A Series of Abraham Lincoln Activities for the Elementary Classroom

A Series of Abraham Lincoln Activities for the Elementary Classroom

By: Jessica Ballou-Roberts, North Warren Elementary School

Bowling Green, KY; Lincoln Tri-State Heritage Summer Geography Institute; July, 2009

FILM Strategy: Hodgenville, Kentucky

F- The Function of this statue is to remind visitors to Hodgenville and LaRue County that Abraham Lincoln was one of their most famous residents. This statue is bronze with a marble base. The statue was re-bronzed in 1985.

I- The Importance of this statue is to remind all who pass that Lincoln is the center of this Kentucky County, and to keep the legacy of Lincoln alive today. Lincoln was born at Knob Creek, in LaRue County.

L- This statue is Located in Hodgenville Kentucky, around the town square. The statue is located in Hodgenville, this is the town where Lincoln was born February 12, 1809. The ceremony to dedicate this statue took place during the centennial anniversary.

M- This statue memorializes our 16th president, the statue portrays Lincoln in a solemn way; he is sitting with a melancholy facial expression. This statue forces Me to see Abe as a man full of thought, maybe he is thinking about the Civil War, and what he should do. Adolph A. Weimann created this statue. The statue was dedicated in 1909 during the centennial anniversary of the president’s birth. His son Robert Todd Lincoln was present at the ceremony. A replica of this statue is at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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After completing a unit on Lincoln, these activities can be used as assessment or part of assessments. Choose one of the following tasks to complete.

• Create a Wiki on Lincoln. A Wiki is information that could be used in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia. A Wiki consists of facts about Lincoln; make sure you site the sources that you used to create your Wiki. Make sure your Wiki is your own words, do not plagiarize.
• Compare and contrast your home with Abraham’s childhood home. Use the Venn diagram attached.
• If you were Lincoln would you have signed the Emancipation Proclamation? Why? Why not? What feelings were involved with your signing or refusing to sign? Write a letter to Lincoln encouraging or discouraging him to sign the Emancipation.

ACTIVITY ONE

Group FILM Strategy

Divide students into groups of 4-5.

Give each group an example of iconography in Kentucky .

Using the FILM strategy complete a group poster on the example of iconography given.

F-What is the function of the statue or memorial?

I-What is the importance of the statue or memorial?

L-Why is the statue or memorial located at this specific place?

M-What does this statue or memorial mean to me? To others?

Use the Following Criteria for your poster

·  Draw a picture of the iconography and include a heading.

·  Display FILM strategy with correct spelling and punctuation.

·  Avoid excessive white space.

Well at the Lincoln farm

Children outside the Sargent farm

Terms:

Cartographer - A cartographer is a mapmaker.

Key - a small table accompanying the map that explains the symbols that are used on the map.

Natural Resources - resources supplied by nature

Spring - a place where water wells up from and underground source

Renewable resources - resources that can be replenished in nature over long periods of time

Vegetation - plants found in a particular area or habitat

Well - a hole sunk into the earth to reach a supply of water

Follow up questions:

Why is important to have a well in close quarters to the house?

If you own a large area of land, why is important to place your home in a particular location?

What natural resources are needed to have a functional farm?

What renewable resources are found on the Sargent/Lincoln farms?

Connecting to my students:

This information can be used to teach various aspects of geography. Students will learn how people interact with their environment, not only now, but during the 1840s as well. Students will also learn map skills, they will become cartographers and create their own map of a their farm, and include natural resources, as well as renewable resources.

I could take my students to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill; this living history site is similar to the Lincoln log cabin site. This farm would allow students to view a well, as well as viewing the many buildings on this 3,000-acre farm. Students would have the ability to see this working farm, and see the natural resources needed to keep this farm going . Students would also have the opportunity to be cartographers and create their own map of a living history farm.

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill

ACTIVITY TWO

Compare your Home to Abraham Lincoln’s Home

Name:

Use the following criteria:

structure, lot, indoor features, outdoor features, and building resources used.

Is your home and Abe’s more alike or more different? Explain your thinking.

ACTIVITY THREE: You have been asked to design a new penny, with a scene from Lincoln’s life. Use the template attached.

The New Penny

Name:

ACTIVITY FOUR

Based on what you know about Lincoln from class, and the materials you have, Choose one event from each state that Lincoln lived in that could have influenced his choice of words used in his second inaugural address. You should have a state and an event for each statement.

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

With malice toward none / State:
Event:
with firmness in the right / State:
Event:
as God gives us to see the right / State:
Event:
let us strive on to finish the work we are in / State:
Event:
to bind up the nation’s wound / State:
Event:
to care for him who shall have borne the battle / State:
Event:
to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace / State:
Event:
among ourselves, and with all nations / State:
Event:

ACTIVITY FIVE

PodCast

In Teams, create a podcast about Lincoln. Use the following criteria.

·  Chose one event or time period of Lincolns life

·  Decide on an audience, students, or parents are two examples.

·  Compose a script that will last approximately 2 minutes.

·  Decide with your partner on a creative way to present the information on your podcast.

·  Compose a script, that allows both people to participate.

·  USE THE SCORING GUIDE (I have included an example.)

Podcast / Novice
1-5 / Apprentice
7 / Proficient
8-9 / Distinguished
10 / Score
Audience & Purpose / Message is generic. No specifically intended audience. Presentation is a report of facts with no interpretation. / Message is identified for a specific audience but presentation is little more than report of facts. / Message identifies and is targeted toward a specific audience and presents mostly information relevant to that audience. / Student has clearly defined audience and purpose that is apparent in final product. Intention is obvious / __X 2
Content of Message / Message becomes a report of facts without identifying / Message is not focused around a central issue or event in Lincoln’s life. / Message identifies a specific event in Lincoln’s life. / Message identifies an issue and discusses it in a meaningful way. / __X 2
Clarity of Presentation and Sound Effects / Podcast recording quality is low making it difficult to understand or do not incorporate sound effects. / Podcast recording quality is okay making it mostly easy to understand though some elements distract from the content. Audio volume is inconsistent. / Podcast recording quality is clear and easy to understand. Background audio or sound effects are added and don’t distract from the message but may not add to it either. / Podcast recording quality is clear and easy to understand. Background audio and sound effects add to the message making it clearer.
Overall / Somewhat boring or unenthused and needs some spice. / Okay, but just didn’t seem like enough research was done into issues or effort was made to make it interesting. / Good ideas and fairly good implementation. / Great podcast that I am sure many people will love to hear!
TOTAL POINTS—

Podcast Scoring Guide