AliceCrawshawandBeccaMeyers

Read436

2ndGradeTextSetCivics2.11
ThestudentswillidentifyGeorgeWashington,AbrahamLincoln,SusanB.Anthony,Helen
Keller,JackieRobinson,andMartinLutherKing,Jr.,asAmericanswhosecontributions
improvedthelivesofotherAmericans.

InquiryQuestion:
WhatmakessomeoneafamousAmerican?

EssentialQuestions:
HowdidGeorgeWashington,AbrahamLincoln,SusanB.Anthony,HelenKeller,Jackie
Robinson,andMartinLutherKing,Jr.helptoimprovethelivesofotherAmericans?

EssentialKnowledge:FamousAmericansandtheircontributions
GeorgeWashington:HeledthefightforfreedomfromEnglandandhelpedestablisha
newcountry.
AbrahamLincoln:HewasthePresidentoftheUnitedStateswhohelpedtofreeAfrican
Americanslaves.
SusanB.Anthony:Sheledthestruggletogivewomenequalrights,includingtherightto
vote.
HelenKeller:Sheovercameherdisabilitiesandworkedtohelpotherswhowereblind
anddeaf.
JackieRobinson:HewasthefirstAfricanAmericanplayerinthemajorleaguesof
baseball.HisactionshelpedtobringaboutotheropportunitiesforAfricanAmericans.
MartinLutherKing,Jr.:HewasanAfricanAmericanministerwhoworkedsothatall
peoplewouldbetreatedfairly.Heledpeacefulmarchesandgavespeeches.

TextSet:
ReadAloudsforWholeGroup:
Chandra,D.,&Comora,M.(2007).GeorgeWashingtonsteeth.NewYork,NY:Square
Fish.
FrombattlingtoothacheswhilefightingtheBritish,tohavingrottenteethremovedbyhis
dentists,GeorgeWashingtonsufferedallhislifewithtoothproblems.Yet,contraryto
popularbelief,heneverhadasetofwoodenteeth.Startingattheageoftwentyfour,
GeorgeWashingtonlostonaverageonetoothayear,andbythetimehewaselected
president,hehadonlytwoleft!InthisfunnytalebasedonWashingtonsletters,diaries,
andotherhistoricalrecords,studentswillfindoutwhatreallyhappenedastheyfollow

thetrailoflostteethtocompletetooflessness".(Gradelevel:Preschool3)Thisbook
wouldbegreattointroduceGeorgeWashingtonbecauseitisentertainingand
educational.ChildrenwilllearnfactsaboutthefirstpresidentoftheUnitedStateswhile
beingengagedwiththehumorousundertoneofthestory.

Smith,L.(2012).AbeLincolnsdream.NewYorkCity,NewYork:RoaringBookPress.
AbeLincolnsdreamisafictionaltaleofalittlegirlwhomeetstheghostofAbraham
LincolnonedaywhenshegetslostonatourofTheWhiteHouse.AbeLincoln,
confusedofthetime,asksthegirlnumerousquestionsaboutwhathashappenedinthe
countrysincehisdeathin1865.LincolnandthelittlegirlfloatovertheUnitedStates
spottingvariouslandmarks,likeTheWhiteHouse,MountRushmore,andTheStatueof
Libertywhilediscussingthenationspresentdayaccomplishments.Thispicturebook
wouldbeabeneficialteachingtoolbecauseitisagreatintroductiontoLincolns
accomplishmentsduringhispresidencyandtheissues(civilrightsandwar)thatstill
occurinthenationtoday.(Agerange:59)
St.George,J.,&Small,D.(2000).Soyouwanttobeapresident?.NewYork,NY:
PhilomelBooks.
Thisbookdescribedtheprosandconsofbeingapresident.Prosinclude:aswimming
pool,bowlingalley,movietheatre,andnothavingtoeatyuckyvegetables.Cons
include:alwayshavingtobedressedup,notbeingallowedtogoanywherealone,and
lotsofhomework.Italsoprovidescommonalitiesamongpreviouspresidents,funfacts,
andafunwaytointroducetheoveralltopicoffamousAmericans.(Gradelevel:13)

Wallner,A.(2012).SusanB.Anthony.NewYorkCity,NewYork:HolidayHouse.
WallnersbookisawonderfulretellingofSusanB.Anthonyslife.Wallnerdiscussesthe
inequalitythatSusanB.Anthonyandwomenenduredinthe1800swithillustrationsthat
depictthispointintimeappropriately.Thisbookisbeneficialtoreadwiththewhole
classbecauseitshowsthestrugglesandadversitythatpeopleendureinordertofightfor
changeandbecomeknownasfamousAmericans.(Grades35)

ReadAloudsforSmallGroup:

Cohn,A,L.,&Schmidt,S.(2002).AbrahamLincoln.NewYork:ScholasticPress.
TheauthorstellLincoln'sstoryfromhisbirthtohisuntimelydeath.Beginningwithhis
humblestartinalogcabininKentucky,readersaretakenthroughLincolnsyounglife
workingonthefamilyfarm,learningtoreadandwriteonhisownwithonlybasic
schooling,hisearlyloveofknowledge,andthesadtimeswhenhelosthismother.The
authorsdelveintohisadultlifeasalawyer,afather,ahusband,apolitician,amilitary

leaderandapresidentallthewhileexploringthemanyfacetsofhischaracterhis
kindness,hiswisdom,hiscompassion,andhisdelightfulhumor.(Gradelevel:35)This
bookwouldbeagreatsmallgroupreadaloudbecauseittouchesonLincolnsbiography
whilehintingatwhatittakestobecomeafamousAmerican.Thisbookwillalso
encourageinquiryanddiscussion.

Thompson,G.(2003).WhowasHelenKeller?Westminster,London:Grosset&Dunlap.
ThisisachapterbookaboutHelenKellerslife.Itexplainshowshebecamedeafand
blindattheageoftwoandhowlivinginaworldofsilenceanddarknesswasahuge
struggleshehadtobreakthrougheveryday.ButwiththehelpofteacherAnnieSullivan,
Helenlearnedtoread,write,anddomanyamazingthings.Thischapterbookisvery
inspiringandfitsinwiththeSOLbecauseitexplainshowshehadtoovercomeher
disabilitiesandworktohelpotherswhowereblindanddeaf.Thisbookisgoodfor
grades3through7.Itisachapterbook,sotheteachershouldchoosetomakeita
readaloudforwholeorsmallgroupandpickoutsomeofthemostimportantchapters.

BooksforAllChildrentoExplore(IndependentReading):
Above:
Armstrong,J.(2003).AthreeminutespeechLincolnsremarksatGettysburg.New
York,NY:AladdinPaperbacks.
ThisbooktalksaboutLincoln'sGettysburgAddressandgivessomebackgroundbehindit
aswell.ThefirstpartofthebookdealswiththeCivilWarandslavery.Somebackground
isgivenabouttheBattleofGettysburg.Thensomeinformationconcerningtheceremony
forthededicationofthecemeteryandbattlefieldandhowPresidentLincolnwasinvited.
ThebooktriestodebunksomemythsconcerningLincolnandtheGettysburgAddress
(e.g.thatLincolndidn'tspendanytimethinkingandwritingaboutit).Itconcludeswitha
lookattheimpactthatthreeminutespeechhad.Thisisagoodbookforstudentsinthe
3rd5thgrades.It'sfairlyeasytoreadandgivesasolidbackgroundandhistoryaboutthe
GettysburgAddress.ItgoesalongwiththeSOLbecauseitonceagainreiteratesthat
LincolnwasapresidentandthebeginningtouchesonAbrahamsviewofslaveryand
howhewantedtofreeAfricanAmericans.

Bonnie,B.(2007).WhowasMartinLutherKingJunior?.Westminster,London:Grosset
&Dunlap
ThisblackandwhiteillustratedbookaboutDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.celebratesthe
legacyofthisremarkableman.MLKwasonly25whenhehelpedorganizethe
MontgomeryBusBoycottandwassoonorganizingblackpeopleacrossthecountryin
supportoftherighttovote,desegregation,andotherbasiccivilrights.EvenwhenKings

lifewasthreatened,hestilltriedtomaintainnonviolentandpeacefultactics.Hewasan
advocateforthepoorandspokeoutagainstracialandeconomicinjusticeuntilhisdeath.
ThisbookexplainsalltheessentialknowledgeasecondgraderhastoknowaboutMartin
LutherKingJr.fortheSOL.Thisbookisachapterbookandissuitableforgrades3
through7.Somestudentsinasecondgradeclassmighthavedifficultyreadingthisbook
independentlysotheteacherneedstobesuretodiscussmainpointsinwholeorsmall
groupsothechildrenattainalltheimportantinformation.
On:
Adler,D.A.(1997).ApicturebookofJackieRobinson.NewYork,NY.HolidayHouse.
ThiswonderfullyillustratedbookdescribesmajoreventsthatoccurredinJackie
Robinsonslife.ItexplainsthathegrewupinPasadenawhereAfricanAmericanswere
notwelcomed.HelaterbecameafoursportstaratUCLAandthenplayedfora
professionalfootballteamandwasdraftedintoWWII.Hesoonleftthearmyandjoined
anallAfricanAmericanbaseballmajorleagueteam.TheDodgerspresidentasked
JackieifhewouldbethefirstAfricanAmericanintheallwhitemajorleague.He
receivedRookieoftheYearin1947andMVPin1949andwasthefirst
AfricanAmericantobeinductedinthebaseballHallofFame.Thisbookisgoodfor
childrenages6andupanditfitsperfectlywiththeSOLessentialknowledge.Notonly
doesthebookteachstudentswhatJackieaccomplishedinhislifetime,butitalsoshows
howmanyobstacleshehadtoovercometobeasuccessfulman.Heprovedthatnomatter
theskincolor,menshouldfighttogetherandplaytogether.
Below:
Winters,K.,&Carpenter,N.(2003).AbeLincoln:Theboywholovedbooks.NewYork,
NY:AladdinPaperbacks.
ThisbooktakesthereaderthroughAbrahamLincolnsliferightuptohimbecomingthe
16thpresident.Ittalksabouthowmuchhelovedbooksandreading.andhowthat
ultimatelyhelpedhimbecomepresident.ThebookalsotouchedonAbrahamLincolns
thoughtsthatslaverywasunjustwhichfitsinwiththeSOLessentialknowledge.This
bookisatthereadinglevelof5to8yearolds.Itisinthesectionforindependentreading
becausethebasketofbooksforchildrentochoosefromneedstocontainaneasyread
andalsobecausetheteacherisalreadyreadingaboutLincolninwholegroupsothe
knowledgeabouthimneedstobereiteratedelsewhere.

WholeGroupActivity:
KWLChart:TherewillbeaposterforeachfamousAmericanthathasapictureofthemand
thesefollowingitems:
WhatthestudentsalreadyknowaboutthisfamousAmerican
WhattheywanttoknowaboutthisfamousAmerican
WhattheyhavelearnedaboutthisfamousAmerican

Theteacherwillgraduallyfillinthesesectionsduringwholegrouptimeoverthecourseofone
weekortwoweeks.Aftertheyareallfilledin,theteachercanlaminatethemandkeepreferring
backtothemwhilelearningaboutothersocialstudiestopics.

SmallGroupActivity:
LifesizeFamousAmericansProject:
Thisactivityshouldbedoneaftertheclasshascoveredall6historicalfigures.
1) Splitupclassinto6groups(Thereshouldbe34ineachgroupdependingonyourclass
size)andgiveeachgroupafamousamericantocreatealifesizepictureof.
2) Providematerialslikebutcherpaper,constructionpaper,markers,glue,andscissors.
3) Addawritingaspectbymakingeachpersoninthegroupfillinabubbleaboutthe
person.Bubblescancontainthefollowingthings:
a) Showwhatthatpersonsaid(WiseWords)
b) Explainwhatthepersondid(AmazingAction)
c) Explainwhatthepersonthought(ThoughtfulThoughts)
d) Writeatraittodescribehim/her(TerrificTrait).
4) Onepersonfromeachgroupcanlaydownonalarge,whitepieceofbutcherpaperwhile
anotherstudenttracedthem.Thestudentsthencutoutthebodyanduseconstruction
paperandmarkerstoturnitintotheirfamousAmerican!
5) Allowchildrentoreferbacktothebooksreadintheclasswhilecompletingtheircutout.

Hereareafewpicturesofwhatthecutoutswilllooklike!

AbrahamLincoln
Wisewords:Ishouldendslavery!
Thoughtfulthoughts:Ithinkslaveryiswrong.
Terrifictrait:Abrahamisthoughtfulbecausehetriedto
endslavery


MartinLutherKingJunior
Wisewords:IhaveadreamthatonedayinAlabama
littleblackboysandlittleblackgirlswilljoinhandswith
littlewhiteboysandgirlsassistersandbrothers.
Thoughtfulthoughts:Ithinksegregationshouldstop
TerrificTrait:Martinwasastrongspeakerhiswhole
life

MoreExamples!
GeorgeWashingtonandSusanB.Anthony!

Thisactivityideawastakenfromasecondgradeteachersblogcalled,TheOpenDoor
Classroom.

EMorrison.(2013,Jan27).LifesizefamousAmericansproject.[Blog].Retrievedfrom
http://theopendoorclassroom.blogspot.com/p/aboutme.html