Dr. Mae Jemison Reading Comprehension Activity

Celebrate Black History Month in your classroom with this resource that profiles Mae Jemison, an American engineer, medical doctor, human rights activist, and former NASA astronaut.

In this 2-page worksheet, students will read an informational passage about the first Black woman to travel to space. They’ll practice word recognition and decode unknown words and phrases through context clues. Then they’ll answer 5 reading comprehension questions to confirm they grasp Dr. Jemison’s many accomplishments. 

An answer key is included with this resource for easy grading. 

Ways to Use This Reading Comprehension Passage

This download is more than a worksheet!

In addition to being an inspiring historical figure to study during Black History Month and Women’s History Month, use this worksheet as a: 

• Fast finisher activity
• Reading center activity
• Post-lesson exit ticket 
• Homework assignment
• Whole-class review (via smartboard)

Sustainability Tips: Print on cardstock and slip the pages into dry-erase sleeves. Students can record their answers with a dry-erase marker, then erase and reuse. You can also project the worksheet and work through it as a class, having students record their answers in their notebooks.

Before You Download

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the Google Slides version or 3 different color resolutions of the PDF. Depending on your lesson, you can also opt to:

1. Print the poster on tabloid paper and display it as a poster in your classroom during Black History Month.
2. Print the poster and comprehension questions on letter-size paper for your students to use independently.
3. Download the Google Slides version and print it as in-class worksheets or assign it virtually to your remote learning students.

An answer key is also included with this download.

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