MINIPAGE TEACHER'S GUIDE

MiniPage Teacher's Guide
MiniPage activities meet many state and national educational standards. This week's standard: Students understand that history relates to events and people of other times and places by identifying examples of interesting Americans. (Social Studies: History)
Activities:
1. Look through your newspaper for pictures of things that Ben Franklin invented or used. Make a poster showing his many activities.
2. Make a list of Franklin's inventions. Then ask family members and friends to tell you which invention they think is most important, and why. Do many people agree on the most important invention? Which one do you think is the most important?
3. Ben Franklin represented the United States in talks with other countries. Find a newspaper story about relationships between the United States and another country today. What is the issue? Why is the United States talking with the other country? What do you think will happen as the result of talks?
4. Find someone in the newspaper today who (a) would have been happy that Ben invented bifocals, (b) could learn lessons about diplomacy from Ben, (c) would have approved of Ben's interest in exercising, (d) would appreciate Ben's interest in style, and (e) might like to travel as much as Ben did. Explain your choices.
5. Write several paragraphs discussing how Ben Franklin influenced life as we know it today. Use these questions to plan your writing: How did Franklin contribute to our understanding of democracy? How did Franklin support and encourage education? How did Franklin's inventions make our lives easier?