Tuesday, February 22, 2011

George Washington, the first president of the United States, was born this day in 1732

George Washington (1732 – 1799) was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775–1783, and he presided over the writing of the Constitution in 1787. As the unanimous choice to serve as the first President of the United States (1789–1797), he developed the forms and rituals of government that have been used ever since, such as using a cabinet system and delivering an inaugural address. As President, he built a strong, well-financed national government that avoided war, suppressed rebellion and won acceptance among Americans of all types, and Washington is now known as the "Father of his country".

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: The Making Of Our First President
Subject: U.S. History
Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will understand how General Washington's early military career influenced the making of George Washington the president.
Concepts / Vocabulary: edict, skirmish, squire, terrain, ultimatum
Grade Level: 9-12
Materials: Reference materials of Washington's early military experience; computers with access to the Internet.
Time Needed: Two 50-minute class periods
Provided by: Discovery Education (Credit: Summer Productions, Inc.)
Link: http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/the-making-of-our-first-president.cfm

 

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

James Joyce was born this day in 1882

James Joyce (1882 – 1941) was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century. Joyce is best known for Ulysses (1922), a landmark novel which perfected his stream of consciousness technique and combined nearly every literary device available in a modern re-telling of The Odyssey. Other major works are the short-story collection Dubliners (1914), and the novels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Finnegans Wake (1939), and his complete oeuvre includes three books of poetry, a play, occasional journalism, and his published letters.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: Writing Lyric Poetry
Subject: English / Language Arts
Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will:
- Read and discuss the poem
- Recall and interpret facts and extend meanings
- Respond to critical opinion about the poem
- Analyze lyric poetry and the use of stylistic devices in a poem
Grade Level: 9-12
Materials: The poems: "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordworth , "I Hear an Army" by James Joyce, "The Sky is Low" by Emily Dickinson, "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman, "Women" by Alice Walker, "maggie and milly and molly and may" by E.E. Cumming, "Dream Deferred"& "Dreams" by Langston Hughes.
Time Needed: Two 50-minute class periods
Provided by: SchoolLink (Author: B. Wu, Murry Bergtraum HS, New York, NY)
Link: http://www.schoollink.org/csd/pages/engl/lyricpoe.html