2.11 Overview Social Studies SOL

2.11 OVERVIEW

2.11 The student will identify George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, and Martin Luther King, Jr. as Americans whose contributions improved the lives of other Americans.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Introduce George Washington to students by showing them a picture or poster of George Washington. Ask the students to share any information they already know about George Washington. Write the responses on a KWL chart about George Washington under “What We Know.” The following Web sites have sample graphic organizers:
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer and
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm.
Read a teacher-selected story or book about George Washington. Discuss the new information learned from the book and add this information to the chart. Discuss what Washington's life was like, including clothing, transportation, food, jobs, homes, etc.
Explain to students that because George Washington was such an important person and did so many things to help our country that we want him to be remembered. Ask the students if they know ways in which people honor and remember George Washington. Write the student responses on a chart.
Time lines, activities, crafts, and coloring printouts about George Washington are available at: http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/history/us/
pres/washington/index.shtml.
A brief biography of George Washington can be found at the White House Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gw1.html.
Introduce Abraham Lincoln to the students by showing them a picture or poster of Abraham Lincoln. Ask the students to share any information they already know about Abraham Lincoln. Write the responses on a KWL chart about Abraham Lincoln under “What We Know.”
Read a teacher-selected book about Abraham Lincoln. Discuss what they see in the illustrations and photographs in the book as well as in the text and content. Use different graphic organizers to vary students’ ways of organizing information learned from the book. Ask students to share with the class the information they remember about Abraham Lincoln.
Time lines, activities, crafts, and coloring printouts are available about Abraham Lincoln at this site: http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/history/us/
pres/lincoln/index.shtml.
Complete the KWL chart with information the students have learned about Abraham Lincoln. Add to the chart of “What We Have Learned” the Curriculum Framework information.
With the students’ help make a chronological list of the major events in Abraham Lincoln’s life such as his birth in a log cabin, his childhood chores in Kentucky, going to school, reading and learning on his own, his early job as a shop keeper, becoming a lawyer, and becoming a President. Have the students work in pairs to draw pictures of the different events in Abraham Lincoln’s life. Have students describe their pictures and write the event under each picture. Post the completed pictures in chronological order to create a time line of Abraham Lincoln’s life.
Make a class chart comparing Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The chart could include the ideas of where they lived, education, jobs, family, problems our country faced at the time, and how we honor these two presidents.
Introduce Susan B. Anthony to the students by showing them a picture or poster of Susan B. Anthony. Have the students share information they know about Susan B. Anthony. Write the responses on a KWL chart about Susan B. Anthony.
Ask the students what they would like to learn about Susan B. Anthony and post their responses under the “What We Want to Know” section of the KWL chart.
Read a teacher-selected book about Susan B. Anthony. Discuss what they see in the illustrations and photographs in the book as well as in the text and content. Use different graphic organizers to vary students’ ways of organizing information learned from the book. Ask students to share with the class the information they remember about Susan B. Anthony.
Complete the KWL chart with information the students have learned about Susan B. Anthony. Add to the chart of “What We Have Learned” the Curriculum Framework information.
Include in the classroom discussion, the quote by Susan B. Anthony, “Failure is impossible.” Ask the students why they think Susan B. Anthony made this statement.
Introduce Helen Keller to the students by showing them a picture or poster of Helen Keller. Have the students share information they know about Helen Keller. Write the responses on a KWL chart about Helen Keller.
Ask the students what they would like to learn about Helen Keller and post their responses under the “What We Want to Know” section of the KWL chart.
Read a teacher-selected book about Helen Keller. Discuss what they see in the illustrations and photographs in the book as well as in the text and content. Use different graphic organizers to vary students’ ways of organizing information learned from the book. Ask students to share with the class the information they remember about Helen Keller. Information is available at: http://www.afb.org/braillebug/hkmuseum.asp.
Include in the classroom discussion, the quote by Helen Keller, “What a strange life I lead – a kind of Cinderella-life – half-glitter in crystal shoes, half mice and cinders!” Ask the students why they think Helen Keller made this statement.
Introduce sample sheets of Braille for the students to feel and have them write their name using a Braille alphabet if a sample alphabet is available.
Introduce Jackie Robinson to the students by showing them a picture or poster of Jackie Robinson. Have the students share information they know about Jackie Robinson. Write the responses on a KWL chart about Jackie Robinson.
Read a teacher-selected book about Jackie Robinson. Discuss what they see in the illustrations and photographs in the book as well as in the text and content. Use different graphic organizers to vary students’ ways of organizing information learned from the book. Ask students to share with the class the information they remember about Jackie Robinson.
Complete the KWL chart with information the students have learned about Jackie Robinson. Add to the chart of “What We Have Learned” the following Curriculum Framework
Use additional materials such as Web sites in the Sample Resources and videos to share additional information about Jackie Robinson and his many accomplishments with the students. The Web sites in the Sample Resources are student sites that may be used to have students complete additional research about Jackie Robinson.
Include in the classroom discussion, the quote by Jackie Robinson, “I never had it easy.” Ask the students why they think Jackie Robinson made this statement.
Introduce Martin Luther King, Jr. to the students by showing them a picture or poster of Martin Luther King, Jr. Have the students share information they know about Martin Luther King, Jr. Write the responses on a KWL chart about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read a teacher-selected book about Martin Luther King, Jr. Discuss what they see in the illustrations and photographs in the book as well as in the text and content. Use different graphic organizers to vary students’ ways of organizing information learned from the book. Ask students to share with the class the information they remember about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Use additional materials such as Web sites in the Sample Resources and videos to share additional information about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his many accomplishments with the students. The Web sites in the Sample Resources are student sites that may be used to have students complete additional research about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Include in the classroom discussion, the quote by Martin Luther King, Jr., “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Ask the students why they think Martin Luther King, Jr. made this statement.
Play “Guess My Name.”
Each student will have an index card taped to his or her back with the name of a famous American written on it. Their goal is to try to identify who they are by asking questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no”. No more than two questions at a time can be asked of any one person, and the student must figure out who she/she is within 20 questions. The grand winner is the person who guesses who he is in the least number of questions.
Make a sample historical biography flipbook with student researched information as well as student drawn pictures.

WEB SITES

http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer
Here is a collection of graphic organizers to be used in the unit.

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm
This Web site has more graphic organizers.

http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/posterset.html
Social studies curriculum resources poster sets are available here.

http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/history/us/
pres/washington/index.shtml
This Web site has time lines, activities, crafts, and coloring printouts about George Washington.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gw1.html
The White House Web site has a brief biography of George Washington.

http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/history/us/pres/lincoln/
index.shtml
Find time lines, activities, crafts, and coloring printouts about Abraham Lincoln at this Web site.

http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php?action=viewone&id=13
This is an excellent resource on Susan B. Anthony.

http://www.afb.org/braillebug/hkmuseum.asp
This is the Helen Keller Museum Online.

http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/detectives/kids/
KIDS-000314.html
This Web site has information on Civil Rights.

http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/
jackie_robinson/jackie_robinson.html
Teach with documents about Jackie Robinson.

http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/
memphis_v_mlk/memphis_v_mlk.html
Teach with primary documents about Martin Luther King, Jr.

LITERATURE LINKS

George Washington

Armentrout, David.
George Washington. The Rourke Book Company, Inc., 2003.
This book describes the life of George Washington.

Schaefer, Lola.
George Washington. Mankato, MN: Pebble Books, 1999.
This is a brief look at the life of our first President.

Abraham Lincoln

Borden, Louise.
A. Lincoln and Me. Scholastic, 1999.
This is a fictional account of a young boy who discovers similarities between himself and Mr. Lincoln.

Turner, Ann Warren.
Abe Lincoln Remembers. No city: Harper Collins Juvenile Books, 2000.
A simple description of the life of Abe Lincoln, from his point of view is offered in this book.

Susan B. Anthony

Raatma, Lucia.
Susan B. Anthony. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2000.
This book is an illustrated biography of Susan B. Anthony, which discusses her role in the push for women’s suffrage.

Helen Keller

Klingel, Cynthia Fitterer.
Helen Keller. Childs World, 2001.
This is a beginning reader that provides nonfiction information on the life of Helen Keller.

Jackie Robinson

Klingel, Cynthia Fitterer.
Jackie Robinson. Childs World, 2001.
This is a beginning reader, which offers biographical information on the life of Jackie Robinson.

Golenbock, Peter.
Teammates. Voyager Books, 1992.
This book tells the true story of the friendship between Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Schaefer, Lola M.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Mankato, MN: Pebble Books, 1999.
This book offers photographs and simple text to introduce the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reid, Robin.
Thank You, Dr. King! No city: Simon Spotlight, 2003.
In this “Little Bill” story, Alice and Little Bill put together a scrapbook about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.