Title: Historical Figures
STEAM Lesson Brief
Educators on the team: (for certification max: 4/team) Dana Barksdale (First Grade Teacher), Donesha
Smith (First Grade Teacher), Treva Rivers (First Grade Teacher), Dana Wright (First Grade Teacher),
Yolanda Thomas (First Grade Teacher), Kay Crane (EIP Teacher), Claire Dunlop (First Grade Teacher),
Mollie Spardello (Art Teacher), Richard Hardy (P.E. Teacher), Michelle Lewis (Science Lab Parapro), Kylee
Ervin (Music Teacher)
When & Where you attended a training. Dates: March 4, 2015 Town/State Conyers, Georgia
Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s
content and its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich
lessons.
Theme that this lesson would tie to: Historical Figures
Specific Topic Concept within that theme: Contributions of historical figures
PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies
BASIC CONCEPTS
Concept: Students will learn about historical
figures and how they have contributed to
our nation’s history.
Science – Should be incorporated into daily science
time.
 Concepts – Inventions and Inventors (inspired
by Benjamin Franklin)
 Goal / Objectives – Students will experiment with
Basic Plan: The students will understand the
importance of the historical figures
throughout this STEAM project. Students
will participate in several activities that
demonstrate their understanding of the
contributions of each historical figure:
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Students will be given an
opportunity to brainstorm an item
they would like to invent. They will
be given classroom items to
construct their new tool. Items will
include things such as: pipe
cleaners, straws, Popsicle sticks,
cardboard, paper, plastic, etc.
The science portion of this plan
includes the invention project.
Students will use their inventions to
create a class database of the items
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inventing a new tool.
Standards --S1CS3. Students will use tools and
instruments for observing, measuring, and
manipulating objects in scientific activities.
b. Make something that can actually be used
to perform a task, using paper, cardboard,
wood, plastic, metal, or existing objects.
Careers – Inventor, Patent Lawyer, Engineer
Project – Students will be given an opportunity
to brainstorm an item they would like to
invent. They will be given classroom items to
construct their new tool. Items will include
things such as: pipe cleaners, straws, Popsicle
sticks, cardboard, paper, plastic, etc.
Assessment – Students will be assessed based
on their creativity and functionality of their
invention. They will be asked to write a
description of their invention and also how it
contributes to everyday life.
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
that were used in their inventions. A
tally chart will mark the number of
each item that was used. Students
will create a graph representing the
appropriate amounts of items used,
and they will analyze the data to see
which items were most used and
least used.
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The students will create a display
board on a chosen historical figure
(Benjamin Franklin, Harriet Tubman,
Thomas Jefferson, Lewis, Clark, &
Sacagawea, George Washington
Carver). They will need to write a
narrative about their lifetime
achievements and how they
influenced America’s history.
Students will pick a historical figure
from the standard above. The
students will design a tri-fold board
displaying information researched
about their chosen historical figure.
They will present their projects to
the class to show the information
they learned while conducting their
research. Their projects will be
displayed as a museum in the
cafeteria for the school to see.
Skill level (Grade Range): Grade 1
Timing of Lesson: 40 minutes each day, five
days a week for nine weeks.
Basic Supplies:
All Subjects: pipe cleaners, straws, popsicle
sticks, cardboard, paper, plastic, display
board, pre printed graph
Other Resources: Internet
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Extension – Students can research how their
invention would have helped a historical
figure in their lifetime (e.g., if student
“invented” flying shoes, they would have to
explain how those would benefit Harriet
Tubman)
Technology & Engineering –
 Concepts – Inventions and Inventors (inspired
by Benjamin Franklin)
 Goal / Objectives – Students will experiment with
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inventing a new tool.
Standards --S1CS3. Students will use tools and
instruments for observing, measuring, and
manipulating objects in scientific activities.
b. Make something that can actually be used
to perform a task, using paper, cardboard,
wood, plastic, metal, or existing objects.
Careers – Inventor, Patent Lawyer, Engineer
Project – Students will be given an opportunity
to brainstorm an item they would like to
invent. They will be given classroom items to
construct their new tool. Items will include
things such as: pipe cleaners, straws, Popsicle
sticks, cardboard, paper, plastic, etc.
Assessment – Students will be assessed based
on their creativity and functionality of their
invention. They will be asked to write a
description of their invention and also how it
contributes to everyday life.
Extension – Students can use items found at
home to enhance or recreate their invention
made in class. They can teach a family
member how to reproduce their invention.
Math –
 Concepts – Graphing
 Goal / Objectives – Students will use graphing
to analyze the amounts of each classroom
item that was used in their inventions.
 Standards – 1.MD.4 Organize, represent, and
interpret data with up to three categories; ask and
answer questions about the total number of data
points, how many in each category, and how many
more or less are in one category than in another.
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Careers – Statistician, logistics manager
Project – The science portion of this plan
includes the invention project. Students will
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
Photos:
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LA –
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use their inventions to create a class database
of the items that were used in their
inventions. A tally chart will mark the number
of each item that was used. Students will
create a graph representing the appropriate
amounts of items used, and they will analyze
the data to see which items were most used
and least used.
Assessment – Students will be assessed on
their ability to answer questions regarding the
graph. The questions can include: “How many
more _____ were used than _____?” or “How
many fewer ____ were used than _____?”
Extension – Students can research the cost of
the actual items needed to create their
invention. They will determine a reasonable
estimate for the entire cost of their invention.
Concepts –Writing Piece on Display Board
Goal / Objectives – Students will write a
narrative piece to be included on the story
board regarding the historical figure of their
choice.
Standards – ELACCW1 Write narratives in which
they recount two or more appropriately sequenced
events, include some details regarding what
happened, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide some sense of closure.
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Careers – journalist, biographer, novelist
Project – The students will create a display
board on a chosen historical figure (Benjamin
Franklin, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Jefferson,
Lewis, Clark, & Sacagawea, George
Washington Carver). They will need to write a
narrative about their lifetime achievements
and how they influenced America’s history.
Assessment – Students will be assessed on
their ability to describe the accomplishments
of their historical figure. Their writing will
need to include contributions to society and
how they influenced our lives today.
Extension – Students can complete a Venn
diagram and construct a writing piece
comparing and contrasting their life to their
historical figure’s life.
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
SS –
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Art –
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Concepts – Story Board Presentation
Goal / Objectives – Students will create a story
board displaying the life of a chosen historical
figure
Standards – SS1H1 The student will read about and
describe the life of historical figures in American
history.
a. Identify the contributions made by these figures:
Benjamin Franklin (inventor/author/ statesman),
Thomas Jefferson (Declaration of Independence),
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with
Sacagawea (exploration), Harriet Tubman
(Underground Railroad), Theodore Roosevelt
(National Parks and the environment), George
Washington Carver (science).
Careers – Biographer, Historian, Curator
Project – Students will pick a historical figure from
the standard above. The students will design a trifold board displaying information researched about
their chosen historical figure. They will present
their projects to the class to show the information
they learned while conducting their research. Their
projects will be displayed as a museum in the
cafeteria for the school to see.
Assessment – Students will be assessed on their
ability to include pertinent information regarding
their historical figure’s life and their contributions.
Extension – Students can try to discover if an actual
museum or monument exists in honor of the
person they chose. They can present their findings
to the class.
Concepts – historical figures, puppetry
Goal / Objectives – Students will create a
historical figure puppet with at least one
moving part.
Standards – VA1MC.1 engages in the creative
process to generate and visualize ideas.
VA1PR.1d Makes choices in developing art
compositions. VA1PR3d Creates 3-dimensional
composition using traditional and/or
contemporary craft materials and methods.
Careers – puppeteer, sculptor
Project – Students will use their knowledge of
historical figures to plan and design a puppet
from paper and found objects. Students will
explore ways to manipulate the materials to
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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PE –
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create a movable part (i.e – mouth, art, leg,
etc) in their puppet.
Assessment – Student puppet represents a
historical figure and has a moveable part.
Extension –
Concepts – Recognizing contributions to
sports by famous historical figures.
Participating in activities that reflect the
athlete’s role in sports.
Goal / Objectives – Students will participate in
challenging activities which represent the
variety of sports influenced by the historical
figures researched for their projects.
Standards – PE1.6 Values physical activity for
health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression
and or social interaction.
Careers – Professional Baseball Player,
Professional Hockey Player, Professional
Basketball Player, Professional Athlete.
Professional Coach.
Project – Students will participate in a rotation
of athletic challenges which reflect the sports
influenced by the historical figures. In honor of
Babe Ruth, students will hit a wiffle ball from a
tee and understand the positions of the
baseball players. In honor of Michael Jordan,
students will practice basketball shots and
understand the role of a team player. In honor
of Wayne Gretzky, students will play hockey
and understand the rules of safety.
Assessment – Observation of student
participation and understanding of the
influence the athletes made for future sports.
Extension – Students research additional
famous athletes and their contributions to
sports. Students will teach other students how
to play the games or model the proper
behavior for participating in other sport
challenges.
Music –
 Concepts – Composing
 Goal / Objectives – Students will write a song
or jingle about their historical figure to
accompany their big project.
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STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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Standards –
MU:Cr1.1.1a With limited guidance, create
musical ideas (such as answering a musical
question) for a specific purpose.
MU:Cr2.1.1b With limited guidance, use iconic
or standard notation and/or recording
technology to document and organize
personal musical ideas.
MU:Pr4.2.1a With limited guidance,
demonstrate knowledge of music concepts
(such as beat and melodic contour) in music
from a variety of cultures selected for
performance.
Careers – Composer, Musician
Project – Students will study their historical
figures and do a word splash brainstorming
activity. With the word splash, students can
begin to write the lyrics and adding the
melody last.
Assessment – Students will be informally
assessed on their composition and
performance of their jingle.
Extension – Students can add instruments to
their song.
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief