Comparison of Readings of the Gettysburg Address
By Meri Fedak-Long Beach Unified School District, California
Level: Upper Elementary
California State Standards:
 History Standards: 5.7.5 Meaning of the American creed that calls
on citizens to safeguard the liberties of individuals within a unified
nation
 ELA Standards:
1.0 Writing strategies
2.0 Writing applications
1.0 Comprehension strategies (vocabulary
development, compare/contrast)
 Written and Oral English Language Conventions:
1.0 Written and oral English language conventions
Big Question: How do we rely on past experiences to help us cope or
understand current events?
Essential question: What are various ways that our country commemorates
important events?
Length: 2-3 days (approx. 50 min. per lesson)
Overview:
The Gettysburg Address was originally presented by President Abraham Lincoln on
November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetary in
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In a brief, yet poignant speech he expressed patriotic feelings
toward the remembrance of those who had died in the battle at Gettysburg, as well as a
reminder as to what this country stands for.
In comparison, this same speech was read at the memorial service commemorating the
one year anniversary of the tragic destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City,
New York, on September 11, 2001, and the massive loss of lives at this site.
Objectives:
1. Students will understand the meaning of the Gettysburg Address, as related to its
expression of our national creed.
2. Students will be able to list the similarities/differences between the two occasions
when this speech was read.
3. Students will sequence the Gettysburg Address when given sections of the speech.
4. Students will write an essay comparing/contrasting the differences between the
readings of this speech.
Materials:
 Double bubble thinking map ( or Venn diagram)-template & sample sheet
attached
 Word Cloud made from the 25 most common words in the Gettysburg Address
 Copy of the Gettysburg Address (from Gilder Lehrman’s Lincoln box)
 CD entitled Decoding Lincoln’s Legacy – The Gettysburg Address from the
Gilder Lehrman’s Lincoln box—for teacher background information if needed
 CD Abraham Lincoln and the Heart of America, by Greathall Productions, Inc.,
includes dramatic reading of the Gettysburg Address by Jim Weiss
 Copies of sections of the Gettysburg Address for sequencing from
www.lbschools.net (under History/Social Science—“What’s New?”-various
Lincoln lessons) [Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach, CA]
First Day
Anticipatory Set:
Looking at the word cloud from the 25 most common words in a famous speech
from students)
Objective:
Today in remembrance of 9/11, we are going to learn about the Gettysburg Address
which was originally read almost 150 years and why it was read on the one-year
anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City.
Input: (about 20 min.)
Background information about the original Gettysburg Address—
 Speech made by President Abraham Lincoln
 November 19, 1863
 Dedication of cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, after a major battle in the
Civil War
Put up enlarged copy of the speech and play the CD recording.
Highlight challenging vocabulary. Either teacher defines these words or use this as a
vocabulary assignment.
Challenging Vocabulary from Gettysburg Address
 fourscore and seven
 conceived
 proposition
 engaged
 endure
 consecrate
 hallow
 detract
 devotion
 vain
Background information about the 9/11 tragedy (ask for information as many students
will probably know some of the major facts). This may evoke a powerful discussion,
depending on student knowledge.
Modeling: (about 5 min.)
Give students the double bubble worksheet. Review the format.
Check for understanding:
Tell your cross-table partner what goes in the outside bubbles. What goes in the middle
bubbles?
Guided Practice: ( allow about 10 min.)
Have students begin to fill in the double-bubble thinking map. Do the first few
similarities/differences together. Students will probably need extra help with the original
reading of the speech as this data (facts about Gettysburg Address will be new to them).
Independent Practice: (allow about 15 min.)
Have students work in table groupings or with partners to add additional
similarities/differences to the map.
Closure: Turn your paper over and list a similarity and a difference between the readings
of this speech.
Day Two: Extension into Language Arts time
Review the Gettysburg Address by using the sequencing sheets. Have table groupings
use the cards to create the correct order of the speech; then check by referring to a full
copy of the speech. Then each student can be given reduced version of the sequencing
cards to correctly place on a large sheet of paper (llx17). Color could be added or a short
paragraph giving student’s response to this speech, depending on time and student
abilities.
Day Three: Extension in Writing
Using the double bubble map, develop a compare/contrast essay on two historic readings
of the Gettysburg Address. Prompt sheet attached.