Celebrate Black History Month

Free Lessons for Black History Month

Sojourner Truth: Print-n-Go Reader

This is one in a  a series "Print-in-Go" readers. "Print-n-Go Readers" are  English Language

Arts lessons that allows students to incorporate engaging and essential ELA themes and standards while learning about fun places to visit. Perfect for centers, social studies work, Language Arts mini-lessons, early finishers, ESL, intervention and more. Other Print-n-Go Readers can be found at Lucky Jenny Free English Language Arts Lessons.   

Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti

Free Bellringers and Mini Lessons that highlight notable African Americans can be found on TES. These are eleven Reading Comprehension and Social Studies Daily Reading and Writing Warm-Ups aligned to the Common Core State Standards - that help foster the 21st Century higher order thinking skills necessary in today's world. Not your ordinary multiple-choice bell-ringers, but each containing learning tasks designed to engage students and get them thinking. 

Eleven in all , these Daily Reading and Writing Warm-Ups are themed for any day of the school year, but are perfect for "Black History Month" and are written at reading levels from 4th through 8th grades.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Unit

PowerPoint to accompany Martin Luther King, Jr. Unit - Common Core State Standards Aligned- With Readers' Theater
Martin Luther King Jr. PowerPoint

20 Slide PowerPoint – MLK Jr. and the Road to Civil Rights
8 Slide PowerPoint to help instruct student about Readers’ Theater Guidelines and Participation
Entire Unit Martin Luther King, Jr

Other Freebies from around the web.

Celebrating Black History Month - Free Ideas

Martin Luther King Writing and Bulletin Board Activity

Martin Luther King Poetry Unit FREEBIE

Frederick Douglas Worksheet - 5th through 8th Grade

The Origins of Black History Month

Black History is celebrated each year during February.  The idea grew out of "Black History Week" - a week of learning about the achievements of notable African American figures in history put forth by Woodson G. Carter and other historians.  The year was 1926 - but the origins go deeper than that.

Woodson G. Carter was a historian with a Harvard education, he, along with prominent minister, Jesse E. Moorland, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in 1915. Today, they are known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.  

In 1926, the organization decided to declare the second week in February  as "Negro History Week"; because, it coincided with Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass' birthdays. The declaration inspired schools and organizations to host events, lectures and to learn more about the contributions made by African Americans. 

In 1976, US Presidents began proclaiming February as Black History Month.

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Free January Lessons and Classroom Activities

Winter break is over and the dog days of January have arrived - these engaging January themed lessons are perfect for grabbing student attention while reinforcing standards and

introducing new ideas.

Waiting for Winter: Snowflake Science Unit

Designed for first through third grade students, this thematic unit contains science, math and literacy across the curriculum activities – as students classify, analyze, inquire about and research snowflakes: including what snow is, snowflake categories, read along research, paragraph writing, 32-math and science task cards and more. 

Waiting For Winter Unit
Waiting For Winter Math Task Cards

Also included is a PowerPoint presentation to help teach 1st and 2nd graders the process of paragraph writing.

Martin Luther King, Jr - Differentiated Unit

Martin Luther King Jr. Cross Curricular, Differentiated Unit. The activities in this unit are engaging and perfect for grades 4-8.

Pages 3-4: Who is Martin Luther King Jr: Literacy Activity
Pages 5-8: Readers’ Theater Script “I Have a Dream.”
Page 9: “I Have a Dream Readers’ Theater Summary” Template Worksheet
Page 10: Writing Across the Curriculum: Organization Game Directions
Page 11: Organization Game Cut-able Worksheet: Words and MKL
Page 12: Vocabulary Building
Page 13: Writing Across the Curriculum: Social Students: Sentence Sorting to Building a Paragraph Instructions
Page 14: Sentence Sorting Activity and Template: MLK and the Quest for Civil Rights Pre-Writing Activity
Page 15: From Sentence Sorting to Paragraph Writing: Teacher Template – A completed template for teachers to use to teach the following…
Page 16: From Sentence Sorting to Paragraph Writing Student Template 
Page 17: I Have a Dream: “A think and write about me” activity.
Page 18: I have a Dream Activity

20 Slide PowerPoint – MLK Jr. and the Road to Civil Rights
8 Slide PowerPoint to help instruct student about Readers’ Theater Guidelines and Participation

Winter Word Search "Boggle-type" Game

Winter themed Boogle Word Search. Goes great with my Waiting for Winter -- Snowflake Science lesson! 41 cards in all.

Students love this fast-paced game for work student and spelling and reading reinforcement.  Word Seek -- Boggle is great for whole class or partner play, early finishers, literacy centers, bell ringers and warm-ups. Boggle can even be given as homework.

The rules are easy:

• Players have three minutes to find as many words as they can on a 3 x 3 grid. 
• Players have four minutes to find as many words as they can on 3 x 4 and 4 x 4 grids. Players have five minutes to find as many words on a 5 x 5 grid

Word letters must be adjoining in a chain. (Letters in the chain may be adjacent horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Words must contain at least three letters.

Scoring: The first two letters of each word do not count for score. Each player gets 1 point for each letter after the second. 

For example:

• won = 1 point
• come = 2 points
• change = 3 points

Word Seek is great for partner play, early finishers, literacy centers, bell ringers and warm-ups.

Cinderella Penguin No Prep Book Unit

This No Prep Book Unit is a companion to “Cinderella Penguin or The Little Glass Flipper” by Janet Perlman and contains pages and pages of interactive, cross-curricular and engaging activities -- all Common Core Standards-Aligned. This print-and-go unit contains interactive notebook pages, a review of Cinderella Elements PowerPoint – with compare and contrast , essays, social studies assignments, assessments and a whole lot more. Differentiated for use with the whole class.

This Math and Literacy Unit is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and guidelines for 21st Century Learning for 3rd, 4th and 5th grades and is easily adapted to all proficiency levels. Differentiated by design, this thematic unit is engaging includes the following plus a PowerPoint on the Elements of Fairy Tales Cinderella vs. Cinderella Penguin.

Cinderella Penguin No-Prep Book Unit

Cinderella Around the World 




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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Book Unit

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland InterActive Reader

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Interactive Reader" was designed specifically with 21st Century Learning and the tenants of higher order thinking in mind. The activity infused unit study

offers built-in differentiation, is jam-packed with black-line masters that foster student engagement and higher order thinking and is easily adjustable to remedial, gifted and every student in between.

Carroll's beloved novel is laid out, chapter-by-chapter, with questions, literary study, writing activities, source document analysis, links to other resources, Socratic Seminar templates, vocabulary activities, games, interactive notebook pages and a whole lot more! There are also end of book questions and activities as well as in-depth character explanations and information on themes and other literature nuances.

A must-have for any teacher embarking on an "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" unit study.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Plot Diagram

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” Plot Diagram PowerPoint and Template: A perfect companion to any Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland book study is this Plot Diagram Teaching PowerPoint and student template.

This plot diagram is an organizational tool focusing on a pyramid or triangular shape, used to map the events of a story. This mapping of the plot structure of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland helps students visualize the key features of the story and serves as an engaging, interactive tool.

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” Guided Paragraph PowerPoint and Template

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” Guided Paragraph Teaching PowerPoint and Student Template: Perfect for student differentiation and intervention – this PowerPoint helps you walk students through writing a paragraph – that transitions into an essay.

Themes and Motifs Guided Instructional PowerPoint

Perfect for student differentiation and intervention – this PowerPoint helps you walk students the

themes and motifs of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” Formative Assessment based on Tenniel’s Pictures.

Chapin-Pinotti, Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, Restitution

Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story Freebie! and More

Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story Free Book Unit - is one of the many Cinderella

stories from around the world I have available in my TES Shop. 

Sootface is based on a Native American legend retold by Robert D. San Souci and carries a common theme widespread among Native American people of the Northeast and Great Lakes tribes - such as the Ojibwa* and other Algonquian groups - that good will triumph over evil. In this legend, a widowed man has three daughters, the two older girls are cruel to the younger girl - who they make do all of the work - including slaving over a hot fire - which singes her hair and leaves burn scars on her face. In some versions, the older sisters go so far as to beat the younger girl and rub soot all over her face - hence the name "Sootface." At the end of the village, is a great hunter, only he is invisible to all but his sister. The girls of the village want to marry him, but he will only marry the one who can see him. In the end, that maiden is "Sootface."

Another wonderful version of this Cinderella story is The Rough Face Girl by Rafe Martin and beautifully illustrated by Dan Shannon. In the author's note - Martin also credits

an Algonquian legend as its source. Both are classic versions where good is rewarded and evil punished. Yet a third version is available on YouTube. In fact, this version could also be used with the "Sootface Book Unit" - even without the book. 

The Algonquian Cinderella story appears in writing as early as 1884 in The Algonquin Legends of New England, by Charles G. Leland, [1884]. 

One of the most important things I emphasize when teaching Sootface, The Rough-Face Girl or any other Native American myth or legend is that Native American communities, tribes, bands and nations are still alive in the Americas and that - despite much hardship - many are thriving and still carry out their ancient traditions today. While we can't erase history - we can represent it in the light of the norms that existed when events occurred and not gloss over the way Native Americans historically were treated; likewise, we should not disregard the accomplishments of modern day Native Americas.

A great resource for Native America Myths and legends - as well as information on how different groups of people lived, what they ate, how they played and what each culture was like then - and is like now - can be found on the website of The Native Languages of the Americas.

Information about Sootface can be found on Google Books.

*Note: Many textbooks refer to the Ojibwa as Chippewa; however, they call themselves Anishinabe - which means "original people" in their native language.  A great complement to "Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story Free Book Unit" is the YouTube video "I am Anishinabe".

Thank for stopping by.


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October Themed Freebies for the Elementary Classroom

Free Unit for Halloween - ebook and presentation Copy of the Book is Included:

The work in The Halloween Without Pumpkins book unit is perfect for grades 1-3 - but since a pdf as well as a presentation copy of the "book" are included - students as low as

TK can access the fun adventures of Emily and Elmer - two muppet-like monsters who live on a pumpkin patch.

Click here for Freebie! Book Unit and link for free “The Halloween Without Pumpkins.” Common Core State Standards aligned - complete with interactive notebook pages - perfect for grades 2-3.

Includes standards printables and interactive workbook pages for 2.RL.1 through 2.RL.7 and 3.RL.1 through RL.7. The e-reader a link to both a PowerPoint of the book to project and popcorn read as well as a passed youtube book - also on teachertube.

About the story: The Halloween Without Pumpkins is about:

Elmer and Emily are friendly monsters who live in a shed in the middle of Farmer Fred’s pumpkin patch. The only time of the year they venture out during the day, is Halloween - they are monsters after all. With monsters perfectly proper as Halloween costumes - the two love to run around the patch helping families select their perfect decorations for the holiday - only it is almost October and there are no pumpkins as far as the eye can see. It’s up to these two lovable monsters to save Halloween and prove that sharing and physical differences are the best way to approach life.

Halloween Freebies

This Freebie includes a PowerPoint on the Origins of Halloween from around the world as well as a lesson plan. This would be a great short lesson for elementary classrooms on Halloween!

This is a great sentence starter warm-up that could easily lead in to a writing exercise. With several slides containing the first part of a Halloween-themed sentence, students are asked to add an ending to each. Halloween Sentence PowerPoint.

Whimsical, hand-drawn Halloween Clip Art.

Thanks for looking,
Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti
#ChapinPinotti

How to Make Learning Multiplication Easy

Math Facts First

Ask any teacher above the 4th grade what the one thing is students must know to be successful in math and the answer will be most likely be the same: math fact fluency. 

By the fourth and fifth grades students are generally proficient in addition and subtraction.  If there is a hang-up, it is with multiplication facts, and with some students, it stops there.  If a student shuts down because he or she is not given the right skills to become fluent with multiplication, the entire math engine can shut down and math can forever be a chore and a struggle for that student. 

This does not have to happen. Multiplication Made Easy helps parents and teachers alike move students towards multiplication fact fluency.

The purpose of the lessons in Multiplication Made Easy is twofold: to help students learn multiplication facts accurately and to help students learn facts with automaticity.  At the first level, students can produce math facts when they have time to think and concentrate.  The second level allows them to simply produce facts automatically -- with both speed and accuracy.  Some people say they simply can't learn math facts, they have tried and they can't; however, if one can learn to sing the Happy Birthday song, or Row, Row, Row Your Boat or any other song and can recall it instantaneously when needed, then that same person can indeed learn their math facts.  

Fluency practice helps with fact development and having the ability to automatically regurgitate math facts paves the way for future math success.  This can be achieved by using the lessons in Multiplication Made Easy  to chunk away at math fact mastery. Once you and your child feel he or she is proficient with the chunking pages, move to on to the Multiplication in a Minute lessons .  Math fact fluency is closer than you think.  All it takes is a little practice. 

FREEBIE! Be a Classroom Chemist: The Art of Perfume Making Just in Time for Valentines Day

FREE STEM: Be a Famous Perfume Maker (aka Chemist)

Teacher Supplies:

• Jars for students who don't bring in their own
• Paper and glue for labels
• Paper for advertising
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Supplies such as rose pedals, lavender, spices, fruits, for students who don't bring in their own

Things you need to know:

Alcohol (the rubbing kind) makes a great solvent for dissolving fragrant oils found in flowers, herbs, fruit and the like.

1. Get a clear glass or plastic container with a lid - the prettier the better - or one of those small mason jars that are oh so popular. You'll need one per student.
2. Have students go on a gathering field trip at home. Tell them they are going to make perfume and they get to pick the scent.
3. Brainstorm ideas:
1. cloves
2. lemon peel (explain zest)
3. orange peel
4. flowers
5. herbs
6. cinnamon
7. roses
8. Any flower pedels
9. ANYTHING  - who knows - they may create the next Obsession.
4. Have students put their ingredients into their containers and cover with about 4 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol.
5. Shake twice a day for one week.
6. At the end of the week it is ready - dab a little on and see what they think.

EXTENSION: 

1. Have students create a label for their perfume and a brand
2. Have students make commercials or print ads
3. Have a contest to decide who likes which scent.

Then tell them: It takes about 8,000 to 10,000 crushes roses to make one dab (barely an oz) of rose oil for perfume, but that chemists have found a way to capture the flowers

fragrance. They analyze the rose molecules and make the scent by artificially reproducing the natural oils.

Next Generation Science Standards

• PK – grade 3 students
  • K-LS1, 1-LS1, 2-LS1, 3-LS1, 2-PS1
• Grade 4 – 6 students
  • 4-LS1, 5-PSI, 5-LS1
  • MS-PS1, MS-LS1
• Middle school students
  • MS-PS1, MS-LS1
• High school students
  • HS-PS1, HS-LS1

PS1- Structure and properties of matter: LS1-Structure and Function;

FULL LESSON AVAILABLE AT PERFUME SCIENTIST

If you like this lesson and would like more FREE STEM, social studies and ELA lessons - please visit:

• FREE Science and Social Studies Lessons
• FREE English Language Arts Lessons

For the marketing aspect of this lesson please look to Great Lesson Plans on Marketing.

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