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Ben Franklin Timeline
Celebrate inventions such as lightning rods, bifocals, and stoves with a Ben Franklin Day. Young historians conduct research and write a paragraph about an accomplishment of Benjamin Franklin including an illustration or collage that...
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Benjamin Franklin: Goods and Services in Colonial America
Fifth graders examine the impact of Benjamin Franklin's ideas on the goods and services available in Colonial America as well as analyze the importance of Franklin to modern society. While listening to "How Ben Franklin Stole the...
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Jefferson vs. Franklin: Revolutionary Philosophers
Students examine the contributions of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to American Independence. In small groups, they conduct Internet research, read and discuss primary source documents, and complete a chart.
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin and Learning a Lesson
Examine stories with a moral in a character development instructional activity. The class reads a short story written by Benjamin Franklin in which he pays too much for a toy whistle. Individuals then make text-to-self connections and...
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The Enlightenment: Matching #1
Matching exercises can help learners build a functional vocabulary related to many different concepts. They match ten ideas and key players commonly associated with the Enlightenment to their definitions. Ben Franklin, Edward Gibbon, and...
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Jefferson vs. Franklin: Renaissance Men
Students investigate the achievements of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. They conduct Internet research, identify their achievements, and participate in a 'competition' that compares/contrasts the two men.
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The Revolutionary War
March your students off to war with this presentation, which provides details to the American Revolution such as important figures (Jefferson, Franklin, Henry), facts about the Declaration of Independence, and definitions of key terms. A...
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Electrifying Franklin
Fourth graders research and present information about Benjamin Franklin's life and accomplishments. For this lesson on Benjamin Franklin, 4th graders review idioms and sayings written by Franklin then compare and contrast his various...
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Benjamin Franklin - Master of Electricity The Kite Experiment and the Invention of the Lightning Rod
Students study Benjamin Franklin including who he was, what he invented and his experiment. In this inventive lesson students follow the steps of Ben Franklin and build a Leyden jar.
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Benjamin Franklin and the U.S. Constitution
Learners explore U.S. history by completing a quiz about civics. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students read assigned text about Franklin's role in the development of the Constitution and the creation of a new society. Learners...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Learning the Printing Trade
Young scholars explore U.S. History by reading biographical text in class. In this Benjamin Franklin instructional activity, students read about the famous American's first job and the transition he underwent from printing to politics....
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin, Working for the Common Good
Young scholars examine Benjamin Franklin's community service in Philadelphia. In this American history famous heroes instructional activity, students make text-to-self-and-world connections between the Philadelphia community service...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Science Pen Pals
Students explore the scientific career of Benjamin Franklin. In this science lesson plan, students discuss Franklin's correspondence with other scientists and write letters describing Benjamin Franklin's experiments.
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Benjamin Franklin's Many "Hats"
Students examine Benjamin Franklin's contributions to the United States. For this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students analyze the sculpted depiction of Franklin by Hiram Powers. Students also study Franklin's life, philosophy, and...
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A Lesson to Accompany "Benjamin Franklin and the Birth of a Paper Money Economy"
Students examine the role of money in the colonial economy by participating in a trading activity. In this colonial economy instructional activity, students complete an activity to learn about colonial trade and what happens when there...
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Benjamin Franklin- Philanthropist
Learners research and read a profile of Benjamin Franklin. In this philanthropic lesson, students research the projects of Benjamin Franklin and determine which were philanthropic, which were governmental and which were business...
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Ben Franklin the Good Citizen
Young scholars investigate Benjamin Franklin's contributions to society. In this history lesson, students read about Franklin's philanthropic behavior and play a bucket brigade game to re-enact how fires were put out during colonial times.
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American Inventors
In this nineteenth-century American inventors online interactive learning exercise, students read paragraphs about Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Graham Bell and their inventions and answer comprehensive questions....
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My Place In Time
Sixth graders interpret Franklin's style, his ease of writing and content, using this to inspire, motivate and guide them to do more writing. They list Franklin's civic accomplishments and political accomplishments. They name 4...
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Franklin Learning Activities
Middle schoolers participate in different activities examining Benjamin Franklin and his activities. They work together in groups and as a class to research his inventions and his self-improvement plans.
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WORDS FRANKLY SPOKEN
Students visit appropriate websites to discover quotes from Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac. Working in pairs, they choose three quotes on which to elaborate and then write two original quotes.
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Relating to Franklin's Age of Reason
Fourth graders read a selection describing 13 virtues from "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin." They keep track of their behavior and whether or not they can keep up with 5 chosen virtues. They write a 5 paragraph essay on their...
Spark Notes
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: Study Guide - Mini Essays
For this online interactive literature worksheet, learners respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Benjamin Franklin's The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Students may check some of their answers online.
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Questions on Benjamin Franklin’s Cartoon
For this primary source analysis worksheet, students examine Benjamin Franklin's "Join or Die" political cartoon and then respond to 8 short answer questions based on their analysis of it.