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.

• colonial 
• delegates

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 helped prevent lightning from hitting buildings.

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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 in those Colonies.

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3. How are the documents Franklin helped create an important part of U.S. history? The Declaration of Independence declared that the Colonies were free from Great Britain. The Constitution was a plan for running the new nation. It is still used today.

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FEATURED SKILL: Text Evidence

Use the Skill Builder “All About Benjamin Franklin” to have students complete a biographical profile of Franklin. 

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