'Queen of Katwe' Lesson Plan & Worksheets | Grades 5 - 12

Queen of Katwe Movie Study | True Story, ELA, SEL, Growth Mindset, Geography & Chess Activities | Grades 5–12

Inspire students with the remarkable true story of determination, resilience, and hope in this engaging Queen of Katwe Movie Study! Based on the real-life journey of chess champion Phiona Mutesi, this resource helps students explore themes of perseverance, self-belief, education, mentorship, and opportunity while strengthening reading comprehension, critical thinking, geography, writing, and problem-solving skills. Through 30 thoughtfully designed activities, students discover how courage, hard work, and support can help overcome even the greatest obstacles.

What's Included

• 30 student activities

• Printable student workbook

• Comprehensive teacher guide

• Complete answer key

• Reading comprehension questions

• Character analysis activities

• Compare-and-contrast graphic organizer

• Theme and symbolism exploration

• Chess strategy and logic activities

• Geography activities about Uganda

• Social studies and poverty-awareness discussions

• Vocabulary development exercises

• Cause-and-effect activities

• Reflection and discussion prompts

• Growth mindset and resilience lessons

• Goal-setting activities

• Diary writing tasks

• Letter-writing activities

• Acrostic poetry project

• Creative poster design challenge

Students will explore:

• Perseverance and resilience

• Self-belief and confidence

• Mentorship and leadership

• Education and opportunity

• Hope and determination

• Goal setting and growth mindset

• Poverty and social challenges

• Community support

• Critical thinking and strategic planning

• Global awareness and cultural understanding

How It Works in the Classroom

This Queen of Katwe movie guide is designed for flexible classroom use and works well for:

• English Language Arts lessons

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

• Character education units

• Growth mindset lessons

• Geography and social studies instruction

• Independent work

• Homeschool learning

• Substitute plans

• Small-group discussions

• Cross-curricular learning

Students complete activities before, during, and after viewing the film. Lessons include comprehension practice, character studies, symbolism analysis, chess-based logic activities, geography exploration, discussion prompts, reflective writing, and creative projects. The included teacher guide provides a complete 90-minute lesson plan, differentiation strategies, discussion questions, and assessment tools.

Standards & Learning Goals

Students will:

• Recall and sequence key events from the film

• Analyze character traits, motivations, and growth

• Explore themes of perseverance, hope, and self-belief

• Interpret symbolism and the pawn-to-queen metaphor

• Strengthen reading comprehension and vocabulary skills

• Develop critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities

• Learn basic chess concepts and strategic thinking

• Explore geography and culture in Uganda

• Reflect on personal goals and resilience

• Support ideas with evidence through discussion and writing

Supports instruction in:

• English Language Arts

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

• Geography

• Social Studies

• Mathematics & Logic

• Critical Thinking

• Character Education

• Writing Skills

Why Teachers Love It

✅ No-prep printable resource

✅ Includes teacher guide and complete answer key

✅ Based on an inspiring true story

✅ Promotes growth mindset and perseverance

✅ Encourages meaningful discussions about opportunity and resilience

✅ Integrates literacy, geography, SEL, and critical thinking

✅ Introduces students to chess concepts in an accessible way

✅ Supports cross-curricular learning

✅ Flexible for classroom, homeschool, and enrichment settings

✅ Encourages students to connect lessons from the film to their own goals and dreams

Teachers love how this resource transforms an inspiring true story into a meaningful educational experience. Students build literacy and critical-thinking skills while exploring powerful lessons about determination, mentorship, education, and believing in themselves—even when the odds seem stacked against them.

Add this Queen of Katwe Movie Study to your classroom today and help students explore perseverance, resilience, self-belief, and opportunity through an inspiring true story that encourages them to dream big and never give up.