Learning about Garrett Morgan

It’s Black History Month, and it’s a great time to learn about people who might not be as well known but who definitely deserve a place in the history books.

Example: Garrett Morgan. His inventions included a revamped sewing machine, hair-straightening oil, a breathing device used to develop gas masks during World War I and, most famously, an innovation that led to the modern traffic light.

After witnessing a carriage accident, he developed a signal that let drivers know they would need to stop soon, which preceded the three-color light we have today.

Check out biography.com to read all about his life and many inventions. No Time for Flashcards has a fun traffic light activity for preschoolers as a way to introduce Morgan to younger kids. Add a game of red light, green light (and throw in yellow light in Morgan’s honor!) to make the learning even more fun.

[Photo: No Time for Flashcards.]

Looking for more coloring matching activities? Check out these Color Matching flash cards.

Next Plan Idea:

Black History Month Activities for Kids

I volunteer at my local library pulling holds for children’s books, and the other day someone was looking for Over and Under the Snow, a lovely picture book about animals that hibernate and those who don’t.

It reminded me that now would be a good time to talk about hibernation in the classroom, and what animals do to survive the winter more generally.

Did you know that technically only warm-blooded animals hibernate? When cold-blooded animals do it, it’s called brumation, and insects experience diapause. Whatever you call it, it’s a slowing down of bodily functions that allows animals to lower their body temperatures and slow their metabolism so much they don’t need to eat.

We Are Teachers has a great page about different animals that hibernate (or brumate, or diapause) and you can enter your email address to get a set of free worksheets perfect for middle grades. Education.com also has a downloadable worksheet about hibernation, and you can find many more (including the migrate or hibernate worksheet above) from Worksheeto.

Little Bins for Little Hands has a great free printable pack about hibernation and hibernating animals. There’s a good list of animals that hibernate in the post, as well as some FAQs about hibernation.

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds has lots of great ideas for planning a hibernation theme, including making a cave in the classroom, painting on ice, and lots of ideas for dramatic play, writing and other activities (and there are lots of freebies linked there).

Little ones will love these bear hibernation hat printables form Books and Giggles that include facts about hibernation.

STEMHax has collected a bunch of lesson planning resources about animals in winter, based on the book Animals in Winter. You’ll find links to videos about different animals featured in the book that you can use when talking about the book or more broadly in a winter animal unit study.

The Wolfe Pack Den has a free printable unit study and ideas for books to read and other things to do (with a particular emphasis on hedgehogs, if you’re into that).

And to bring in one more book recommendation from when my girl was little, Bear Snores On is another fun one, and you can read that one and bring out all your fun bear activities, like this adorable hibernating bear craft from Krokotak.

Next Plan Idea:

Have you read?

Leave a Reply