Last updated: July 18, 2024
Lesson Plan
Homes - Then and Now
Cabin at Boyhood Home
National Park Service
- Grade Level:
- Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
- State Standards:
- Kentucky
Social Studies
K.H.KH.1- Compare life in the past to life today in communities - Thinking Skills:
- Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts.
Essential Question
How can we compare Abraham Lincoln’s home to our homes today?
Objective
The objective of this lesson is for students to be able to identify and compare how homes were built in the 1900’s and how they are built today. After learning about how homes are different students will be asked to construct a home out of different materials.
Background
Teachers will need to know how Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home was built(cabin), made of wood and clay from the land, dirt floors, wooden doors, no air, heat from a fire, small, open concept, no bathrooms to compare with what our homes have today. You can use different types of homes today (log cabins, mobile homes, brick homes, etc.). Students should be able to describe things in their homes such as types of flooring, electricity, bathrooms, air and how they heat their homes, bedrooms and how the home is divided up compared to the cabins.
Preparation
Prior to the lesson teachers will need to gather pictures/videos of different types of log cabins and how they were built and be able to compare that to how homes are built today(be inclusive of your students and the different types of homes that they have).
Materials
- Photos of Boyhood Home https://www.nps.gov/abli/learn/photosmultimedia/photogallery.htm - paper for them to draw a picture of their home - crayons/markers - Materials to construct cabin: There can be a variety of materials used for this. You can use pretzels and icing with marshmallows, you can use materials from nature like sticks and mud, or any other ideas that you can come up with to use.
Anchor Chart Worksheet
Lesson Hook/Preview
We will look at pictures of Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home as a cabin and see how it was made. Students will then be asked to complete a drawing of their personal homes and what their homes look like. This will be able to be linked to their personal lives because they are going to be comparing the cabin to their home.
Procedure
Step one: Teacher will pull up a picture of Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home.
Step two: As a class we will discuss how the home was built, what materials were used, and what materials are used to build homes today.
Step three: We will write down on an anchor chart different comparisons that they notice from the pictures including things they notice on the inside such as floorings, heating and air, space, design of the home, and how it looks different from the inside and outside.
Vocabulary
Shelter: a place that protects people and animals from danger and the elements.
Comparing: process of examining two or more things to identify similarities and differences.
Cabin: a small house or cottage usually of simple design and construction.
Assessment Materials
Describe DifferencesTeachers will be able to assess that the students have met the objective if they can accurately describe differences that they see between the two and can construct a home out of materials provided that is similar to a log cabin.
Related Lessons or Education Materials
This lesson was created by Kentucky teachers as a part of the History and Science Explore Project.
Contact Information
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