Indiana Humanities Council

Poems of Early Indiana in Abraham Lincoln's Own Words

Lesson Plan by Virginia Smith
Battle Ground Elementary School, Battle Ground, Indiana

Designed for 4^th Graders

Description:

This lesson plan relates to Indiana history at fourth grade and the Lincolns as a typical pioneer family in the beginnings of the early statehood time. The students will study Lincoln's “Word Choice” and the facts and emotions he expresses in his poems, My Childhood's Home and The Bear Hunt.

Even though Abraham Lincoln wrote these poems in 1844, 14 years after he had left Indiana and when he was no longer a youngster, they are about his home and the pioneer Indiana where he grew up.

The first poem, My Childhood's Home, talks about his growing up on the frontier. Studying it we will find out about the early frontier times though Lincoln's own words. The second one we'll study is The Bear Hunt. It is a very funny poem describing an exciting day of a bear hunt.

Even though this lesson has a Language Arts focus the students will gain an insight into the emotions Abraham Lincoln expresses in his poems about the Indiana where he grew up.

Objectives:

1. Students will explore the childhood of Lincoln and pioneer life in early Indiana.

2. Students will respond to literature in writing.

3. Students will write in the style of historical fiction.

4. Students will identify Lincoln as a writer.

5. Students will explore samples of Lincoln's writing.

6. Students will explore how the pioneer community in Indiana influenced Lincoln.

Academic Standards

Social Studies Standards Covered:

4.1.6 Explain how key individuals and events influenced the early growth of the new state of Indiana.

4.3.8 . . . identify ways in which settlers have changed the landscape of Indiana over the past two hundred years.

4.5.1 Identify ways that social groups influence individual behavior and responsibilities.
Example: When people belong to a group they usually interact with each other frequently and follow the rules of the group.

4.5.2 Identify the different types of social groups to which people belong and the functions these groups perform.
Example: Social groups may have social, religious, recreational, cultural, educational, service, civic, political, or other functions.

Language Arts Standards Covered:

4.1.1 Read aloud grade-level-appropriate literary and informational texts with fluency and accuracy and with appropriate timing, changes in voice, and expression.

4.1.7 Use context to determine the meaning of unknown words.

4.3.5 Define figurative language, such as similes, metaphors, hyperbole, or personification, and identify its use in literary works.

Simile: a comparison that uses like or as
Metaphor: an implied comparison
Hyperbole: an exaggeration for effect
Personification: a description that represents a thing as a person

4.5.2 Write responses to literature that:

demonstrate an understanding of a literary work.
support statements with evidence from the text.

Objectives and Lesson Focus:

The student will analyze Lincoln's Word Choice and deepen an understanding of the vocabulary he uses to convey his emotions.
The student will find the words that rhyme and name the rhyming pattern.
Using a T-Chart, the poem on one side and comments on the other, the students will write a comment for each stanza about its meaning. (Even though some stanzas may be easier for fourth graders to grasp an idea or emotions, the experience will give the student practice thinking about the language of poetry and in particular Lincoln's writing.)
The student will classify examples of figurative writing: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification.
The student will choose a stanza to read for a choral reading.
The student will practice reading his/her stanza for fluency and perform it.

Introduction and Setting the Stage:

The following books could also be a related connection with this time period and tell a wonderful story of pioneers and/or a bear hunt:

The Bears of Blue River by Charles Major

Log Cabin in the Woods by Joanne Landers Henry (there's a bear hunt chapter)

The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward

“Two Big Bears” by Laura Ingalls Wilder (chapter in Little House in the Big Woods )

Scott Russell Sanders books: The Floating House, Aurora Means Dawn, Warm as Wool, Here Comes the Mystery Man

Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman

Abe Lincoln Grows Up by Carl Sandburg

Young Abe Lincoln: His Teenage Years in Indiana by W. Fred Conway

Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters and Nancy Carpenter

The Abraham Lincoln You Never Knew b y James Lincoln Collier

Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days, 1809 - 1837 by Cheryl Harness

Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln by Jean Fritz

Abraham Lincoln: The Boy, the Man by Lloyd Ostendorf

If You Grew Up with Abraham Lincoln by Ann McGovern

After reading Log Cabin in the Woods and/or the chapter on the “Bear Hunt,” the student will study Abraham Lincoln's poem of the same idea. The lesson, emphasizing the trait of “word choice,” will give the student the opportunity to “connect emotionally” with this famous Indiana pioneer. The words Lincoln chooses express this emotion and memory of his home and hunt.

Instructional Plan:

This plan would take up to 5-6 days of mini-lessons of 10-30 minute lessons each. Some mini-lessons could be done in part or in this sequence using part or all of the online student module.

Read Log Cabin in the Woods, the story of Oliver Johnson, an actual Indiana family in Indianapolis. (This will take several days. Afterwards or during the story make the connection with Pioneer Lincoln through these poems.) Or read any of the Lincoln stories listed above.
Teacher reads the Lincoln poems, My Childhood's Home and The Bear Hunt, connecting Lincoln to this time period. (Or listen to the poems read in the student module.) (1 day)
Reread the poems the next day with the students having their own copy printed on a T-Chart. This will allow notes to be recorded. (Use the website again to hear the poem read.) Link to Childhood Home Response Sheet. Link to Bear Hunt Response Sheet. ( 1 day)
The student circles words unknown, or well-suited words to discuss with the class. (The online student module may be used again. The tab labeled "Word Sleuth" offers vocabulary helps to enhance the understanding of Lincoln's word choice.) (1 day)
Note figurative writing: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, and onomatopoeia. Mark these with the students in a variety of colors. Label and discuss the poetic ideas. This is done together teaching the poetic forms (mini-lesson on figurative language). Poetry vocabulary study cards may be used. (1 day)
The student writes a comment or point of each stanza that will be a topic of discussion. (1-2 days)
These poems will be read/reread in 10-minute sessions for several days allowing the student time to meditate on the word choices and emotions. (Use the web site to read/reread with the helps and dramatic readings.)
Discuss words circled and comments recorded on individual T-Charts. (20 min)
Choose stanza to read for fluency and a choral reading of each poem. (5 min)
Perform choral reading. (15 min)
Highlight favorite stanza and write a reaction to the stanza or the poem/poems as a whole. (1 day)
Take the format quiz ("Poetry Wizard" tab) in the online student module or with a printed copy of the quiz. Link to My Childhood's Home Quiz. Link to The Bear Hunt Quiz.

Evaluation:

Score at least 7/10 on format quiz.
Fluently read a stanza of choice.
Write reasonable comments on 20 of the stanzas from either poem. 20/20=A+
Write a response with at least 3 details about a stanza or the poem in its entirety