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Gail Hennessey's Teacher Emporium

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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.

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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.
History of Football(Soccer) : Everything has a History Series
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History of Football(Soccer) : Everything has a History Series

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Students will learn about the history of the sport of “football”, (only the USA and some say Canada, use the term, soccer) and the famous games held every four years. Great for a Friday activity to show kids that everything has a history, even sports! Includes 11 web questions, a map skill activity on the 2022 Host Country of Qatar, A Did You Know? Section, Comprehension. Questions, a Teacher page with several extension activities and the key.
Hannibal: Famous General of Ancient Times(Reading Activity)
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Hannibal: Famous General of Ancient Times(Reading Activity)

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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 Hannibal, the famous general of ancient times. Studying the Phoenicians? Studying Ancient Rome and the Punic Wars? This resource would be a great addition! There is a Did You Know? section, comprehension questions, map activity and a teacher page with extensions and links and the key. My Let’s Meet… series is growing. Currently, I also have the following in the series: Hatshepsut, Ramses, Socrates, Hammurabi and Aesop .
Vikings: Leif Eriksson and Erik the Red(Reader's Theater Script)
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Vikings: Leif Eriksson and Erik the Red(Reader's Theater Script)

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Leif Eriksson Day is October 9th. There are different spellings for his name. Studying the Vikings? Looking for a Reader’s Theater Script in Social Studies? Check out this script on the Vikings and Leif Ericsson and his father, Erik the Red. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series of plays, Leif Ericsson and his father, Eric the Red are guests on Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show. They share information about their lives and the Vikings. There is a Did You Know? section of fun facts, reading comprehension questions and a teacher section with lots of extension activities, links and the key. Other plays in the Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series: The Constitution(A Visit with James Madison, “Father of the Constitution”),Dr. Seuss, A Visit with Josh Crabtree, A Tory during the American Revolutionary War, Charles Dickens, Johnny Appleseed, Albert Einstein, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Bessie Coleman Sacagawea, George Washington Carver, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King, Sequoia, Michelangelo, DaVinci, Tuskegee Airmen, Susan B. Anthony, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, an interview with a groundhog, an interview with a leprechaun, an interview with Simon, victim of the Black Death, An Interview with Agent 355, a female agent in the Culper Spy Ring(Revolutionary War), Interview with a 49er from the California Gold Rush , Albert Einstein, Rachel Carson, Katherine Johnson and more. I also have related resources on the Middle Age, a play on Christopher Columbus, the Black Death and Marco Polo and an internet activity(web quest) on the Age of Discovery.
Spartacus: Roman Gladiator(Reading Passage with information on Roman Colosseum)
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Spartacus: Roman Gladiator(Reading Passage with information on Roman Colosseum)

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Spartacus, was a famous gladiator of Ancient Rome(@109 BC-71 BC) . Originally, a soldier when he tried to leave the army, Spartacus was sold into slavery. His “job” would be to entertain people as a gladiator (fighter).Spartacus would later lead an uprising of slaves seeking freedom in what historians called the Third Servile War or The Gladiator’s War. Some people also refer to the revolt, The War of Spartacus. The reading includes a Did You Know? fact section, comprehension questions, a map activity and a teacher page with extension activities and the key. Additional Resources on this topic: Ancient Rome: Italy, A Webquest: Ancient Roman Secret Diocles: Famous Charioteer of Ancient Rome A Reading:
Mummy Facts! FREE Resource
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Mummy Facts! FREE Resource

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Studying Egypt? Want to share with kids some fun mummy facts? Check out this Amazing Mummy Facts FREEBIE. I also have an internet activity on mummies of the world, a reading on Hatshepsut, a reading on Ramses, a unit of study(with notes, links, activities AND an internet Activity) and a review activity on vocabulary on Ancient Egypt.
Harriet Tubman(A Reader's Theater Script)
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Harriet Tubman(A Reader's Theater Script)

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Use this informative Reader’s Theater Script to learn about Harriet Tubman, ex-slave who became the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad, a Union Spy and women’s suffrage advocate. The fun/informative play uses the format of three historians being guests on Ms. Bie Ografee’s talk show and the studio audience asks questions to the Historians to learn about the life of Harriet Tubman. Great for Black History Month,unit on the Civil War,or Women’s History Month. Comprehension questions/extension activities, key. Kids get a chance to “ham” it up and try out their acting skills!
Rosa Parks(Reader's Theater Script)
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Rosa Parks(Reader's Theater Script)

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Learn about Rosa Parks with this Reader’s Theater Script. Rosa Parks is a guest on a talk show and the studio audience asks questions about her life and contributions and how her bus ride helped to change history! There are 8 questioners, a Did You Know? fun fact section, comprehension questions, a teacher page with extension activities, the key and additional links. Kids get a chance to "ham"it up and act out roles in this fun/informative play.
Tuskegee Airmen: A Reader's Theater Script
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Tuskegee Airmen: A Reader's Theater Script

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Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen with this play. The format is a Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series where the studio audience asks questions of Charles A. Anderson, one of the Tuskegee Airman. Audience members ask questions of the guest. Included are Did You Know? facts, comprehension questions, a teacher page with extension activities, links and the key. I have lots of biographical plays on famous people in history and a number of plays in the Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series including Rosa Parks, Bessie Coleman, Harriet Tubman, Sacagawea, Michelangelo, DaVinci , Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Blackwell, a visit with Simon, a victim of the Black Death, a visit with a Leprechaun and Sequoyah. More to be added…
Hannibal:Famous General of Ancient Times(A Reading Activity)
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Hannibal:Famous General of Ancient Times(A Reading Activity)

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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 Hannibal, the famous general of ancient times. Studying the Phoenicians? Studying Ancient Rome and the Punic Wars? This resource would be a great addition! There is a Did You Know? section, comprehension questions, map activity and a teacher page with extensions and links and the key. My Let’s Meet… series is growing. Currently, I also have the following in the series: Hatshepsut, Ramses, Socrates, Hammurabi , Alexander the Great and Aesop .
Hildegard of Bingen(Middle Ages) Reading Passage/Activity
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Hildegard of Bingen(Middle Ages) Reading Passage/Activity

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I continue to add to my new series, Let’s Meet… people from the Ancient World includes several women who have made contributions in history. Now, I am beginning a series, Let’s Meet…people in the Middle Ages.This particular reading is on Hildegard of Bingen. Hildegard was a Prophet, abbess, composer, religious leader, writer of the Middle Ages. Her play may be the FIRST known musical! Her writings are still read today. The short reading shares(in the first person) a recounting of the person’s life(in this case Hildegard). 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.
King Tut: Wrapping with a Mummy!(Reader's Theater Script)
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King Tut: Wrapping with a Mummy!(Reader's Theater Script)

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Kids love mummies!Practice oral reading fluency in Language Arts with this biographical reader’s theater on King Tut.Learn lots of cool facts about mummies and the discovery of King Tut’s tomb with this play. Comprehension/discussion questions/ extension activities,Great for informative text/listening standards! Grades 5 and up…
Age of Exploration Puzzler: Secret Message Review Activity
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Age of Exploration Puzzler: Secret Message Review Activity

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Want a fun activity to review vocabulary terms/famous people of the Age of Exploration? Looking for an enrichment activity in history? Try my Age of Exploration Secret Message activity. The activity involves students working individually or in groups to review the Age of Exploration. Then,a following direction activity is next where students place letters from the different answers into boxes found at the end of the activity page. Once all the boxes are filled, a “secret message” about the Age of Exploration is revealed! The teacher page includes additional information to share about the “secret message”. It’s a fun way to reinforce important terms/people of the Age of Exploration! If you prefer to offer a vocabulary box to the students, I have included this as well… Perhaps these additional resources may be of interest: Try my web quest on the Age of Exploration! This fun and informative webquest will be a great resource to use with your students(grades 4-8) There are 14 questions and lots of extension activities and links. There are also comprehension questions to use after the completion of the web quest. The resource addresses several common core standards in social studies. Note: Columbus,Magellan, Prince Henry, Henry Hudson, Vasco Da Gama, Marco Polo, Juan Ponce de Leon, Sir Francis Drake, Amerigo Vespucci are covered. Also Latitude/longitude, sea monsters,navigational tools, timelines,St. Brendan, Zheng He, Vikings are mentioned in extension activities. Age of Discovery, A Webquest Learn about Christopher Columbus with this informative play. There are 10 questioners asking questions of Columbus. Additionally, comprehension questions and discussion questions are included. Use with a unit on the Age of Discovery or during October for Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus, A Webquest Use this informative Reader’s Theater Script to learn about Marco Polo. Marco Polo helped to start the Age of Discovery with his book on his adventures to China. The fun/informative play uses the format of Marco Polo 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:Marco Polo, A Reader’s Theater Script
Life on the Homefront during World War 2(DBQ)
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Life on the Homefront during World War 2(DBQ)

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A DBQ activity uses primary sources. Sources can include diaries,posters, music, news articles from the time, anything written by those who participated in or witnessed an event in history. Students review the given documents and use many cognitive skills in processing what they see and read. After gathering information using the documents, students develop an essay answering a question, in this case, “Describe Life on the Home Front During World War 2”, citing several of the documents reviewed. A teacher page includes the Key and suggestions for a rubric to grade the DBQ. If a teacher wishes to use the activity as a web quest, suggestions are also given. I also have a similar activity on Life of a Japanese-American Child living in an Internment Camp during WW2.
Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist, Women's Rights Advocate, Author
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Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist, Women's Rights Advocate, Author

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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).
World War 2: Female Pilots(WASP) A Reader's Theater Script
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World War 2: Female Pilots(WASP) A Reader's Theater Script

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During WW2, it was very unusual for a woman to be a pilot. When there was a shortage of male pilots due to their being needed in combat, an experimental project was begun where female pilots would be used by the military(although they weren’t part of the military) to assist with ferrying aircrafts from the manufacturers to military bases. Female pilots, WomenAir Force Service Pilots,(WASP) also would test repaired planes to see if they were SAFE for male pilots to fly. They also were asked to help train soldiers by towing targets behind their airplane for the soldiers to shoot at(with REAL ammunition). Out of the 1074 WASP, 38 would die(11 in training missions). After the war, these heroic women were basically forgotten. In fact, what they did was classified. They could not call themselves “veterans”, nor did they qualify for any military benefits. This wouldn’t change until 1977. This play covers what it was like for a female member of the WASP and how their contributions were ignored but eventually honored for all that they did during World War 2. Great for Women’s History Month, study on World War 2 or for a substitute or day before a holiday when you wish to introduce kids to some areas of history in our country. This Reader’s Theater Script using a compilation of women to create Mildred Wallingford, a member of the WASP. Real members are also mentioned throughout the reading. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series, students learn about this important contribution to the war effort as a “studio audience” asks questions of Ms. Bie Ografee’s guest. A Did You Know? fun facts, comprehension questions, links to additional information, a teacher page with extension activities and the key are also included.
Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist, Author, Speaker(A Reader's Theater Script)
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Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist, Author, Speaker(A Reader's Theater Script)

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Looking for a Reader’s Theater Script on Frederick Douglass? If, so, check out this play, part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series of Reader’s Theater Scripts, there are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section,a Teacher page with extensions/links and key. Students will learn lots of information on abolitionist, author and speaker, Frederick Douglass. The script uses a “studio” audience who asks questions of Ms. Bie Ografee’s guest, Frederick Douglass. Could be helpful during Black History Month or if you are covering this period of history. The play could also be an activity for a substitute or for a Friday activity or when you’d like to introduce your students to famous people in American History. 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 (paleontologist) ,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).
Wright Brothers: Wilbur and Orville, A Reader's Theater Script
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Wright Brothers: Wilbur and Orville, A Reader's Theater Script

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Students will learn about Wilbur and Orville Wright with this Reader’s Theater Script. These two men helped to change the world with their controlled flight in a self-powered flying machine. Today, both Wilbur and Orville Wright are considered the “main fathers of modern aviation.” It is amazing to think that from the first successful airplane flights to man walking on the moon was just 66 years! Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series, Wilbur and Orville are guests of Ms. Bie Ografee and her studio audience ask the guests questions about their lives. In addition to the play, with 12 audience questioners, there are Did You Know Fun Facts, comprehension questions, a teacher page with extension activities and the key to the comprehension questions. Check out these additional resources on Aviation History: Wright Brothers, A Webquest. Did you know that people actually thought that the airplane would have not real purpose? This informative web quest will help students learn about the Wright Brothers and their first flight. Extension activities as well as additional links for information are also provided as is the key: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/the-wright-brothers-and-the-airplane-webquest-extension-activities-11149801 Try this fun and informative play based on the To Tell the Truth Game Show. Students in grades 4-up will have fun acting out their parts and learning interesting facts about Amelia Earhart. Comprehension/discussion questions/ extension activities and links, too: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/amelia-earhart-a-reader-s-theater-script-11148766 Use this informative Reader’s Theater Script to learn about Bessie Coleman. Bessie was the first African American female pilot in the U.S. A. AND the first AMERICAN to receive an international pilot’s license! Comprehension questions/extension activities, key. Part of my Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/bessie-coleman-aviator-a-reader-s-theater-script-11148760 Aida de Acosta did something really amazing in 1903. She became the very first woman to fly a powered aircraft all by herself. In fact, Aida, piloted the dirigible six months before the Wright Brothers would make their historic flight. Even more amazing, she kept what she had done a secret for almost thirty years! This reading passage includes Did You Know? fun facts, comprehension questions and a teacher page with extension activities. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/women-trailblazers-aida-de-acosta-first-woman-to-pilot-a-powered-aircraft-11855466 Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen with this play. The format is a Ms. Bie Ografee’s Talk Show Series where the studio audience asks questions of Charles A. Anderson, one of the Tuskegee Airman. Audience members ask questions of the guest. Included are Did You Know? facts, comprehension questions, a teacher page with extension activities, links and the key:
Black History Month Factoids(Interactive Notebook Activity)
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Black History Month Factoids(Interactive Notebook Activity)

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Great for an Interactive Notebook Activity. Have students do some of the extension activities. Covering Black History Month? Check out these resources: • Check out my twelve fact-packed Black History Month Webquest/Extension Activities: Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on Bessie Coleman: Check out my fact-packed Webquest on Martin Luther King/Extension Activities: Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on Harriet Tubman: Check out my Reader’s Theater Script on Rose Parks: Check out my web quest on First Lady Michelle Obama: