1

Wooden Teeth?

Wooden Teeth? Chopped Down the Cherry Tree? Is This Really Me?

The Real George Washington

Kelly Bruce and Linda Rosenbaum

DwightGrade School

Summer 2005

George Washington, DN-0080135,

Chicago Daily News negatives collection,

Chicago Historical Society.

Students have a difficult time understanding and making connections to the past, how people lived, and their culture. Using Primary Sources, students will analyze historical events in the life of George Washington. Students will develop their observation skills, make intelligent inferences, and compare and contrast George Washington’s life to current times.

Overview/State Standards/Resources/Procedures/Evaluation

Overview Back to Navigation Bar
Objectives / Students will:
  • Observe, discuss, compare, and contrast lifestyles in George Washington’s time to the present time.
  • Work with in small groups to create a poster that represents an event in George Washington’s life. The class will sequence the posters to create a Time Line of events.
  • Utilize measuring skills and create garden plots for others to measure.
  • Analyze Washington’s Rules of Civility and create three personal Rules of Civility.

Recommended time frame / 1 to 2 weeks
Grade level / k-2nd
Curriculum fit / Social Science, Language Arts, and Mathematics
Resources /
  • Image and Resource Table
  • Power Point
Books:
  • Adler, David. PictureBook of George Washington. Holiday House, Inc., c. 1995
  • Brandt, Keith. George Washington. Troll Associates: New Jersey, c. 1985
  • Chandra, Deborah and Comora Madeleine. George Washington’s Teeth. Scholastic: New York, c. 2003 ISBN 0 439 71986-0
  • Fleming, Maria. Famous Americans George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Scholastic: New York. ISBN 0 590 53550 -1
  • Fritz, Jean. George Washington’s Breakfast. Scholastic: New York. C. 1969
  • Giblin, James. George Washington, A Picture Book Biography. Scholastic, c. 1992
  • Gross, Ruth. If You Grew Up With George Washington. Scholastic: New York. C. 1982

IllinoisStateLearning Standards Back to Navigation Bar
Language Arts:
GOAL 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.
  • 3.C. Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
GOAL 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.
  • 4.A. Listen effectively in formal and informal situations.
  • 4.B. Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
Mathematics:
GOAL 7: Estimate, make and use measurements of objects, quantities and relationships and determine acceptable levels of accuracy.
  • 7.A. Measure and compare quantities using appropriate units, instruments and methods.
  • 7.C. Select and use appropriate technology, instruments and formulas to solve problems, interpret results and communicate findings.
Social Science:
GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
  • 16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
  • 16.B. Understand the development of significant political events.
  • 16.C. Understand the development of economic systems
  • 16.D.UnderstandIllinois, United States and world social history.
GOAL 18: Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
  • 18.B. Understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society.

Procedures Back to Navigation Bar
Activity One:
  • Brainstorm prior knowledge of George Washington. Teacher will chart the student responses.
  • The students will watch the Power Point presentation about George Washington.
  • Discuss: What did you observe? The teacher will chart the responses. Then will verbally compare and contrast the two charts.
Activity Two:
  • Review the Power Point presentation about George Washington.
  • After presentation is shown, bring the slide “Rules of Civility”.
  • The teacher will explain what Rules of Civility were and then read several of the rules aloud and ask: “What do you think that means?” Continue discussing several other rules that George followed.
  • Students will create three rules they should follow and then verbally share their responses.
Activity Three:
  • Review the Power Point presentation.
  • When completed, the teacher will bring up the slides about Surveying and will discuss with the students: What is surveying? How do you think George used the pictured tools to survey? (Teacher will need to use string and stakes to create plots outside in a grassy area for students to measure.)
  • Groups of students will use measuring tools to “survey” pre-set garden plots. Then students will create a plot for others to measure.
Activity Four:
  • Review the Power Point presentation and then bring up the Virginia Militia slide.
  • Discuss: What do you observe?
  • Show a modern photograph of uniformed soldiers or have a soldier come into the classroom.
  • Students will work with partners to complete a Venn diagram comparing George’s uniform to those of modern day soldiers.
Activity Five:
  • Review the Power Point presentation and then bring up the slides of Mount Vernon.
  • Observe and discuss: What does this picture tell us? Visit the Library of Congress website to observe more pictures of Mount Vernon. (
  • Then visit to take a virtual tour of the re-modeled Mount Vernon. Partners will write about one interesting discovery they observed.
Activity Six:
  • Review the Power Point presentation and then bring up the slide showing George Washington as the first President of the United States.
  • Have a discussion about what they have learned about George.
  • Have partners create a list (pictures or words) of five reasons why George was a good choice as the first president.
  • Have each group share their ideas and thoughts.
Activity Seven:
  • Review the Power Point presentation.
  • Students will review the information they charted in Activity one. Break into small groups.
  • Students will create a poster about George Washington (younger years, schooling, surveying, Virginia militia, Mount Vernon, Continental Army, President George Washington, remembrances).
  • Students will share the information on their posters with the class.
  • Then students will sequence the posters as a Time Line of George Washington.
Optional Activities:
  • In addition to the daily activities, teachers may choose to use other resources to include information about George Washington (see resource list).

Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar
  • Participation in classroom discussions (will be charted through teacher observation).
  • Completed Rules of Civility activity listing three manners.
  • Participated in the surveying activity.
  • Measured and recorded their garden plot measurements.
  • Completed Venn diagrams comparing uniforms.
  • Written statement about Mount Vernon.
  • Completed list of Washington’s Qualifications to be the first President.
  • Completed poster.

An Adventure of the American Mind

IllinoisStateUniversity