Carter Reads the Newspaper
Carter G. Woodson didn’t just read history. He changed it. As the father of Black History Month, he spent his life introducing others to the history of his people.
Carter G. Woodson was born to two formerly enslaved people ten years after the end of the Civil War. Though his father could not read, he believed in being an informed citizen, so Carter read the newspaper to him every day. As a teenager, Carter went to work in the coal mines, and there he met Oliver Jones, who did something important: he asked Carter not only to read to him and the other miners, but also research and find more information on the subjects that interested them.
Looking for engaging, easy-to-implement diverse picture book units for your elementary classroom? Download my picture book unit for Carter Reads the Newspaper and introduce your students to Carter G. Woodson and how Black HIstory Month started. This print-and-go PDF unit contains over 65 pages of lessons and activities to implement Carter Reads the Newspaper into your classroom. There is also a clickable PDF link for use with Google™ Slides. Reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and character education activities are all included, giving you many well-rounded options to implement into your lessons. Your students will love reading about Carter’s journey from childhood to being remembered as the Father of Black History.
Note: The book is NOT included with the unit.
This Resource Includes:
- Discussion Questions
- Reading Strategies for comprehension
- Character Education
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Non-Fiction Passage and Questions about the Battle of Appomattox
- Book Review
- Writing Prompts
Kamala and Maya’s BIG IDEA
A beautiful, empowering picture book about two sisters who work with their community to effect change, inspired by a true story from the childhood of the author’s aunt, Kamala Harris, and mother, lawyer and policy expert Maya Harris.
This is the uplifting tale of how the author’s aunt and mother first learned to persevere in the face of disappointment and turned a dream into reality. This is a story of children’s ability to make a difference and of a community coming together to transform their neighborhood.-publishers description
Soon after American colonists had won independence from Great Britain, Ona Judge was fighting for her own freedom from one of America’s most famous founding fathers, George Washington. George and Martha Washington valued Ona as one of their most skilled and trustworthy slaves, but she would risk everything to achieve complete freedom. Born into slavery at Mount Vernon, Ona seized the opportunity to escape when she was brought to live in the President’s Mansion in Philadelphia. Ona fled to New Hampshire and started a new life. But the Washingtons wouldn’t give up easily. After her escape, Ona became the focus of a years-long manhunt, led by America’s first president. Gwendolyn Hooks’ vivid and detailed prose captures the danger, uncertainty, and persistence Ona Judge experienced during and after her heroic escape.-publishers description
Celebrate black history month by reading picture books about African Americans and history. You can choose from so many picture books about civil rights and African American culture to make February and beyond a grand celebration.