The Art of Understanding an American Icon-Ben Franklin
Lesson Overview
Overview:
The British colonists were beginning to create an “American Identity”. Our nation’s character was
shaped by colonial education, movements in science and reasoning, the publishing industry and
ideas of self-government. Ben Franklin was a contemporary of the Age of Enlightenment. He
influenced many American values we still cherish today such as being an entrepreneur, instilling
hard work, being thrifty, having self-reliance, ensuring the right to free-expression and practicing
philanthropy.
Grade Range:
6-8
Objective:
Students will:
1. Analyze the Rebus created by Ben Franklin.
2. Use that image to understand Ben Franklin’s philosophy, humor and genius.
3. Participate in small learning groups then in whole class discussion.
Time Required:
Two class periods of 50 minutes.
Discipline/Subject:
Social Studies, American History
Topic/Subject:
Literature
Era:
Settlement, Beginning to 1763, The American Revolution, 1763-1783
Standards
Illinois Learning Standards:
Social Studies:
16.A-Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
18.B-Understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society.
18.B.3b-Analyze how individuals interact with and within institutions.
Language Arts:
5.A-Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve
problems, and communicate ideas.
5.C-Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.
Materials
Handouts:
Copies of primary source for learning groups-4 copies per group, 5-6 groups per class.
Analysis Tools:
Photo Analysis Guides (6)
Rubric:
Rebus Ode to Franklin
Library of Congress Items:
Title of Source:
The Art of Making Money
Creator of Source:
Franklin, Benjamin – Maverick, P.
Date of Creation:
1817
URL of Source:
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/franklin-printer.html
Title of Source:
Creator of Source:
Date of Source:
URL of Source:
Poor Richard, 1939, An Almanack for the Year of Christ 1739
Franklin, Benjamin
1739
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/franklin-printer.html
The Art of Understanding an American Icon-Ben Franklin
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Online Resources:
Title:
URL:
Description:
Readers Theatre for Literacy and Presentation
http://readerstheatrelp.blogspot.com/2008/05/ben-franklin.html
Play about Ben Franklin
Procedures
Procedure Step #
Day One:
1. Previous to this lesson, the class has studied the growth of the 13 colonies, commerce, trade,
and how the British colonists developed differently than their European counterparts. The class
has discussed the emerging “American Identity” by making posters of American values.
2. Have the class read a play about Ben Franklin to give them background about his life,
character and background. A Readers’ Theatre Script Adapted from Susan Nanus’s play Ben
Franklin.
3. The class is divided into five or six cooperative learning groups. Each group is given a copy of
“The Art of Making Money Plenty” by Ben Franklin and an analysis sheet. Students will work
together to analyze and decode the rebus. They will try to understand the colonial images and
understand the meaning of Ben’s words.
Day Two:
1. When all groups have completed their analysis, discussion and analysis guide sheet, each
group will share what they have decoded and what they think Ben was saying. They will
describe the philosophy of money and whether they believe this advice is still useful today.
The whole class will then engage in discussion and questions about the primary source.
Resource or Material
Used
Online Resources
Handouts
Photo Analysis Guide
Analysis Tool/Handouts
Evaluation
The teacher will evaluate the lesson through engagement during learning group activities, time on task in groups, group
reports to the class, class participation in discussion and individual rebus extension activity. Rubrics will be used to assess
the extension activity.
Extension
As an extension activity students can look at some of Ben Franklin’s sayings from his Poor Richard’s almanac. Students
can choose one saying from one of Poor Richard’s almanac and create their own rebus illustration imbedding the Franklin
quote in it. Use the attached rubric to grade this.
Author Credits:
L. St. Gemme’
Charleston Middle School
The Art of Understanding an American Icon-Ben Franklin
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Teaching with Primary Sources
Rebus - Ode to Franklin
Name: ________________________
Teacher: Mrs. St. Gemme'
Date : ___________________
Title of Work: ___________________
Criteria
Points
1
2
3
4
Use one original
Included only the
Includes a saying
saying by Ben
Included a part of the
Included the saying,
saying by Ben
by Ben Franklin, its
Franklin, your original saying or was a
the source and
Franklin, no source source, and wellsource, and what version of a Franklin
what it means in
or no idea of the
described meaning
you think it
saying.
today's language.
meaning.
in today's terms.
means today.
Creates a rebus
to depict parts of
Uses 6 or more
Uses 3-4 pictures for
the word or
Uses only 1-2 pictures
Uses 5 pictures for pictures for parts or
the words.Many
complete words
for words. Most are
words many are
complete words.
images are duplicate
like a puzzle for
duplicated.
duplicate images
Uses a variety of
images.
the reader to
pictures for words.
decode.
hand- drawn or
includes color, style
created to mimic
hand written, too small, hand-drawn or done
or words that are
Neatness &
the 1700s artistic
messy or illegible or
in a font that is
legible and mimic
legibility &
qualities or done on
done on computer with illegible or hard to
the style of the
artistic quality
computer with
no attention to legibility.
read
1700s artistic
legible font and
qualities
graphics
____
____
____
____
Total---->
The Art of Understanding an American Icon-Ben Franklin
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____
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The Art of Understanding an American Icon-Ben Franklin
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The Art of Understanding an American Icon-Ben Franklin
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