Handout

Ben Franklin Aphorisms

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Benjamin Franklin's famous aphorisms are a perfect time capsule of colonist values in the mid-18th century, as well as a clever reminder of the way life still works today. Middle and high schoolers select one aphorism to interpret literally, then figuratively, and then artistically.

79 Views 60 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Create an interdisciplinary project between a social studies lesson on Benjamin Franklin and a language arts class when discussing literal and figurative language 
Classroom Considerations
  • Includes 30 aphorisms to assign; if you have more than 30 students in the class, consider assigning aphorisms to pairs or small groups
  • Both examples show the aphorism's literal meaning
Pros
  • Great for learners to practice the difference between literal and figurative language
  • Provides artistic assessment opportunities for those who prefer not to write
Cons
  • None