develops effective note-taking habits.
• Offers an engaging, interactive approach to learning.

This resource includes well-structured reading passages that captivate learners and challenge them to think deeply. It’s not just about dinosaurs—it’s about fostering a love for learning, sharpening analytical skills, and bringing history and science to life. Whether you're a teacher or a homeschooling parent, this product makes lesson planning effortless while offering students a memorable educational experience.

Whether you're a homeschool parent, classroom teacher, or tutor, this resource simplifies your preparation while providing a rich, educational experience for your students. It’s not just a lesson on dinosaurs—it’s a gateway to understanding Earth's geological past, fostering a lifelong interest in science and history. With this comprehensive resource, you can turn any learning space into a dynamic exploration of the prehistoric era.

If you and your students/children enjoyed this resources, please leave a review.

Thank you for your support!

Tina - Big Easy Homeschooling Mom

Social Media Links: linktr.ee/bigeasyhomeschoolingmom

Website: www.tidewindacademyhomeschool.com

Great for an INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK. Have students review the factoids and do some of the extension activities.

Great for a study on China or during Chinese New Year. In 2025, Chinese New Year begins on January 29th and is the Year of the Snake.

You may find these resources of interest:

1. Part of my Country in Focus series: A great resource that helps develop skills such as reading for information and using research and computer skills. This web quest gives students an overview to the country: map skills, info on panda bears, Great Wall, Terra Cotta Solders-more. Extension activities/key (12 page resource with 10 informational web questions).China, A Country in Focus: A Webquest

2.Want a fun activity to review vocabulary terms for a unit of study on China? Looking for an enrichment activity in history? Try my Chinese Puzzler: Secret Message Review Activity. The activity involves students working individually or in groups to review vocabulary terms connected with China. Then,a following direction activity is next where students place letters from the different terms into boxes found at the end of the activity page. Once all the boxes are filled, a "secret message" about China is revealed! The teacher page includes additional information to share about the "secret message"! If you prefer to offer a vocabulary box, I have included this as well.Chinese Secret Message Review Activity

3. Learn about the Great Wall of China with this informative reading. Also included are 10 Did You Know? facts about the Great Wall, ten comprehension questions, a teacher page with extension activities, additional links and the key.Great Wall of China Reading/Activities

4. Unit on China: Did you know that enough dirt was used to create the Great Wall of China to circle the earth with an 8 ft. high wall? Did you know that ice cream was probably first invented by the Chinese(frozen milk/rice)? Did you know that the yo-yo was invented by the Chinese or that the number 9 and the color red are considered good luck in China? I taught a unit on China for 32 years and would love to share some my notes, activities and resources I used with my students.Let's Explore China!

Check out others in the Exploring World Landmarks Reading Passage Series: Eiffel Tower, Uluru Rock/Ayers Rock and the Taj Mahal.

Other FREEBIES:

1. BOOK Fun Facts(great for National Library Day, 4/15 and Library of Congress Day, 4/24: Book Fun Facts

2.Earth Day Freebie: Earth Day Freebie

3. Women' s History Month Freebie: Women's History Month Freebie

4. Black History Month Freebie: Black History Month Freebie

5. Pumpkin Facts: Pumpkin Fun Facts

6. Amazing Mummy Facts: Amazing Mummy Facts

7. April Fools’ Day Freebie: April Fools’ Day Freebie

8. King Tut Day Freebie: King Tut Day Freebie

9.Amazing Presidential Fun Facts: Presidential Factoids

Perhaps,you'd like to follow my TeachShare Store. Click by the green star by my photograph. I send monthly notes and have specials from time to time.

Great for an INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK. Give the students the factoids and have them do one or more of the extension activities.

Some Fun Facts about King Tut! Use with a study of Egypt, around Halloween or for November 4th, King Tut Day!

If you are looking for additional resources on Egypt, perhaps, you may find these of interest:

1. Play on King Tut(Lots of information on mummies and the most famous mummy of all!) Wrapping with a Mummy: King Tut, a Reader's Theater Script

2. Learn about a WOMAN that was Pharaoh of ancient Egypt: Reading passage/did you know and extension activities: Hatshepsut, First Female PHARAOH

3. Review activity: Mystery Message solved using key vocabulary words about Egypt: Egyptian Secret Message Review Activity

5. Kids love mummies. Great for Halloween time(or for a unit of study on ancient Egypt) Learn all about mummies of the world. Included: Bog Mummies, Otzi, Chinchorro Mummies, Taklamakan Desert Mummies, Egyptian Mummies and more. 12 informative text questions/comprehension questions/extension activities, key, fun facts.MUMMIES, A Webquest!

6. Reading Passage on Ramses the Great: Comprehension questions, did you know, extension activities: Ramses the Great!

Other FREEBIES:

1. BOOK Fun Facts(great for National Library Day, 4/15 and Library of Congress Day, 4/24: Book Fun Facts

2.Earth Day Freebie: Earth Day Freebie

3. Women' s History Month Freebie: Women's History Month Freebie

4. Black History Month Freebie: Black History Month Freebie

5. Pumpkin Facts: Pumpkin Fun Facts

6. Amazing Mummy Facts: Amazing Mummy Facts

7. Amazing Chinese New Year Factoids: Chinese New Year Factoids

8. April Fools’ Day Freebie: April Fools’ Day Freebie

9.Amazing Presidential Fun Facts: Presidential Factoids

I found my visit to the "Mayflower Barn" on a trip to England(about 40 minutes by train from London) so very interesting. William Penn is buried in the church yard.

Please consider following me. Click on the green star by my picture. Thanks!

Highlights for December:

1. Holiday Traditions around the World(Webquest)Holiday Traditions from Around the World

2. Learn about Charles Dickens(author of A Christmas Carol)(Webquest): Charles Dickens! A Webquest

3. All about New Year Traditions around the World(Webquest):New Years Around the World(Webquest)

4. Holiday Traditions at the White House(Interactive Notebook Activity)Holiday Traditions at the White House

5. History of Candy(Webquest) Show kids that everything has a history...even Candy!History of Candy!A Webquest

Inauguration Day(Webquest). Learn all about the day!All about Inauguration Day! A Webquest

Ever wonder what became of the Mayflower? The ship sailed with 102 Pilgrims over the Atlantic to North America, in 1620. If you are expecting to find it docked to some pier, or in a museum, you’d be wrong. That’s because the Mayflower most likely ended up as scrap wood and may have ended up in an old Quaker Barn in Great Britain! This Reading Passage is a possible Interactive Notebook Activity with Did You Know? facts and several Your Turn questions.

Other possible resources of interest:

1.Want a fun and informative activity to teach your students about the history of Thanksgiving?This webquest has ten informative text questions on the history of Thanksgiving(including the Macy's Day Parade). TURKEY facts,too! Thanksgiving and Turkeys: A Webquest

2. Learn about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims with this informative web quest!There are ten informative text web quests,extension activities,fun facts. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. Mayflower and Pilgrims: A Webquest

3. A Ms.Bie Ograffee Reader's Theater Script, an interview with Love Brewster, a Pilgrim of Plymouth Colony.Love was an actual member of the 102 Pilgrims that came to America. He was about nine years old. Interestingly, several in his family also had unusual names. He had a sister named Patience, another named Fear and a brother named...Wrestling! Learn lots of interesting information about the Pilgrims and the Thanksgiving feast, of 1623, with this fun format.

Using the format where Love Brewster is a guest on Ms. Bi Ograffee's Talk Show, the studio audience asks Love questions about the voyage on the Mayflower, the first winter and the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. The play includes comprehension questions, a Did You Know? Section, a Teacher Page with extension activities, links and the key:Reader's Theater Script on Love Brewster, A Pilgrim at Plymouth Colony

Great for around Thanksgiving time or for a unit of study on the Pilgrims.

Reading Passages:

George Washington and the Camel

Calvin Coolidge and the “Pennsylvania Avenue Zoo”

John Quincy Adams Takes a Swim

Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Cheese

Sojourner Truth

Santa Fe Trail: Wind WagonThomas

Revolutionary War Heroine: Catherine “Kate” Moore

Barry(Battle of Cowpens)

Enheduanna, First Known Poet in History

Artemisia(Female Naval Commander during the Battle of Salamis)

Hanno: Phoenician Explorer

Ramses the Great

Hatshpsut

Hammurabi

Alexander the Great

Aesop

Socrates

Hannibal

Hypatia: First Woman Mathematician

Aglaonike(Greek astronomer)

Agnodice(First Female Doctor of Ancient Greece)

Julius Caesar

Archimedes

Sparticus

Diocles

Joan of Arc

Phillis Wheatley

Mary Anning

Caroline Herschel

Sophie Brahe: Astronomer and Horticulturist

Hildegard of Bingen(Middle Ages)

Aida de Acosta(First Woman to Fly a Powered Aircraft)

Women’s Suffrage: The Silent Sentinels

History of Pretzels

History of Marshmallows

History of Tulips

Snowmen in History

History of April Fools’ Day

Great Wall of China

Eiffel Tower

Ayres Rock(Uluru)

Taj Mahal

Travel to Iceland

Travel to Greece

Travel to Japan

Share with your students some of the factoids of contributions of African Americans. There are several extension activities you can have the students do, too.

Covering Black History Month? Check out these resources:

• Check out my twelve fact-packed Black History Month Webquest/Extension Activities: Black History Month: A Webquest

Read my Reader’s Theater Script on Bessie Coleman:Bessie Coleman, Aviator! A Reader's Theater Script

Check out my fact-packed Webquest on Martin Luther King/Extension Activities: Martin Luther King, A Webquest

Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on Harriet Tubman: Harriet Tubman, A Reader's Theater Script

Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on Rose Parks: Rosa Parks, A Reader Theater's Script

Check out my web quest on First Lady Michelle Obama: First Lady Michelle Obama, A Reader's Theater Script

Constitution Day:

CONSTITUTION! Learn some fun facts on the Constitution. Activity for Constitution Day! Each year, Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17th, unless the day falls on a Sunday. This is the date, in 1787, when delegates to the Constitutional Convention, signed the Constitution. They had met for 116 days, at the State House(now called Independence Hall), in Philadelphia, PA.

Constitution Day is also called Citizenship Day. It’s a day to celebrate this important document of our nation!

Check out these Did You Know? Fun Facts about the history of the Constitution.

You may find this resource of interest:

Part of my Ms. Bie Ografe series of plays, this Reader's Theater Script is on the "Father of the Constitution", James Madson(1751-1836), and his sharing with students the history of the writing of the Constitution. Madison who would become the 4th President of the United States(1809-1817)), played a very important role in the forming of our US Constitution. In addition to being a delegate, he introduced the first additions to the Constitution(amendments) which came to be known as the Bill of Rights. With 13 audience questioners, a Did You Know Section, comprehension questions, a Teacher Page with extension activities, key and additional links, students will learn about the writing of our important government document, the Constitution.Constitution. A Visit with James Madison,"Father of the Constitution, A Reader's Theater Script

Activity for Constitution Day. :-)

August 12th is World Elephant Day. Save the Elephant Day is April 16th. Use this information to share facts about elephants with kids. There are also several extension activities as well as links you may find of interest.

Possible Interactive Notebook Activity.

Check out my Elephant Safari Webquest: Elephants! A Webquest

Using the news in the classroom to introduce topics in history. A Phoenician trading ship was discovered off the coast of Spain and it is hoped that since the ship is only about 6 ft. down, marine archaeologists plan to bring the ship to the surface this year. Freebie includes fun facts about the Phoenicians and several activities as well as the news story.

This possible Interactive Notebook activity is a fun activity to use around Halloween!

There are 12 Fun Facts about the holiday with several activities to do with the students.

Please consider following me if you find this resource of value. Thanks,

Gail

Related Resources:

1. With 15 informational web questions, this resource is just the thing to use as a learning tool about the holiday of Halloween. Bats, Owls, pumpkins, the human skeleton, the origin of Halloween, superstitions, and famous stories in literature, are covered. There are comprehension questions, lots of fun facts, extension activities(including writing in the content area), and additional links for teachers.All Things Halloween, A Webquest!

2. Mummies aren't just found in ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies have been found all over the world! In fact, the oldest man-made mummies are found in the country of Chile! Mummies can be naturally created or man-made. This web quest includes the different types of mummies and has 12 web questions including information on Bog Mummies such as Tollund Man, the Inca Mummies,the Taklamakan Desert Mummies of China, Otzi, the frozen mummy, the Chinchorro Mummies of Chile, the Egyptian mummies... and more. There are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a teacher section with extension activities, additional links and the key. Great for a Friday activity, at Halloween time, or if you are studying ancient Egypt. Mummies! A Webquest

3. Candy is on Kids' minds with Halloween.Over 35 million pounds of candy corn is made each year! Show your students that even candy has a history!Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. Several additional resources and extension activities,too. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. Everything Has A History, Even Candy! A Webquest

4.Pretend you are a pumpkin sitting on a front porch on Halloween night. What do you see? What do you hear? How do you feel? Write a story about your evening. Just one sample of extension activities included. This informative webquest on PUMPKIN would be great for LA classes,a fall activity, or for a substitute lesson!

There are 10 web questions, comprehension questions and 11 extension activities/links. Pumpkins! A Webquest

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Gail's Website for Teachers/Kids has lots of free geography activities, short reads, factoids on different topics, news, career surveys, bell ringers and more. Please sign my guestbook. I love to see where my visitors call home!