What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?

1) Introducing the Literature

Tap Prior Knowledge
Ask students if they have ever learned about a fellow named Benjamin Franklin. Students may remember that Franklin lived in America around the time of its independence from England, and that he was a great inventor. Write any ideas students generate on the board.

Apply Total Physical Response
Open your book to page 544 and hold up the picture of Benjamin Franklin for students. Point to the picture as you read the following sentences. Have students pantomime each sentence as they repeat it.

Develop Language: Plural Nouns
On the board, write Ben Franklin had a big idea. Then write, Ben Franklin had lots of good ideas. Point out that you made "idea" plural by adding an "s" onto the end. Write some nouns from the story that have simple plural forms on the board, like book, joke, year, bottle, town, audience. Challenge students to make them plural. Then write some nouns with irregular plural forms on the board, like family, child, person. Use these in sentences and then ask students to make the nouns plural in the sentences. For example, The child went to school. The children went to school. Write out each noun/plural noun pair on the board.

Develop Oral Language
Write this poem on the board, and underline the concept words.
Read the poem aloud.
Holding on to kite and key,
Ben did find electricity.
His rod caught bolts of lightning
But to an inventor, this wasn't frightening.
He had a humorous style,
An arguer with a smile.

Display the Concept Words
humorous rod kite key inventor arguer

Write the concept words on the board. Ask which word answers each question.

Reread
Invite students to read the poem with you. Pause to have students read the concept words.

[Reaching All Learners logo]

EARLY PRODUCTION Have students name some things that inventors have invented.

REPRODUCIBLE STUDENT ACTIVITY PAGE Use page 159 to help students better understand selection concepts and concept words.

2) Responding to the Literature

Comprehension Check
These questions can serve as models to help you meet the needs of students with various language levels.

Leveled Questions

PREPRODUCTION Does Ben Franklin live comfortably while in England and France? (yes)

EARLY PRODUCTION What game does Ben sometimes play all night long? (chess)

SPEECH EMERGENCE Why did Ben leave England? (He was frustrated with England's taxation of the colonies, and the British government made fun of him.)

INTERMEDIATE FLUENCY Do you think Ben did more for the United States as an inventor or statesman? Why? (Responses will vary.)

[Reaching All Learners logo]

PREPRODUCTION/EARLY PRODUCTION Read and discuss the meanings of the sentences in Part A of page 162. Then work with students to complete Part A.

SPEECH EMERGENCE/INTERMEDIATE FLUENCY Have students complete page 162 independently. Ask them to work with partners to discuss the completed page.

Vocabulary Study: Sayings
Have students turn to pages 546-547 in the story. Reread together the sayings Ben Franklin put in his almanac or copy them onto the board. Point out that one of the reasons the sayings were so popular and lasted for hundreds of years is that they were so simple and short.

Encourage students to write their own brief sayings. They can write them on index cards and decorate the cards with fancy borders or simple art. Display the sayings around the classroom.

Real-Life Skill: Lights Out!
Remind students that Ben Franklin and other scientists of his time were experimenting with generating and storing electricity. Ask, What did they do with the electricity? (not much more than parlor tricks) Then ask how we use electricity today. (lights, power for appliances, electronics) Come up with a class list of all the different ways students use electricity at home and at school every day.

Leveled Questions

SPEECH EMERGENCE/INTERMEDIATE FLUENCY
• What do you do when you come home and the house is cold and dark? (turn on the lights and heat)
• Where do you get electricity to run the vacuum cleaner or hair dryer in your house? (from the outlet in the wall)
• What would you turn on if you wanted to hear music? (the radio or CD player)
• What would life be like without electricity? (Answers will vary.)