At Classical Learner, we teach students to go back to primary documents and how to read first-hand accounts. Hearing directly from someone who witnessed an event is more reputable of a source than hearing from someone talking about the event they heard about. Once your child understand how to use their own critical thinking and discernment, they will be able to hear from different sides and weigh the evidence at hand. We believe this is the best way to study history.
With this method in mind, we’ve prepared a simple lesson plan for your homeschooler studying early American History. This lesson plan will help develop strong moral character and a better understanding of the Founding Fathers.
First, assign reading of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, noting his “Thirteen Necessary Virtues”:
Also read George Washington Rules for Civility, noting President Washington’s 110 rules:
Challenge the student to form his own personal code of standards and define what it means to be an honorable man (or woman.)
Here are a few ideas:
- Write an essay outlining these values and code of standards.
- Create a poster with these values and display in the child’s room.
- Repeat this assignment at the beginning of the year or new school year and note how the list changes each year.
If you prefer a physical copy of the books, we’ve linked their Amazon listings. However, books that are older than 90 years are entered into the public domain and are free to read online. You can read Franklin’s Autobiography and George Washington’s Rules of Civility from any device of your choosing. Learning to navigate the internet is an important skill, as well.
We’ve created a course on the Founding Fathers doing a deep dive into their lives and their beliefs. This video course uses their stories to teach about sourcing and getting back to primary documents. Understanding these concepts about the founding of America is a key component in understanding your own rights.
Brett Pike is the Author of the Cubs to Bears book series.
He is also the creator of Classical Learner’s Homeschools Connected community & curriculum – bringing together thousands of like minded people and providing them the resources to give their kids an education worthy of freedom. You can learn more about Homeschools Connected here.