Famous New Yorkers

2015-2016 Series

Teachers’ Guide/Student Worksheets

This guide supports the Famous New Yorkers series of profiles. It offers teachers several short answer questions based on the content of each profile. In some cases, references to related websites are included with additional materials about the person or their pursuits. Lastly, the guide includes two or three activities per profile called “Newspaper Tie-ins.” These activities are suggestions for how to bring the lessons of these historical figures into the present and make them relevant to our lives. These lessons were created for students in grades 4-8 but can be narrowed or expanded to accommodate the needs of each instructor’s class. Feel free to modify these activities or to create your own.

From top to bottom: Arthur Caswell Parker, Ira Fredrick Aldridge, and Ann B. Davis

Created by the New York NewsPublishers Association –

Newspaper In Education Program

All rights reserved 2015
Common Core State Standards Chart

Lesson / Anchor Standards for Reading / Anchor Standards for Writing / Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening / Anchor Standards for Language / NYS
Standards for History/Social Studies
Aldridge / 1 / 2, 9 / 4 / 1, 4 / 1, 3
Church / 1, 7, 9 / 4, 5 / 1, 2 / 1
Clark / 2, 4 / 7 / 1, 4 / 1, 3, 6 / 1, 5
Daly / 1, 2 / 1, 2 / 2, 4 / 1, 6 / 1
Davis / 1, 3, 6 / 4 / 1, 6 / 1 / 1, 3
McGraw / 1, 9 / 1, 2, 8 / 1, 2 / 1
Nash / 1, 4, 5 / 3, 4, 10 / 2 / 4, 5 / 1
Noble / 1, 3 / 1, 8 / 1, 3 / 3 / 1, 4
Parker / 7, 9, 10 / 1, 3 / 2, 5 / 1, 2 / 1, 3, 5
Rivers / 2, 4 / 2, 9 / 1, 3 / 3, 5 / 1, 4
Salk / 2, 3, 9 / 3, 7 / 1 / 4 / 1, 2
Thompson / 1, 6 / 3, 4 / 2 / 1, 2 / 1, 2, 3
Zamperini / 6, 9, 10 / 7, 9 / 4 / 5 / 1, 2, 3

This chart can be used as quick reference when a teacher wants to find a lesson and the corresponding Common Core State Standards (CCSS). For more detailed information on the CCSS and the specific focus for instruction for each year go online the more detail on Social Studies go to directly to

Name______

Ira Fredrick Aldridge

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words:

prejudice______

progressive______

troupe______

whiteface______

repertoire______

inspirational______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of Ira Fredrick. Then answer the following questions.

  1. What did Aldridge study when he attended college? ______
  2. About how old was Ira when he left the U.S.? Why did he leave?______

______

______

  1. What did Aldridge make up about himself to help advance his acting career? ______

______

______

  1. How old was Ira Aldridge when he died? Where was he?______

______

  1. How has Aldridge’s career been honored? ______

______

______

  1. Find New York City on a map of New York State or use an online mapping tool. About how far is NYC from your school? How far is Stratford-on-Avon, England? Poland?

______

Related online news article: The Milwaukee Journal,Thursday,April 4, 1968 – Headline: Negro Actor Found A Stage In Europe –

Newspaper Tie-in:

  • Using the help wanted listings and newspaper articles as a resource (in the print newspaper or online), select a job you might like to have when you’re an adult. Investigate where in the world you may need to travel to seek success in your chosen profession. Briefly write what career you’d like to pursue and what you’d need to learn and the information you used to determine where you need to go to be the most successful.Organize your “job search” in the chart on the next page. Be prepared to present your career ideas to the class.

Name______

Job description:
Why did you select this job?
What education/skills are necessary for this position?
Where could you get the required education/skills?
How long will it take to obtain these education/skills? Estimate how much this education will cost.
How does your “job preparation” compare to Ira Aldridge’sdecision to go to Europe?

Assessment question: What did you find most challenging about this activity?

Name______

Francis Pharcellus Church

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words:

editorial______

anonymous ______

doctrines______

sardonic ______

queries ______

colleagues ______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of Francis P. Church. Then answer the following questions.

  1. What profession did Francis Church first wish to pursue?______

______

  1. What did Church cover when he wrote for The New York Times? a) He wrote their advice column

b) He wrote about the Civil War c) He wrote about religion d) He wrote about tax policy

  1. Name at least four publications Francis P. Church worked for. ______

______

  1. How long did Church remain as the anonymous author of the “Is There a Santa Claus” response to Virginia O’Hanlon?
  2. Find Rochester on a map of New York State or use an online mapping tool. How far is Rochester from your school?

______

Related Online News Articles: Farmers Advocate, published in Charles Town, WV,December 22, 1944 – Headline: Is There a Santa Claus?

The Spokane Review, published in Spokane, WA, December 15, 1947 – Headline: Virginia O'Hanlon Keeps Her Faith In Santa Claus -

YouTube Video of an older Virginia O’Hanlon reading Church’s editorial:

Newspaper Tie-in:

  • Church wrote newspaper editorials responses to readers’ questions. Read responses to the advice column in your newspaper and then write advice you would give a friend about a problem he /she is dealing with.
  • Read an editorial about politics or social issues in today’s paper. Write an editorial with an opposing point of view, whether or not you agree. Use the chart on the next page to help organize your writing.

Name______

Building an Editorial

Assessment question:What one thing about this lesson would you like to know more about?

Source: This organizer was adapted from Inside Journalism, Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program (2003).

Name______

Sara Jane Clark

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words:

pseudonyms______

reinstated______

emboldened______

correspondent ______

affirmed ______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of Sara Jane Clark (Grace Greenwood). Then answer the following questions.

  1. What was Sara Jane Clark’s pen name? Where did it come from? ______

______

  1. Why was Sara/Grace fired by her publisher?______

______

  1. Why did Godey try to hire her back?______

______

  1. What famous novel did Greenwood edit? (Give book title and author’s name)______

______

  1. Which newspaper hired Grace Greenwood as its first female reporter?______

______

  1. Find Pompey on a map of New York State. About how far is it from your school? ______

______

Related Online Newspaper Clippings: Advertisement for Grace Greenwood’s Little Pilgrim from The National Era, September 15, 1859 -

The Brandon Mail, November 8, 1888, Headline: Would Women Vote? (Famous women of the time respond to the question including Grace Greenwood)

Newspaper Tie-in:

  • Greenwood lost her job because she expressed her views against slavery. Search recent editions of the newspaper for editorial cartoons. Collect several dealing with social injustices. Draw your own editorial cartoon on a social injustice you feel strongly about.
  • Sara Jane Clark was the first female reporter for the New York Times. Look through your local newspaper for reporter bylines. Do you think your community is fairly reflected and represented in a fair, balanced and unbiased way by the paper’s reporters? Why or why not?

Name______

Directions: As you read the profile about Sara Jane Clark, fill in as much of the chart below as you can.

If there is more time available, explore other resources to fill out this character chart thoroughly.

Newspaper follow up:Working in small groups, each group should choose a story from the newspaper about someone interesting and complete the chart above based on information from the article. Be prepared to present this character trait information to the rest of the class.

Assessment question:Name something that you were interested to learn about Sara Jane Clark.

Name______

Mary Maynard Daly

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words:

immigrant ______

counterparts______

dissertation______

metabolism______

cholesterol______

recruitment______

protégés______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of Mary Maynard Daly. Then answer the following questions.

  1. Who inspired young Marie’s interest in science?______
  2. Where did Marie live when she attended Queens College?______

______

  1. What event during Marie’s early career allowed women the opportunity to get jobs in science related fields?

______

  1. What substance did Daly identify as a cause for high blood pressure and clogged arteries?______

______

  1. Name at least three colleges/universities Daly was associated with during her life.______

______

  1. Find Queens on a map of New York State or use an online mapping tool. About how far is it from your school?

______

Newspaper Tie-ins:

  • Dr. Marie M. Daly’s research included the effects of diet and smoking on heart health. Look through the newspaper (print or online) for articles or advertisements about healthy eating or quitting smoking. Be prepared to present what you’ve found to the class.
  • Look through recent editions of the newspaper for advancements or improvements in health care. Compare and contrast these with those of Daly’s time.
  • Investigate recent scientific and medical developments in the news. Record the various sciences and medical advancements you find in the paper in the chart on the next page. Discuss findings as a class.

Name______

Scientific/Medical Developments / Brief description

How could these scientific or medical advancements change your personal habits (what you eat, what you do in your daily life) or the lives of others?

Follow up:Dr. Daly worked to recruit minority students into the sciences and created a scholarship fund to keep her father’s dream alive. Look through the newspaper (print or online) and other sources for news about scholarship funds. Why have they been established? Whose dream is being fulfilled?

Assessment question: Complete this statement – I still have a question about...

Name______

Ann B. Davis

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words:

acquired ______

conventional______

guarantee______

USO______

summer stock ______

flourished______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of the Ann B. Davis. Then answer the following questions.

  1. What did young Ann Davis originally want to be when she grew up?______

______

  1. How did Ann support herself as a struggling actress?______

______

  1. What part earned Ann B. Davis two Emmys? What was the name of the show? ______

______

  1. What character was Ann B. Davis most known for?______

______

  1. Find Schenectady on a map of New York State or use an online mapping tool. About how far is it from your school?

______

Related Online News Article: The Newspublished in Boca Raton, Florida – December 17, 1993, Headline: New Gershwin Show Stars Brady's Alice

Newspaper Tie-ins:

  • Carefully review the comic strips as a class for several days. Keeping one day’s comic strips secret, your teacher will divide the class into groups and give each group one strip. Using the strip given, each group will act out the strip while the rest of the class will try to guess which comic strip is being performed.
  • Some people remembered Ann B. Davis’ as Schultzy, a smart, devoted secretary. Later audiences knew her asThe Brady Bunch’s maid Alice, who cooked and cleaned but was also a friend and part of the family.Look through recent editions of the newspaper (print or online) for stories showing different views/opinions about the same person. Record what you find in the Character Trait graphic organizer on the next page.

Name______

Character Traits

Directions: Look through recent editions of the newspaper (print or online) for stories showing different views/opinions about the same person. Record what you find in the chart below.

Follow up: After completing this activity, do you feel differently about this person than when you first started this activity? Why or why not?

Assessment question:Complete this sentence – I’m still confused about…

Name______

John Joseph McGraw

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words and phrase:

epidemic______

exhibition______

farm system______

consecutive ______

Subway Series______

ejected______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of John McGraw. Then answer the following questions.

  1. About how old was John when his mom, brothers and sisters died?______
  2. About how old was he whenMcGraw started playing baseball for pay?______
  3. Name the six locations where John McGraw either played or managed during his baseball career.

______

______

  1. Which team was McGraw part owner of?______
  2. How many decades did McGraw’s career span? ______
  3. Find Truxtonon a map of New York State or use an online mapping tool. About how far is it from your school?

______

Related Online News Article: The Gazette Times– July 17, 1912, Headline: McGraw Started Baseball Career In The Old New York And Ohio Leagues

Related Website: Society of American Baseball Research John McGraw biography:

Newspaper Tie-ins:

  • Throughout John McGraw’s successful baseball career he was aggressive and sometimes combative. Look through the newspaper (in-print or online) and other sources for people in other careers that are successful despite or because they are aggressive and/or combative. Explain.
  • Look through the newspaper, in print or electronic, for news about professional baseball. What manager today reminds you most of John J. McGraw? Why? Defend your answer.
  • Look through the newspaper for a star athlete that participates in a professional sport. Compare and contrast this athlete with McGraw. Use the graphic organizer on the next page to organize your findings.

Name______

John J. McGraw Similarities Current Professional Athlete

Assessment question:What do you think was the most interesting thing you learned about John Joseph McGraw?

Name______

Ogden Nash

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words and phrase:

unintentionally______

manuscript______

publication______

sophisticated______

humorist______

self-mocking ______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of Ogden Nash. Then answer the following questions.

  1. Name at least three different jobs Ogden Nash held before he was a published poet.______

______

  1. What was Nash’s first published book of poems?About how old was he when it was released?______

______

  1. True or false: Ogden Nash did not intend his poetry to be funny. ______
  2. How old was Nash when he died? ______
  3. Besides writing, in what other fields of entertainment did Nash share his talents? ______

______

  1. Find Rye on a map of New York State or use an online mapping tool. About how far is it from your school?

Related Online News Article: Daytona Beach Morning Journal– May 20, 1971 – Headline: Poet Ogden Nash, 68, dies

Types of Poems: There are many different styles of poetry. Here are a few:

  • Acrostic – Certain letters (usually the first in each line) from a word or message when read in sequence
  • Cinquain – Poetry with five lines. Line 1 has one word (the title). Line 2 has two words with describe the title. Line 3 has three words that tell the action. Line 4 has four words that express the feeling, and Line 5 has one word which recalls the title.
  • Haiku – A Japanese poem having three unrhymed lines of five, seven and five syllables, traditionally with a theme of nature or the seasons.
  • Free Verse – Written in either rhyme or unrhymed lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern
  • 5W’s Poem – Poetry written in five lines, one each for the who (subject), what (what happened?), when (time it happened), where (where did the action take place) and why (why did it happen).
  • Couplets–Rhyming poems made up of two lines whose last words rhyme. They are often silly.
  • Triplets – Rhyming poems made up of three lines. The rhyming pattern can be AAA or ABA.
  • Quatrains – Rhyming poems made up of four lines. The rhyming pattern can be AABB or ABAB.

Newspaper Tie-ins:

  • Ogden Nash’s poems were often short rhyming poems, couplets, triplets or quatrains as described above. Select a topic from today’s newspaper (print or online) and write a short rhyming poem. Having trouble finding rhyming words? Go to or make up your own nonsense word (like Ogden did on occasion).
  • Ogden Nash frequently wrote about his own experiences and observations. Drawing on a combination of stories from the newspaper and personal experiences write a poem of any style and share them as a class. Consider creating a poetry wall to display the classes’ poems.
  • Select a news photograph. Then create a cinquain (as described above) in the space below that would function as the photo’s caption. Share only your written words with a friend and see if he/she can identify the image your poem describes.

Assessment question:What did you enjoy most about this lesson and why?

Name______

Edward John Noble

Vocabulary – write a brief definition of the following words:

magnate______

tycoon______

floatation______

clientele______

emergence______

philanthropist______

Read the Famous New Yorker profile of Edward John Noble. Then answer the following questions.

  1. What work did Edward Noble do before he became part owner of Life Savers?______

______

  1. After successfully selling Pep-O-Mint Life Savers, how did the company grow to become one of the biggest in the country?

______

  1. What other business did Noble become part of because of his candy business?______

______

  1. What media giant did Edward Noble have a hand in starting?______

______

  1. How many hospitals did Noble help establish? Where were they built? ______

______

  1. Find Gouveneuron a map of New York State or use an online mapping tool. About how far is it from your school?

Related Online News Article: Toledo Blade– December 29, 1958, Headline: Edward Noble, Millionaire Owner of Candy, Radio Firms