Subject: Social Studies
Teacher: Kate Talbert
Lesson Title: Founding Fathers
Grade: 5
Objectives:
Students will:
 Research one of the Founding Fathers and work collaboratively to prepare a one-page
biography on their assigned Founding Father
 Prepare an oral presentation in which they introduce their assigned Founding Father
and explain how he contributed to the development of the US government
 Create a visual element to enhance their oral presentation
Standards:
5.H.2 Understand the role of prominent figures in shaping the United States.
5.H.2.1 Summarize the contributions of the “Founding Fathers” to the development of our
country.
5.H.2.2 Explain how key historical figures have exemplified values and principles of
American democracy.
5.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
5.SL.2 Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
5.SL.4 Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak
clearly at an understandable pace.
5.L.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or
listening
5.RIT.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak
about the subject knowledgeably.
5.RFS.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
Materials:
 Computers with internet access
 SMART Board
 Copy of Who Was Thomas Jefferson? by Dennis B. Fradin
 Paper & writing utensils (pens or pencils)
 Preselected books on Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, James Madison, and
Edmund Randolph (Ex: Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz, John, Paul,
George, and Ben by Lane Smith, etc.)
 Poster boards
 Markers
 Glue
 Old magazines/newspapers
 Scissors
Procedures:
 Begin by reading students the book Who Was Thomas Jefferson? by Dennis B. Fradin.
After you are done reading discuss with students what they learned about Jefferson from
the book. Ask, “Why do you think it is important to know about Thomas Jefferson? How
do you think Jefferson impacted our government?”
 Tell students to imagine that they want to write their own biography on Thomas Jefferson
as one of the Founding Fathers. Explain that they are going to use online resources to find
out more about him. Using the SMART Board, visit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/thomasjefferson and show students how you
can locate more facts about Jefferson by exploring the website. Talk with students about
the kind of information they would need in order to write a biography. Ask, “What would
you want to include in your biography? What do you think is important to know about
Thomas Jefferson?” Help students to see that Jefferson’s contribution to American
government is something that should be included in his biography. As you are doing this
have the assistant teacher setting up materials for the craft station and the research
station.
 Divide the class into four groups and assign each group one of the selected Founding
Fathers – Alexander Hamilton, James Wilson, James Madison, and Edmund Randolph.
Explain to each group that they are now going to research their assigned Founding Father
using books and online resources like you demonstrated with Thomas Jefferson. Tell
students that they will then create a brief (1 page max) biography and develop an oral
presentation with a visual element (poster) in which they will introduce the rest of the
class to their assigned Founding Father and explain how he contributed to the
development of the US government.
 Tell students that you have preselected websites (Ex: National Archives at archives.org,
Ben’s Guide to US Government at http://bensguide.gpo.gov, National Public Library at
http://www.ipl.org/) for them to use during their research and that you have also
preselected books from the library to assist them as needed. The books should be
organized at the research station.
 As students research their assigned Founding Father, they should attempt to answer the
following questions (questions should be written on the board):
** In what ways did he serve his colony/state before the Constitutional Convention?
** What were his qualifications to represent his state?
** Was his state large or small?
** Was his state in the North or South?
** What was his role in the Constitutional Convention?
** What was his profession?
** What was his socioeconomic background? How might that background have affected
his decisions?
**In what ways did he serve the United States after the Constitutional Convention?
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Encourage groups to divide the research among themselves. For example, if a typical
group consists of five students, one or two students could read one biography while other
students look for additional resources using the computer. When the group reconvenes,
students can combine what they have learned into one account.
Explain to students that once they have written their biography, they are to use the craft
materials at the craft station to create a poster as part of their oral presentation. Encourage
students to be creative and think about how to best represent their assigned Founding
Father.
Since there will be four groups, have the assistant teacher supervise and assist two groups
while you supervise and assist the other two groups. Help students access the correct
websites online, monitor them as they work online to make sure they stay on task, help
students locate appropriate research materials, and assist groups as they are working on
their written biography. Make sure students in each group are sharing the work equally
and that everyone’s ideas are being heard.
Once each group is finished bring students back together as a class. Have each group take
turns introducing the class to their assigned Founding Father. Groups should use the
poster they created to enhance their presentation.
After each group has presented discuss as a group the contributions of the Founding
Fathers and how they have impacted our country.
Assessment:
 Assess by observing students as they are conducting research online and with texts. Are
they recording notes? Are they discussing what they find with their group? How are they
synthetizing information?
 Assess using students’ submitted biographies. Have they answered all of the questions
thoroughly? Have they left out any important information? Does it seem like everyone in
the group contributed to the biography?
 Assess by observing each group’s oral presentation. Did the group thoroughly introduce
the class to their Founding Father? Did they cover relevant information, including how
their Founding Father contributed to American’s foundation and government?
 Assess using students’ submitted visual element. Does the poster add to students’
understanding of the Founding Father? Is the poster comprehensive? Is the poster a
suitable representation of the assigned Founding Father? Were the students creative?
Differentiation:
This lesson can be differentiated in the following ways:
 Provide audio recordings of all of the texts
 Allow students to use technology to create their visual element
 Allow students to use technology to create their oral presentation
 Place students who are struggling in a group with a peer tutor or reading buddy
 Show ESL students how to translate the websites into alternative languages
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Provide detailed written instructions for each segment of the lesson
Provide students with written objectives to help them stay on task and motivated
Have students make a list of important facts about their Founding Father rather than write
a biography
Allow students to record their biography rather than write it
Allow students to present only to you rather than in front of the entire class
Change the difficulty level of the texts and websites used for research purposes
Resources: Adapted from: EDSITEment. “The Constitutional Convention: The Four Founding
Fathers You Never Met.” Retrieved from http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/constitutionalconvention-four-founding-fathers-you-may-never-have-met#sect-activities