Lesson Plan One Procedures

1. Activate Prior Knowledge:

a. Elicit student responses to the question: WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN? (Accept responses as informal assessment of student understanding.)

b. Distribute an Agree/Disagree sheet to each student. Direct students to react to teacher-read statements about Abraham Lincoln by flipping the sheet to either the “Agree” or “Disagree” side. Observe reactions to statements as informal assessment of prior knowledge.

c. Share correct answers to Agree/Disagree statements with students. ALL ARE TRUE AND ARE INTENDED TO CREATE INTEREST IN SOME OF THE MANY FACETS OF LINCOLN’S LIFE.

2. Concept/Skills Instruction:

1. Teacher: Share the story Abraham Lincoln: Great Learner and Great Leader with students in story-telling fashion to capture interest and appeal to student naturalistic intelligence.
   
2. Introduce musical slide show by telling students they will view portraits and photographs of Abraham Lincoln, museum scenes of his life, photos of his birthplace and boyhood home, as well as monuments and memorials built in his honor.BEGIN SLIDE SHOW WHICH GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF LINCOLN’S LIFE (length: about 6 minutes) Words to song are included in lesson materials.
   
3. Emphasize essential questions by writing them on the board and pointing out that student objectives for the lesson are to explore the life of Abraham Lincoln and find answers to the questions:

• Why is learning about Abraham Lincoln important to my life?
• what difficulties did Abraham Lincoln face as a learner?
• How did Abraham Lincoln become a great leader through his words?

Give each student a copy of Abraham Lincoln: Great Learner and Great Leader and a copy of Stovepipe Hat Organizer.

3. Guided Student Practice:

1. Have students label hat on Stovepipe Hat Organizer sheet. On Side 1, have them write Abraham Lincoln in top part of hat and Great Learner on brim. On Side 2, have students write Abraham Lincoln in top part of hat and Great Leader on brim. (Teacher can demonstrate with transparency or on board.)
2. Have students “Think, Pair, Share” as they read Abraham Lincoln: Great Learner and Great Leader. (Make student accommodations as needed. Teacher may need to model desired skill.) As selection is read, students are to cooperatively analyze in pairs the information and locate evidence that Abraham Lincoln was a great learner and a great leader.
   Summarizing information, students will write appropriate phrases denoting evidence on “parchment pages” on each side of the organizer. (Demonstrate on transparency or on the board, giving guidance as needed.)
3. Discuss and compare organizer responses. Accept reasonable responses.
4. As instruction ends for this part of the lesson, have students complete an “Exit Slip” for assessment. They could choose to list a fact they learned from any part of the lesson or write a question, feeling, observation, or personal connection with the day’s lesson. The “Exit Slip” can provide teacher with insight for proceeding with remaining parts of the lesson.
5. Review concepts from previous parts of lesson. Give students a copy of Gettysburg Address sheet. Discuss background information at top of sheet. As students work in pairs, have them read the speech orally at low voice level, use dramatic gestures for emphasis, and talk about its importance. Then, ask students to listen as teacher (or selected student) reads the speech. Have students respond on the back of the sheet by drawing a symbol, illustration, or word art picture to show their personal interpretation and reaction to the speech.

4.Closure:

Review concepts of the lesson and refer to the essential questions written on the board. Ask students to respond to the on-demand writing prompt. Use rubric on prompt to score writing and assess learning of lesson concepts.

5.Enrichment/Extension:

1. Following close of the lesson, post a quotation of Abraham Lincoln's on the board daily for several days with a “one minute” reference to it and its meaning. Students could react to each quotation in their journals. Many of Abraham Lincoln's quotations are available, and some are listed in a sheet in lesson resources.
   
2. Inform students that a new Lincoln penny is being designed for release in 2009 by the U. S. Mint.
3. Make students aware that the nation started celebrating the bicentennial of Lincoln’s Birth on February 12, 2008. Ask them to review events in connection with the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. See www.lincoln200.gov
4. Encourage students to do further research and independent studies on Abraham Lincoln using references listed in lesson plan. Many other resources are available.
5. Invite a Lincoln historical interpreter to speak to the class.
6. Reserve a traveling trunk that includes reproduction of artifacts, photographs, curriculum guides and other resources. Reservations can be made by calling [phone]) or writing to the following address:
   
   Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site,
   C/O Stephen A. Brown
   2295 Lincoln Farm Road
   Hodgenville, KY 42748
   
   (Read more about the Traveling Trunk Program at www.nps.gov/abli/forteachers/travellingtrunks.htm )
   
7. Video Clips: Play for class or encourage students to view short video clips:

• First Inaugural Address
• Second Inaugural Address
• Gettysburg Address
• My First Day in Office
• Lincoln and Slavery