Life With the Lincolns Activity Notepad
A Learning On-Line Learning Activity Page by Howard Taylor
. . . Living with the Thomas Lincoln Family "Activity"
A History On-Line Learning Activity Page
by Howard Taylor

From the stories of Dennis Hanks, 2nd Cousin of Abraham Lincoln, who lived with the Lincolns until after entering Illinois

 

INTRODUCTION

    The Thomas and Nancy Lincoln family was composed of the parents, Sarah, Abraham and later Dennis Hanks, cousin.  Thomas Lincoln died at birth.  The family grieved the loss of baby Thomas before leaving their home in Kentucky.
    In this activity students will read from three books and then use some Internet sites to figure out what life was like in the time of Abraham Lincoln as a young boy and man.

LEARNERS
    This activity is planned for the Primary Grades (late 1st through 3rd Grades, and possibly 4th Grade).  The learners should be able to read and comprehend the books listed as resources in this activity.
STANDARDS
    This activity will help to achieve goals in Reading, Writing, Language Arts and the Fine Arts.  You can connect practically any of the Illinois Learning Standards to this lesson, and adopt the activity to your own curriculum and content.  In otherwords, this activity allows freedom of the teacher to use it as you would like, and connect to standards as you see the connection.
PROCESS
    Using a combination of print books, and selected websites on the Hotlist, students will  compile information on a special Notepad .  A simple "acknowlegement of source" format will be used on the form, to help students learn to give credit to sources at an early age.  The teacher should stress "not copying" but "re-writing" from source material.

    Teachers may want to do this on-line project with small groups.  Be sure to have a heterogenous group of ability, with a job for all members.  One member of the group could be the recorder of information, another the "Internet Specialist," another head "artist."  You can invent your own group jobs.

    The Thomas Lincoln Family Project is planned for students to enter back into the time of being a pioneer child, and learn about the things a child back then would do and have.  The students will hopefully gain a deep respect and knowledge of how tough life was in pioneer life.  Secondly, they will gain an understanding of the life of Abraham Lincoln as a child and young man.

FINAL PRODUCT
    Each individual or group should end up with a technology (computer/software) generated product in which the information gained from the research can be displayed and reported.  Here are some suggestions that would be really nice:
 
  • Student or Group word processor created book with computer images from the Internet, original art scanned.  The text can be typed in the word processor, images attached, and printed.
  • Student or Group Hyperstudio or Power Point presentation.
  • Student or Group dioramas produced with some computer printed images, original art, found objects-- but with information gained from the Internet and the books
  • A class play (real actors or puppets), written and produced by the students with information gained from their research
EVALUATION
   Using a simple rubric that includes the goals/objectives of your own project with methods and media of doing it would make the best assessment tool.
THE RESOURCES
Books:
Ann McGovern, ". . .If You Grew Up With Abraham Lincoln"  Illustrated by George Ulrich, Scholastic, Inc. 1992, ISBN 0-500-45154-5

Lloyd Ostendorf, "Abraham Lincoln The Boy The Man"  Illustrated by Lloyd Ostendorf, Phillip H. Wagner, Publisher, Wagner Office Systems, 2800-2 S. 6th St. 62703  1962

Amy L. Cohn & Suzy Schmidt, "Abraham Lincoln"  Pictures by David A. Johnson  Scholastic Press, N.Y.  ISBN 0-590-93566-6

 


HOTLIST
RESOURCES
Lincoln Timeline
At Home on the Prairie
Knob Creek
Sinking Spring
(Birthplace)
Lincoln's Parents

  If you want more Internet Sites about Lincoln,
go to our Abe Lincoln Resource Hotlist

Return to Our
"In Lincoln's Family Learning Activity Page"