Looking at Lincoln

Related Activities & Book Talk Teasers

Students can use the same questions that Maira Kalman uses in her book to research and write a biography about another president or famous person:

Who was he?
What did he think about?
What did he love?
What did he hate?
How is he/will he be remembered forever?

In “Looking for Lincoln Through his Words,” PBS provides a unit for students to explore how Abraham Lincoln used the power of words in speeches, letters and other documents:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/lookingforlincoln/lessons/looking-for-lincoln-through-his-words/lesson-overview/230/

Lincoln had a love of poetry.  Students can write poems about Abraham Lincoln or about some of his ideas. Resources to use:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/lincolnpoetry
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/prespoetry/al.html

Poems written about Lincoln: http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/education/poems.htm

Lincoln’s favorite poem:
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/education/knox.htm

Students can investigate the life of Lincoln by focusing on his attributes as a learner and leader in “Abraham Lincoln – Great Learner/Great Leader” Lesson Plan from the National Park Service:
http://www.nps.gov/abli/forteachers/lesson-plan-one.htm

Scholastic provides a collection of lesson plans and resources for everything you need to learn about Abraham Lincoln:  http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/unit/abraham-lincoln-everything-you-need

Lesson Plan from Round Rock ISD: https://www.roundrockisd.org/modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=39631
https://www.roundrockisd.org/modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=39639

Students become news reporters and the teacher is Abraham Lincoln in this lesson plan, “A Press Conference with Abraham Lincoln” by Francis Sicius found in Beacon Lesson Plan Library by Beacon Learning Center: http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/Lessons/1798.htm

Research the technique of using gouache paints.  Students can create their own painting using this technique.  Some places to begin: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/239931/gouache
http://painting.about.com/od/artglossaryg/g/defgouache.htm

A video on how to paint with gouache:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IX2wALgtwXY

Abraham Lincoln Printables:
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/freeprintables/ss/lincolnprint.htm

Pro Teacher – Abraham Lincoln Lesson Plans:
http://www.proteacher.com/090158.shtml

Looking for Lincoln Interactive Maps:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/lookingforlincoln/category/interactives/maps/

Lincoln Craft Ideas:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/presidentsday/
http://www.craftsforkids.com/projects/abe_lincoln_bank.htm
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/holidays/p/Abraham_Lincoln_Birthday.htm
http://www.tipjunkie.com/all-crafts/presidents-day-activities/
http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/AbrahamLincoln.html
http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/mlincoln.html

Make Lincoln’s favorite cake. Recipe for Mary Todd Lincoln’s Vanilla Cake:
http://jamarattigan.com/2009/02/12/happy-birthday-abe/

 

Book Talk Teaser

Meet the author Book Reading on TeachingBooks.net (Maira Kalman introduces and shares some of the backstory for creating Looking at Lincoln and reads an excerpt):
http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=7234&a=1