Selena Reading Passage & Comp Questions

Introduce your children or students to the famous singer, Selena Quintanilla Pérez, with this printable one-page reading passage and comprehension questions.

And if you're looking for more information and ideas to use with your students, check on my post, Resources for Celebrating Selena Day.

Who was Selena?

Selena Quintanilla Pérez was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and fashion designer. 

She was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson, Texas. Selena came from a family of musicians and she began performing with her family's band, Selena y Los Dinos, when she was only 8 years old. As she grew up, she became the lead vocalist of the group and helped to popularize Tejano music, a genre that blends traditional Mexican folk music with country and rock music.

In the early 1990s, Selena began to achieve mainstream success with the release of her album "Entre a Mi Mundo" and her collaboration with fashion designer, Martin Gomez, on a clothing line. She continued to release successful albums, including "Dreaming of You," which was released after she died.

Sadly, when she was only 23 years old, Selena was shot and killed by her former fan club president, Yolanda Saldívar. Her death was widely mourned, and she remains an icon of Latin music and fashion. 

If you haven't seen it, Selena's life and career were later the subject of a biopic film, "Selena" (1997), starring Jennifer Lopez in the title role.

What is Selena Day?

Back in 1995, while fans all over the US, Mexico, and throughout Latin America were still grieving the death of their beloved star, George W. Bush (who was at the time the governor of Texas) declared that April 16th, Selena’s birthday, would be an official Texas holiday.

One of Selena's greatest achievements was breaking barriers in the music industry. As a Latina woman, she faced many challenges, but she never gave up on her dreams. She showed that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

In honor of Selena's legacy, many people celebrate her life and music every year on April 16th. This day is known as Selena Day, and it's a time to remember her and all the joy she brought to the world.

Selena One-Page Reading Passage

This year, in honor of the rock star, I've put together a one-page reading passage that shares Selena's life story.

Geared for children in 4th grade and up, this file also comes with reading comprehension questions. The 8-question quiz also comes with a separate answer key.

AND it is available in English and Spanish (as always)!

You can find it here.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Resources for Celebrating Selena Day
  
  
• Queen of Tejano Music: Selena (Book Review)
  
  
• Celia Cruz Lesson Plans, Coloring Pages, Crafts, Activities and More
  
  
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Free Afro-Latinos in History Reading Comp Sample Pack

Have you been wondering what my Reading Comprehension Passages packets are like? Now you can find out with this free Afro-Latinos in History Sample Pack from one of my most popular products!

Sample Pages of Afro-Latinos in History Reading Passages

If this product has been on your TpT wish list, here's a chance for you to download some sample pages. I chose the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, to highlight in this pack. But the full reading packet features the following seven famous Afro-Latinos:

• Celia Cruz
• Sammy Davis, Jr.
• Soledad O'Brien
• Roberto Clemente
• Martina Arroyo
• Pelé
• Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez

What's Included in This Freebie

This sample has a one-page reading passage, a reading comprehension question "quiz," an example of one of the reading comp activities, plus the answer keys. 

And I included both the English and Spanish versions so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs. The original files are available in English only, Spanish only, or a robust bilingual version. 

How to Use It

These reading comprehension packets are designed for students in 4th grade and up. You can assign the reading passages and comprehension quizzes as homework, or you can do the work together in class. Each person can be explored during one class period.

Homeschoolers can use this packet at their discretion. You can assign it as independent work, or read aloud the passages and then give your children the worksheets to complete.

In addition, there are reading comprehension worksheets that focus on vocabulary from the passages, a matching activity, true or false, describing words, and a Venn diagram for comparing characters. Answer keys are included.

When to Use It

My reading passages can be used for Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, or any time of the year! 

Download the Free Sample Pack 

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Reading Comprehension Passages on Famous Afro-Latinos
  
  
• Printable Downloads for Hispanic Heritage Month
  
  
• Llegar a ser Pedro Book Review
  
  
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Pablo Neruda Reading Passage

 

Pablo Neruda is such a controversial figure. People seem to either love him or hate him.

Either way, parents and teachers are looking for resources to study the poet. And these resources can be hard for a person to find. It seems like the online lesson plans come and go, but I just updated my post Pablo Neruda Lesson Plans, Videos, Books, and More. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Pablo Neruda Reading Worksheet

I have also gone ahead and adapted the one-page reading passage in my Hispanic Poets packet into a more lengthy, stand-alone activity. It is now available in my TpT store.

This is an age-appropriate short biographical intro to the poet, not the politician. 

It's best suited for students in 4th through 7th grade and is available in both English or Spanish - you choose the language that meets your needs. 

And, yes, it does include an 8-question quiz to test your student's comprehension. 

How to Use It

This reading passage may be:

• assigned as homework, 
• for an in-class assignment, 
• as an activity for a sub,
• as part of a larger lesson plan (see my post on Neruda lesson plans)

You can also have your students use it to:

• read aloud to practice pronunciation in Spanish or English
• create a story board
• fill out a story map
• write a summary
• complete a K-W-L chart
• create a timeline of Neruda's life
• identify and define new vocabulary
• find Chile on a map
• write their own poem...in a different colored ink?
• write a character analysis
• complete a Venn diagram to compare/contrast Neruda with another poet

This reading passage would do well with studies about Neruda, Chile, poets, writers, literature, nature, Hispanic Heritage Month, historical figures, and more.

And if you are looking for a book that would pair nicely with this introduction, I recommend:

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis. It's also available in Spanish: El soñador

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Pablo Neruda: Lesson Plans, Videos, Books, & More
  
  
• 10 Latino Poets Your Children Should Know
  
  
• 5 Redacted Poetry Resources
  
  
• 6 Children's Books that Feature Latino Poets
  
  
• 3 Books of Spanish Poetry for Children
  
  
• 7 Books to Help Celebrate National Poetry Month

Juan Diego & Our Lady of Guadalupe Reading Passage

 

Can Stock Photo - Shakzu

December 12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When I was growing up, her image was everywhere in my 'Buelita's house: on candles, jewelry, little cards that she carried in her purse, and other places. 

If you don't know the story behind the Virgin of Guadalupe, read on!

The Legend of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe

Legend has it that on December 12th, 1531, Our Lady of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary) appeared and spoke to Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican whose birth name was Cuauhtlatoatzin. It was one of four instances in which she appeared to him.

Not much is known about Juan Diego’s early life, other than his indigenous heritage and the fact that he and his wife had no children. They both were some of the first converts to Catholicism shortly after the arrival of 12 Franciscan missionaries in Mexico in 1524.

The story goes that on December 9, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to mass when he had a vision of the Virgin Mary. She was bathed in a heavenly light and told him to tell the bishop to build a shrine for her there on Tepeyac Hill, just outside Mexico City... and she spoke to him in his native tongue - Náhuatl - not in Spanish.

Of course, the bishop didn’t believe Juan Diego but said he would think about it. Diego saw Mary again later that day and suggested she send someone else. But at her urging, he agreed to make her request again in the morning. This time, the bishop asked for proof of the vision. Diego immediately sought out The Virgin on Tepeyac and she told him to return the following day. 

However, the next day, Diego’s uncle fell ill and he stayed home to take care of him (Diego’s wife had died two years before). But his uncle’s condition became so bad overnight that on December 12th, Diego went out in search of a priest to administer the last rites. While doing so, Mary once again appeared to him, though he avoided going up Tepeyac Hill for fear of seeing her.  She told Diego that his uncle would be fine and then directed Diego, who was wearing a heavy tilma (cloak) to stay warm, to fill it with roses and take them to the bishop as proof. Despite it being winter, he found the flowers blooming on the rocky hill and filled his tilma. But when he took them to the bishop, not only did fresh Castilian roses spill from his tilma, but a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe shone from the inside of his cloak. The bishop was convinced and immediately ordered a shrine to be built.

Juan Diego was allowed to live in a small hut near the Basilica and spent the rest of his life serving the poor and needy in Mary’s name.

To this day, the tilma hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It has survived 500 years and shows no sign of cracking or fading. And careful testing has shown, “the image was made using no underdrawing, no sizing, no protective over-varnish and no brush strokes.”

The Printable Mini-Lesson

For a few years now, I've been wanting to offer a reading passage on the legend of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe. I finally uploaded it to my TpT shop this morning. 

If you'd like to use this mini lesson with your own students or children, you can find it here in my TpT store. This one-page reading passage shares this legend based in Mexico. The informational text is written for students in 4th - 8th grade, and it includes an 8-question comprehension quiz plus answer key.

And, as always, it is available in both English and Spanish.

Enjoy!

TpT April Sale & New Products

 

TpT is having another sale!  

If there's anything on your wish list that you've been holding off on getting, now's the time to do it! It starts today and runs through tomorrow.

And just in case you haven't seen them, I have a lot of new products that have been uploaded recently. I'm listing them below in order of age range for you to look over. 

Happy shopping!

Paleta Board Game (PreK - 1st)

A simple board game that teaches number recognition (1 - 5) and basic counting.

Popsicle/Paleta Activity Sheets (PreK - Kindergarten)

Perfect for summer! This activity pack will keep your little one learning those important skills needed for school success. Click the link to see a list.

Bilingual Number Puzzle Cards (PreK - 1st)

Boost number recognition and counting skills with these three sets of puzzle cards to teach your children numbers 1 - 20 by ones and 20 to 100 by tens in two languages!

Mars Word Search (3rd - 6th)

Is your child following the Mars' rover news? Introduce your young students to vocabulary associated with the Red Planet using this easy word search.

A Brief History of Paella (4th - 8th)

Celebrate Spain with this one-page history on the Spanish dish, paella! 

Juan Felipe Herrera Reading Passage (4th-8th)

Introduce your students to the former U.S. Poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera with this one-page reading passage that comes with a reading comprehension quiz. Perfect for National Poetry Month!

The Real History of Cinco de Mayo BOOM CARDS (4th - 8th)

If you're using digital Boom Cards in your classroom, check out my latest set for teaching students the true history of Cinco de Mayo. No chips and salsa here!

Famous Couples in History & TpT Sale

 

Time for an update on printable education materials!

Famous Couples in History: A Growing Set

With Valentine's Day coming up I was inspired to start a set of reading passages that features famous couples in history. Each couple comes with a one-page reading passage and a comprehension question quiz. Answer keys are included.

This set currently features five couples:

• Cleopatra & Marc Antony
  
• Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera
• Coretta Scott & Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Queen Isabella I & King Ferdinand II
• Jacqueline Bouvier & John F. Kennedy

This is a growing set and more couples will be added in the coming months. 

All of the pages are available in English and Spanish. 

Find it here in my TpT store.

The TpT Sale

The TpT sale starts TOMORROW! 

Take advantage of these sales when TpT has them. Go through your wish lists and stock up for the coming month or two. Think ahead to what your teaching subjects will be. Off the top of my head, I think of 

• 100 Days of School
• Women's History Month
• Read Across America Day
• St. Patrick's Day
• Earth Day
• National Poetry Month
• and Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros

Cinco de Mayo Printable Resources

Cinco de Mayo is almost here! Need fast, printable, no-prep materials? Check out these options:

Cinco de Mayo Booklets (2nd - 6th)

Good for larger families with multiple children, you can let them choose the style of booklet they'd like to use: a flipbook, an accordion book, and a booklet. All three are available...

• in black-and-white for coloring in

• with descriptive text or blank to allow students to write inside,

• and in English or Spanish. 

Cinco de Mayo Interactive Notebook (4th-8th grades)

This interactive notebook delves deep into the REAL history of the holiday and the impact it had on U.S. history. This set includes:

• Notebook cover page

• Close reading passage on the history of the Battle of Puebla

• Close reading passage highlighting the biography of General Ignacio Zaragoza

• 4 Information templates & map

• Discussion questions

Cinco de Mayo Coloring Pages (K - 4th)

These 8 coloring pages are an introduction to the REAL history of Cinco de Mayo. From General Zaragoza to Napoleon III, your students will learn about the impact the Battle of Puebla had on U.S. history through brief descriptions in English and Spanish that are easy for young children to understand.

  

The REAL History of Cinco de Mayo Reading Passage (4th - 8th)

A one-page history on the Battle of Puebla and Cinco de Mayo. From Benito Juarez's decision to stop paying foreign debts for 2 years to the significance of the battle on U.S. history, this informational text is written for students in 4th - 8th grade. Includes an 8-question comprehension quiz plus answer key.

Cinco de Mayo Writing Pages (2nd - 4th)

Available in English and Spanish, this set has 9 designs in each language with writing lines for both beginning and advanced writers.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

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One-Page Reading Passage: Arturo Schomburg

If you subscribe to my mailing list, be sure to check your inbox. My latest newsletter went out yesterday afternoon with a new freebie. 

Arturo Schomburg: 1-Page Reading Passage is a brief history of the life of the remarkable historian and activist, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg. Learn who he was and the amazing contribution he made to our country's national library system AND nation's history.

This informational text is written for students in 4th - 8th grade. It includes a 7-question comprehension quiz plus answer key.

Includes two versions: one in ENGLISH and the other in SPANISH.

And if you are not a subscriber, but would like this download, you can now find it in my TpT shop here.

Las Adelitas for Kids & Young Adults

Las Adelitas for Kids

Are you looking for information on las Adelitas to share with your children or students? If so, MommyMaestra has you covered with several resources for different ages.

4th through 8th Grades:

Today is the last day of Women's History Month, so I created this one-page reading passage with a brief history of las Adelitas.

Mexico's soldaderas played a crucial role in the Mexican Revolution. They were the military women who cared for or fought alongside their male family members and sweethearts. Some were camp followers who helped feed, clothe, or care for the sick. Others fought valiantly in their respective militias. And they could be found in each of the groups, or armies, battling for control

But their story has been largely ignored by history. We've had to rely on family histories and even corridos to learn about them. But word-of-mouth is powerful and the image of Adelita has persisted and spread. It's even featured in a children's picture book by the popular children's author and illustrator, Tomie dePaola. Titled “Adelita,” it is the Mexican version of the Cinderella story and tells the tale of a young woman fighting for her future.


My one-page reading passage (shown at the top of this post) comes with an 8-question reading comprehension quiz and answer key. As with all of my one pages, the file includes both the English and Spanish versions.

High School & College:

• Here is an excellent article on Medium about the Revolution and the Adelita's role in it. The article is packed with great information and has beautiful photos. How the Women “Adelitas” Helped Win the Mexican Revolution of 1910: Women played an essential role in Mexico’s cultural shift towards economic and racial equality during the early 20th century. 


• For a more in-depth study, check out this article (thesis?) in the McNair Scholars Journal from Grand Valley State University:: From Soldadera to Adelita: The Depiction of Women in the Mexican Revolution.



Enjoy!

Famous Afro-Latinos Reading Passages

Great news! So many of you have been asking me over the years for a Spanish version of my popular Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos. You'll be delighted to know that I have FINALLY gotten it done.

In addition, I've added a page of reading comprehension questions for each reading passage. If you purchased the English packet before today, you can simply redownload the file from your TpT account.

To be clear, this file is now available in three formats to best suit your needs: English, Spanish, and a COMBO pack with both. Click on the links below to download them from TpT.

• English Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos
• Spanish Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos
• Reading Comprehension Passages: Famous Afro-Latinos COMBO PACK

One-Page Reading Passage on Los San Patricios

St. Patrick's Day is quickly approaching so I thought that now would be a good time to remind you about a little-known group of men in history called Los San Patricios.

Have you heard of them? To the U.S., they were considered traitors, but to Mexico, they were heroes. If you are looking for a unique angle to the annual holiday, consider teaching your kids about this historical group. If you have older children/students, this would be a great time to teach them about Los San Patricios.

I have a one-page reading passage plus 8-questions quiz available in my shop. It's best suited for students in 4th grade and higher. And the good news is that it is now available in both English and Spanish versions!

To download it instantly, just visit my TpT store or my MommyMaestra shop.