Jan. 11, 2006: Ben Franklin From A to Z

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

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 Ben¹s 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 Franklin¹s inventions make our lives easier?
  
  

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)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)