Last updated: July 26, 2024
Lesson Plan
Lincoln and Me: Exploring the Past and Present
Childhoods today are very different than they were for Lincoln!
National Park Service
- Grade Level:
- Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- Kentucky
Social Studies
2.H.CH.1 Identify and compare the diverse North American cultural groups of the past and today. - Thinking Skills:
- Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations.
Essential Question
How is life in the past different than today?
Objective
Students will be to compare Abraham Lincoln’s home, clothing, and gender roles from his childhood to homes, clothing, and gender roles today.
Background
The teacher needs knowledge in the areas of comparing and contrasting. The teacher also needs to be able to look at the homes Abraham Lincoln lived in and determine what they were made out of and the difference between homes now and then. The teacher also needs to know the time period of 1811-1816 clothing that was worn or familiar with the clothing that was worn. The teacher also needs to watch the video and be able to determine the similarities and differences between then and now.
Preparation
-Blank sheet of paper for each student
- Video
| https://www.nps.gov/nps-audiovideo/audiovideo/818ca8e1-0368-44cb-9df3-5c79665c330d720p.mp4 |
Lesson Hook/Preview
Students will be shown the Abraham Lincoln's cabin and asked to raise their hand and share what they notice about the images.
Procedure
Step One: Teacher will display the images of Abraham Lincoln’s home and ask the students to raise their hands and tell everyone what they notice from the images.
Step Two: The teacher will tell the students that the image is a historic cabin and a replica of Abraham Lincoln’s home. The teacher will then ask the students to discuss the differences between their homes and Abraham Lincoln's home in a whole group discussion.
Step Three: The teacher will pass out a piece of blank white paper to each student and ask the students to draw a picture of a person wearing clothes that they think they wore in the 1800’s.
Step Four: The teacher will show the students images of clothing that was worn between 1811-1816.
Step Five: The teacher will call on students to tell them similarities and differences between clothes that were worn then and worn today. (The teacher may jot down the similarities and differences on the board)
Step 6: The teacher will play this video - (The students can watch the whole video or the teacher can choose to select various parts of the video for them to watch.)
Step 7: The teacher will draw a T-Chart on the board that is labeled Same and Different. The teacher will call on students to tell them similarities and differences between the gender roles then and gender roles today.
Vocabulary
Compare - something is like another thing.
Contrast - a difference that one can see when things are compared or put side by side.
Shelter -Shelters are what people and animals use to protect themselves from their surroundings.
Cabin- a small house, usually built in a simple or rough way.
Gender roles - male or female chores, jobs
Related Lessons or Education Materials
Meets Kentucky 2nd grade social studies standards. This lesson was created by Kentucky teachers as a part of the History and Science Explore Project.