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This The Meaning of America: Self-Command lesson plan also includes:
- Project for Moral Perfection
- Project for Moral Perfection Study Guide
- Franklin: How is self-command related to public-spiritedness?
- Franklin: How do the Franklinian virtues compare to more traditional conceptions of virtue and morality?
- Franklin: What is Franklin’s project?
- Franklin: What would a person who embodied Franklin’s virtues be like?
- Franklin: What are the results of the Project for Franklin?
- Franklin: Why does Franklin use humor and irony?
- Self-Command: “The Project for Moral Perfection” by Benjamin Franklin
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Even for one of the most accomplished men in American history, there was room for improvement. Challenge high schoolers to use Benjamin Franklin's Project for Moral Perfection to analyze text, make inferences, connect to historical context, and reflect on their own lives with discussion questions.
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Instructional Ideas
- Create a cross-curricular project in which social studies classes focus on the life and accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin, while language arts students grapple with discussion questions and writing prompts
- Assign small groups one video seminar each, and have them watch at home or in class before summarizing the information for their peers
- Encourage class members to keep a journal with a similar setup to Franklin's, marking their own progress toward goals and personal improvement
Classroom Considerations
- Lesson provides access to an online discussion board, which is not necessary for the activity itself
- Video seminars are embedded in the lesson and can't be shown in full screen; access the links for the videos with the share icon or in the attached materials
Pros
- A thorough and thoughtful examination of Benjamin Franklin's character and writing
- Designed for Common Core standards in literature and literacy in history
Cons
- None