ALITTLE HELP FOR YOU BEFORE YOU VISIT OR IF JUST TEACHING ABOUT BEN
SOME QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK YOUR STUDENTS
STATESMAN: Which important political documents did he sign?
Answer: He was the only founding father to sign all four documents that founded our country,
the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778 this
brought France into the revolutionary war, giving us the much needed and desired support).
the Treaty of Paris 1783 ending the Revolutionary War.
Inventor: Can you name several inventions of Benjamin Franklin's that are recognizable Today
Bifocals: he called them "double spectacles"
The Lighting rod: (results of his Kite experiment)
Glass Armonica: Musical instrument (this can be played on line)
Long arm: Used to take books off top shelf in his library (you call it a Grabber)
Swim fins: He invented these about age 7
Flexible Cather: Yes it is what you know and use today. His was made of Silver
Day Light Saving Time: He suggested this, but was never used in his time.
Scholar: Why was he such an avid reader?
While he had only 2 years of formal education, he explains in his pamphlet "The way to Wealth"
that the way to success is knowledge and to obtain that is to read
Family man 1: How many children where in his parents family?
There were 17 children born to his father, only 15 lived past the age of 5
Family man 2: Who did Benjamin marry and how many children did they have?
Benjamin married Deborah Read at the age of 24.
They had three children
William born in 1730 (Benjamin disowned him in 1784)
Francis born 1732 (the boy died of smallpox at the age of 4)
Sarah born ( they called her Sally) 1739 ( she was the only child of Benjamin to inherit in his will, her married name was Bache)
Can you name his only claimed occupation?
Printer "That is all I have ever Been"
Writer: What was Poor Richards Almanac?
Most printers printed an almanac , this was the one printed by Franklin. He included short stories in his almanac. this was a first.
He put words of wisdom in his almanac, this was the first time this was done.
Printer: Can you name his well known pseudonyms?
Silence Dogood, (used this name at age 16 to write letters to his brothers newspaper)
Polly Baker in Poor Richards Almanac
Scientist: What did he prove?
He charted the Gulf Stream, He was told of it as a river flowing in the ocean.
That lighting was static electricity (please make your students understand that he did not "discover" or "invent electricity (he called it wool coming electric).
What did he observe?
Vaccinations for Small Pox (his son Francis died of Small Pox because he did not get the Vaccination, Franklin always regretted this and blamed himself for his death)
Whirlwinds, how they formed and worked. He was the first real storm chaser.
The effects of colored cloth placed on snow. How different colors melted the snow and how darker colors melted the snow faster proving darker colored clothing will keep you warmer in winter and lighter colors are better in summer. This is an easy experiment you can do with your students.
Hot Air Balloons. He saw the first flight of a hot air balloon.
Self improvement advocate: How did he improve himself?
His whole life he strived to be better intellectually, morally and physically. He develop a list of 13 "virtues" and graded himself on them daily. He constantly tried to learn everything he could from books, experiments, and others. He may not have looked very fit in his older years , but he was an advocate for swimming (he was a excellent swimmer) and physical activity. Challenge your students to developed a plan for themselves covering the above and carry it through.
Community service: What services did he organize and found in Philadelphia?
Street lighting, Street paving, Sewer system (his still exist today), better Postal system(this was for the entire country)
FFire insurance, Lending Library.
Intuitions he help developed: College of Philadelphia (now called the University of Pennsylvania)
American Philosophical Society
First hospital in Philadelphia
Abolitionist Society of Philadelphia (he was elected the first president of the society)
Junto: a group of men formed to help one another (Junto could not have over 12 men other group could be started but only 12 members per group, one had to be from the core group
How do you think one man could do so much?
Open this up for a classroom discussion. You will be surprised at the answers!
I hope this page was of a help to you and your class. Your Humble Servant Benjamin Franklin