Today's Lesson: Benjamin Franklin

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."-  Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a classic renaissance man.  He has worn many hats in his life, most notably as a printer, postmaster, author, diplomat, inventor and philosopher. Use this sheet to write your quote, and draw a picture of Ben Franklin.   Khan Academy has a complete overview of his life. Here's a lapbook from Homeschool Share where you can fill in the details of what you learned.   We will also be watching Animated Hero Classics: Benjamin Franklin.  I found a copy through my local library system.  We will  be using some of the activities from the resource book that I found at the Dripping Springs Community Library website (scroll down and click on 'Ben Franklin').  Ben Franklin was famous for printing his Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanack, have fun making your own letter press stamps.


Ben Franklin is a main character in Liberty's kids but is featured in episode 10 "Postmaster General Franklin" and episode 30 "In Praise of Ben."

-Have Fun Learning! 

Today's Lesson: George Washington

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter." 
-George Washington

 Today we will be starting a lapbook!  If you do not know what a lapbook is you should Google it in Images and see how this fun, and educational tool looks .  It is essentially a unit study put together like a scrapbook using file folders.   You can find lapbooks on just about every topic, two of my favorite free sites are Homeschool Share and Lapbook Lessons.  Although there are tons of resources online for making lapbooks, I tend to use the elements that I like and combine them, instead of following the model exactly.  I highly encourage this, so that the books are more tailored to your child age and knowledge level.  
I found this cute and easy paper craft, that we will be using on the cover of our lapbook.  Here is a list of links to the other resources we are using:

From Lapbook Lessons:
To write our quote
Lift the flap fact books

From Homeschool Share:
I downloaded the Presidents Day Lapbook, but we will only be using elements from pages 7-10

Videos to watch:
Biography and short video
Short Washington Cartoon - Animated lecture
George Washington's Dentures - interesting and disgusting
George Washington singing his version of "Royals"  - Really cute and educational.  Who knew George Washington could bust a move?
Disney: The American Presidents: George Washington
Liberty's Kids episode 11 "Washington Takes Command"
If you can find a copy, check out Animated Hero Classics" George Washington.  I couldn't find anything streaming online, but I was about to find a copy in my local library system. Also check out these free activity book downloads which we will also be adding to our lapbook.

-Have Fun Learning!

Today's Lesson: Thomas Jefferson

"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." -Thomas Jefferson

This coloring sheet has a short paragraph about Thomas Jefferson. Read this biography for more information.  Test your knowledge of Jefferson with this multiple choice worksheet.  Fill in the blanks of this cloze worksheet.  Download this free worksheet packet from Mama's Learning Corner.  Have your kids put together this Thomas Jefferson paper craft.
Watch Liberty's Kids episode 13 "The First 4th of July," and this short video biography.  Build a design a house like Jefferson did, using the "Build Your Own House" activity.  If you have time, or would like to extend this lesson check out these books:




-Have Fun Learning!

Today's Lesson: Alexander Hamilton

Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.

Alexander Hamilton

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/alexander_hamilton.html#x4QrA9sgoV2EWHkK.99

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." -Alexander Hamilton 

We are adding this to our ever growing collection,  Alexander Hamilton coloring page.
I also found a coloring sheet with a short biography.   Check out this longer biography and short video.  Have the kids try to figure out this word scramble worksheet.   A Comparison Lesson of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, for middle and high school students, should make for an interesting debate.  Learn more about Hamilton by doing some research to fill out this free printable worksheet I created.

Watch Liberty's Kids episode 20 "American in Paris."

Today's Lesson: Ethan Allen, Vermont and Fort Ticonderoga

Those who invalidate reason ought seriously to consider whether they argue against reason with or without reason.
Ethan Allen 

Ethan Allen was a patriot, best known for being one of the founders of the state of Vermont and for the battle at Fort Ticonderoga. Instead of having the kids copy this quote I used Worksheet Works to may my own handwriting sheet. You can learn more about Ethan Allen by reading his biography.  Here is a coloring sheet (right click on picture and save as, then print from your computer) depicting soldiers during the American Revolution and a reading activity about the capture of Fort Ticonderoga.  Watch this brief video and try out this reading comprehension exercise.   Use art to learn more about Fort Ticonderoga or try out these math worksheets.  Use this sheet to map out the 13 colonies.   Why not start up a state study of Vermont?  This fun activity book is a great way to begin and the state of Vermont's kid's page is pretty awesome too. Homeschool Share has some great lapbook templates for all fifty states.  If you have time, watch Liberty's Kids, episode 7  "Green Mountain Boys".


Have Fun Learning!


Update:  Our finished lapbooks!

We kept this one small and easy-peasy. A cover sheet, a few fold out elements and the activity book attached with brass fasteners.  Sonshine put this one together so fast, that he had time to make faces at the camera!

Today's Lesson: Betsy Ross

"Today the American knight holds the commercial supremacy of the world."-Betsy Ross

Today's we are learning about Betsy Ross and her contribution to the American Revolution.  The only quote I could find for her is a rather difficult one to understand, so I will have the kids look up the definitions of the words they don't understand and tell me their interpretations. Here is a coloring sheet with some interesting facts.  Here is a short cloze worksheet about Betsy Ross.  Kids can color their own Betsy Ross flag.    Teacher Vision has a short unit study and a biography that you can download.  And we will be watching Liberty's Kids episode 14 "New York, New York," which features Betsy Ross.

Have Fun Learning!

Today's Lesson: The Real Paul Revere

Notice that there is no quote today? That's because I could not find an accurate one.  The line that Paul Revere is most famous for, is one that he never said.  The phrase "The British are coming!" was actually said by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem "Paul Revere's Midnight Ride," the link will take you to a copy that can be printed, but I also found an interactive version.  But here is a coloring sheet to add our collection. A short biography, a biography with a short video and some interesting facts that you may not know about Paul Revere.  Then make print out this fun mini activities book.

 Finish up your day Watch episode 5 "Midnight Ride " of Liberty's Kids featuring Paul Revere.

Note: If you have older kids that would like to go more into depth, this link is from an 8th grade history book. http://www.glencoe.com/gln/glencoe_literature/downloads/grade_8.pdf 
Here are some worksheets that are better suited to older kids as well.

Have Fun Learning!

Update on Today's Lessons with Liberty's Kids

Just wanted to let you all know that I am currently updating my "Today's Lesson" post to correlate to "Liberty's Kids" episodes.  Since me and the minion are studying the American Revolution and have been watching "Liberty's Kids"  I noticed that most of the episodes that we have already watched have some of the people that we have already studied (or will be studying).  So I am going back and adding a link to the episode along with the lesson plans and will be adding a link to all new posts.  I hope this helps! You can watch Liberty's Kids for free on YouTube, or if you don't want to be bothered with all the nasty buffering and inappropriate pop up ads you can buy the whole series on DVD.  I paid 7 bucks for mine!

Today's Lesson: Patrick Henry

I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.-
Patrick Henry 

Patrick Henry is another historical figure that I will be including in our American Revolution unit.  He was a Lawyer, famous for being a great orator and will be forever remembered for this famous quote (coloring sheet).  Which is quite the contradiction considering he was a slave owner. (Most founding fathers were, but there are a few who never owned slaves including John Adams, Samuel Adams and Thomas Paine, which we have already covered.)
Here is a quick warm-up sheet with part of the famous speech  that kids can edit.  This biography is written for kids and also includes links for his famous speeches, more coloring sheets and discussion questions (lower left hand side of website).  Looking for a reason to use a dictionary?  This lesson plan includes vocabulary words, along with multiple choice and true or false questions.  Then watch Liberty's Kids featuring Patrick Henry "Liberty or Death" (episode 4) Have fun learning!

Today's Lesson: Thomas Paine

We are continuing our lessons on the American Revolution. After being introduced to "Liberty's Kids" during our John Hancock lesson, the kids have become addicted!  These shows are a great way to get children involved in US History, especially my Sonshine who has a fondness for ancient Greek history and the Renaissance period. 

"The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection."-Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine coloring sheet The kids are making quite the collection of coloring sheets and quotes, it's really cool to see them constantly looking back at them, to talk about the people that they have learned about and the contributions that they have made to society.  Thomas Paine is known for his quotes, try this writing prompt, where kids can explain what this quote means to them.  I found a long biography of Thomas Paine who is best known for writing controversial articles, among them his most famous work "Common Sense," a 50 page pamphlet that called for America's independence from the British.  Here is also a short version of his biography and multiple choice questions.  Have older kids use this abridged version of "Common Sense" that includes questions on each section.  Then watch Thomas Paine on Liberty's Kids "Common Sense" (episode 12).


Have fun learning!

Today's Lesson: John Adams

Keeping with our "Founding Fathers" theme today's quote was one by our second president, John Adams.
"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." -John Adams 
Here is our coloring sheet of the day.   We are still studying the Declaration of Independence this week so I thought this quote would be fitting. There were 56 people who signed this famous document and two of them (including John Adams) were future presidents.  Here is a short video and biography of John Adams which includes information about the construction of the White House (there is a small link under the video window). About.com has a nice selection of eight different worksheets about John Adams.  Mamaslearningcorner.com has free printable as well.  Kids can have fun with a word scramble, or fill in the blanks of this cloze worksheet.  We are also reading a book Understanding the Declaration of Independence Reading Discovery Level 3 Reader (Fast Fact Book)
Here's a Liberty's Kids episode featuring John Adams "Postmaster General Franklin" (episode 10).

Have Fun Learning!