Lesson Plan - History Makers: Benjamin Franklin

Watch a Video: Newsie’s Challenge: The U.S. Constitution
Ask: What facts about the U.S. Constitution did you find most interesting? Why?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know. 

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Set a Purpose for Reading
Invite students to be on the lookout for the two famous documents Franklin helped create.

1. Which details in the article support the idea that Benjamin Franklin was a skilled inventor?
The article notes that Franklin made glasses called bifocals to help people see clearly and a stove to better heat homes. He also invented lightning rods, which help prevent lightning from striking buildings.
^{R.8 Reasons and Evidence} 

2. Based on the article, what are colonists?
The article states that at the time Franklin was born, America was made up of Colonies controlled by Great Britain. You can infer that colonists were the people who lived in those colonies.
^{R.4 Determine Meaning}

3. How are the documents Franklin helped create an important part of U.S. history?
The Declaration of Independence announced that the Colonies were free from British rule. The Constitution was a plan for running the new nation that is still used today.
^{R.2 Main Idea}

FEATURED SKILL: Text Evidence
Use the Skill Builder “All About Benjamin Franklin” to have students complete a biographical profile of Franklin.
^{R.1 Text Evidence}