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Thank you, Ben!

Thank you, Ben!

Kathy Dawson, Nancy Goelitz,

Tim Nave, and Margaret Watson

GroveElementary School

Summer 2005

Franklin's experiment with the kite]. Charles E. Mills, artist.

Created between 1900 and 1920. Prints and Photographs Division.

Reproduction No.: LC-D419-175 DLC (b&w glass neg.)

Call No.: LC-D419-175.

This week long unit on Ben Franklin will be a school wide activity and culminate with the celebration of his 300th birthday on January 17, 2006. Each classroom can use and adapt the following lessons as needed. The goal of this unit is for students to learn about Ben Franklin and the many contributions he made to American society, and how these contributions impact our lives today.

Overview/State Standards/Resources/Procedures/Evaluation

Overview Back to Navigation Bar
Objectives / Students will:
  • Learn how Ben Franklin has impacted their lives.
  • Learn about Ben Franklin’s many contributions he made to American society.

Recommended time frame / 1 week
Grade level / k-5th
Curriculum fit / Language Arts, Social Science, Math, and Science
Resources /
  • Power Point
  • Image and Resource Table
  • Webliography

IllinoisStateLearning Standards Back to Navigation Bar
LanguageArts:
GOAL 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.
  • 5.B. Analyze and evaluate information from various sources.
Social Studies:
GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
  • 16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
Science:
GOAL 13: Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.
  • 13.B. Know and apply concepts that describe the interactions between science, technology and society.

Procedures Back to Navigation Bar
Day One:A Glimpse of Ben
  • Overview of week. Teachers will create a KWL chart about Benjamin Franklin with the students. Teacher will Present PowerPoint presentation and students participate in group discussions. Teacher will show Franklin video/book.
  • Click herefor Power Point Presentation
  • Objective: Students will focus on biographical highlights of Ben Franklin’s life.
  • Resources: KWL chart, Power Point, Primary resource table, listed web sites, What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? book or video by Jean Fritz.
  • There is a great child generated timeline that will be meaningful to all students, especially K-2. This site includes an overview of his life.
  • This site includes all aspects of Ben’s life.
  • Evaluation: Students will create a daily journal on Ben Franklin. Today’s entry will be on finding similarities/differences between his life and their own.
Day Two:Ben, the Inventor
  • Resources: Refer to PowerPoint slides 3-7, primary resource table pictures, and listed web sites.
  • This is great to see some of the great inventions that we have and use because of Ben! If you click on the invention, a picture will come up.
  • This is great for kids to navigate through! You can learn great facts about Ben as an inventor, statesman, librarian, and printer. Information is displayed in an easy, organized manner for kids to understand.

  • Methods: Teacher will show pictures of some of Ben’s inventions and improvements. Students will explore Ben’s inventions and improvements through listed resources. Students will discuss how different life would be without these inventions.
  • Evaluation: Students can work with a partner or in small groups to come up with ways to improve our school or create an invention. Today’s journal entry will be: Choose a Franklin invention and discuss how this invention impacts theirown life.
Day Three: Ben, the Printer
  • Resources: Refer to PowerPoint slides 8-10, primary resource pictures, and listed web sites.
  • This has an ABC list of Benjamin’s wise sayings. It will be fun to see what you think they mean!
  • Watch and listen to Ben speak some of his famous sayings. There are quotes from Poor Richard’s Almanac, advice to his colleagues and friends, and sayings from the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
  • Methods: Students will explore Ben as a printer. Teacher will show a copy of Poor Richard’s Almanac to students. Other almanacs will be introduced.
Students will be introduced to Ben’s proverbs.
  • Evaluation: Students will be engaged in small groups examining some of Ben’s wise sayings and what they mean on website. Partners will share with the group their favorite saying and what it means.
  • Homework assignment: Students can then create their own family’s wise saying and share with class the following day.
  • Today’s journal entry: Choose your favorite proverb and explain what it means.
DAY FOUR:Ben, the Patriot
  • Resources: Refer to PowerPoint slides 11-12, primary resource pictures, and listed web sites.
  • Click on “Who” and find Benjamin Franklin’s name on the list of great people. You will find more fun facts about Ben and his life.
  • This site is full of great information on Ben’s life. This would be better for 4th and 5th graders doing research on our wonderful American.
  • Methods: Students will explore Ben’s role in the founding of our country as an independent free nation and define a patriot. Students will visit Freedom Shrine located in hallway and locate the US Constitution and Declaration Independence documents. Students will discuss in small groups ways in which they are free.
  • Evaluation: Today’s journal entry: Students will write/draw why they are Proud to be an American.
  • Classroom Assignment: Each classroom will create a constitution with their student rights. Constitutions will be ready for Ben to sign on the last day.
Day FIVE:Ben, the Scientist
  • Resources: Refer to PowerPoint slide 4, primary resource pictures, and listed web sites.
  • Click on Read our story. This is the story of the Lightning Rod.
  • Methods: Review kite experiment with students. Students will conduct an investigation on static electricity using balloons.
  • Evaluation: Today’s journal entry: Students will write ways they use electricity in their daily lives.
  • Culminating Activity: Happy 300th Birthday, Ben Franklin!
  • Each student will be given a paper candle to write a thank you message to Ben. These will be displayed on a birthday cake bulletin board.
  • A retired teacher and community member, portraying Ben Franklin, will be invited for an all school Ben Franklin assembly. Ben will then go to each classroom and sign their classroom Constitution.

Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar
Assessment/Evaluation:
  • Student Products
  • Observation of students during computer activities
  • Information shared during class discussions
  • KWL chart
  • Journal entries – Rubric

An Adventure of the American Mind

IllinoisStateUniversity