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LESSON MINI

Meeting Abraham Lincoln

Grade:

K-2

Topic:

People

Unit:

Historical Figures
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Overview

A statue of the Lincoln Memorial.
© Jon Hicks—Stone/Getty Images

In this lesson mini, students learn about the life of Abraham Lincoln through the use of an age-appropriate informational text. Students practice early reading skills while learning about this important historical figure. They engage with the informational text to identify key details about Lincoln’s life and his presidency. Through guided reading, discussions, and simple comprehension activities, students develop their understanding of both Lincoln and basic informational text features.

Ideas for Implementation
Social Studies
Literacy
Library media
Learning centers
Intervention or enrichment
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Key Vocabulary & Definitions
Abraham Lincoln (noun): the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1860 to 1865, including during the Civil War
civil war (noun): a war in which people from the same country fight against each other
country (noun): a large area of land where people live under the same government and follow the same laws
enslaved (adjective): forced to work; not free
the North (noun): the states that stayed in the United States during the Civil War
president (noun): the leader elected to lead the U.S. government
the South (noun): the states that tried to leave the United States during the Civil War
United States (noun): a country in North America
Authentic Learning Extensions
Authentic learning opportunities for studying Abraham Lincoln involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help students understand Abraham Lincoln’s life meaningfully. Here are some examples:
Additional Hands-On Options: Set up active learning stations so that students can experience aspects of Lincoln’s life. At one station, they can build log cabins with blocks to understand his childhood home. At another, they can practice writing by (pretend) candlelight, just as young Lincoln did when learning to read and write. Students can also draw an outline of a top hat on paper, draw pictures inside the hat outline showing what they learned about Lincoln, and then share their “hat stories” with classmates.
Classroom Activities: Engage students in a picture-based activity using images from Britannica School, ImageQuest, or another royalty-free resource. Show simple images of ways Lincoln helped others, such as by keeping our country together. Create a class poster on which students draw pictures of Lincoln’s helpful actions. Students can then add drawings that show how they help others today, making a connection between Lincoln’s kindness and their own lives.
Museum Learning: Visit a museum or historical site and encourage students to become “Lincoln detectives.” Divide the class into small groups, and give each group a picture card showing something to find, such as Lincoln’s top hat or a log cabin home. Or give students a simple scavenger hunt sheet with pictures and basic words to guide their search. After finding their items, students can draw what they discovered and share with the class in a show-and-tell format.

Choose Activity

Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
3
Meeting Abraham Lincoln

Activity

1:

Learning About President Abraham Lincoln

By the end of the activity, students will be able to define key vocabulary related to Abraham Lincoln’s life and use it in a sentence.

20-30

Minutes

Materials

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per student pair)
Images of the current president, Abraham Lincoln, and other past presidents
Whiteboard and display
Writing utensils

Resources

Abraham Lincoln handout (one per student)
Britannica Library Abraham Lincoln article (one printed copy per student pair or on a shared device) https://library.eb.com/levels/early/article/Abraham-Lincoln/635491
K-W-L graphic organizer
1
Tell students that today they’ll learn about a former president of the United States. Show images of the current and past presidents using Britannica Library, ImageQuest Jr., or another royalty-free resource. Ask these questions:
What is a president?
What does a president do?
Who are some presidents?
2
Explain that in the United States the president is the country’s leader. Show a picture of Abraham Lincoln from the resource used in step 1. Tell students that this is Abraham Lincoln, the president they’ll learn about today, and that he was president from 1861 to 1865.
3
Display the K-W-L graphic organizer and explain what K-W-L means: K is for what we know, W is for what we want to know, and L is for what we learned. Use the displayed graphic organizer or create one on the board, and collaborate with students to complete the K and W sections.
4
Tell students that they’ll read an article about Abraham Lincoln as a whole class. After each part of the article, they’ll help add what they learned to the L section of the organizer. They will also play a word game later.
5
Display the Abraham Lincoln article, and ask students to look at the pictures and section headings in the article. Ask the following questions:
What do you think we’ll learn about Abraham Lincoln from these pictures?
What do you think we’ll learn about in each section of the article?
As students share, continue to add to the W column of the K-W-L graphic organizer.
6
Read the article together, stopping after each section to ask, “What did we just learn about Abraham Lincoln?” Add student responses to the L column of the graphic organizer.
7
Tell students they will now play a word game with a partner. Give each pair of students two copies of the Abraham Lincoln handout, and explain that they need to choose the right word to complete each sentence. They should each fill out their own copy of the handout. They can look for answers in the Abraham Lincoln article as needed (using printed copies or shared devices). Once complete, review the words as a whole class, celebrating correct answers and helping with any mistakes.
8
To wrap up the activity, ask students the following questions. Praise students for their answers and new knowledge about Abraham Lincoln. Remind them that learning about presidents helps us understand our country’s history.
What is one important thing Abraham Lincoln did as president?
Why do you think we still remember Abraham Lincoln today?
If you could ask Abraham Lincoln one question, what would it be?
Front-Load the Topic: Generating questions for a K-W-L chart can be difficult when a student has limited background knowledge about a topic. Consider meeting with a small group of students prior to the lesson to build background knowledge about Abraham Lincoln, making connections to previous learning. This will help students generate relevant questions to guide and focus their reading.
Visual Aids: During the word game, provide images or simple illustrations that depict each word’s meaning. This visual support helps students better understand and remember the vocabulary by connecting the word to a concrete image, which can significantly aid comprehension and retention. Additionally, visuals can help bridge language barriers by providing context clues directly related to the word, making it easier for students to participate actively and confidently in the activity.
Interactive Story Cloze: Instead of using the sentences in the Abraham Lincoln handout, write a short history of the Civil War that incorporates multiple new vocabulary words. Each vocabulary word would appear as a blank within the story. Invite students to fill in the blanks and then read the completed story aloud. This gives students a sense of how each word is used in context as well as how it relates to other key terms.
Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Team Teaching strategy. In this model, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching,” both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly. This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.
Activity Introduction: Both teachers introduce presidents and Abraham Lincoln.
K-W-L Graphic Organizer: Both teachers prompt students to suggest items for the K-W-L chart. One teacher scribes, and the other teacher models possible answers when necessary. They continue to add to the chart throughout the activity.
Article Reading: Teachers alternate reading sections of the article aloud, pausing to discuss and add information to the L column of the K-W-L chart.
Word Game Activity: One teacher explains the activity while the other distributes materials. Both teachers circulate, providing support and clarification as students work.
Activity Wrap-Up: Teachers take turns asking wrap-up questions and facilitating the final discussion. One teacher can lead the discussion while the other records key points on the board.
Meeting Abraham Lincoln

Activity

2:

Lincoln’s Story Sort

By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify connections between key features of Abraham Lincoln’s life and career.

20-30

Minutes

Materials

Images of Abraham Lincoln
Whiteboard and display
Writing utensils

Resources

Abraham Lincoln Hexagonal Clusters (one set for teacher display)
Britannica Library Abraham Lincoln article https://library.eb.com/levels/early/article/Abraham-Lincoln/635491
Hexagonal Clusters instructional strategy
Prepare for the Activity:
a)
Cut out one set of Abraham Lincoln Hexagonal Clusters to use as an example.
b)
Review the Hexagonal Clusters instructional strategy.
1
Display three or four large, clear pictures of Abraham Lincoln in different settings (for example, as a young man reading, as president, as the subject of the Lincoln Memorial). Consider choosing pictures from Britannica Library, ImageQuest Jr., or another royalty-free resource. The following questions can be used to activate student thinking:
Who is this man?
What can you guess about him from these pictures?
What do you wonder about this man?
2
Point to each picture and tell students that the man in the picture is Abraham Lincoln. The pictures show parts of his life. Guide students to notice specific details in each picture, such as Lincoln’s tall hat, his beard, and what he’s doing.
3
Tell students that today they will read an informational article about Abraham Lincoln. Then they will play a game to show what they learned about his life.
4
Read the Abraham Lincoln article aloud or use the read-aloud feature, stopping after each section to ask the following questions:
“Introduction”: Who was Abraham Lincoln?
“Early Life”: How did Abraham Lincoln learn when he was a kid?
“Lincoln as President”: What was happening in the United States while Abraham Lincoln was president? What did Abraham Lincoln want to happen during the Civil War?
“Remembering Lincoln”: What is one thing Abraham Lincoln did when he was president?
5
Tell students they will be using what they learned about Abraham Lincoln to complete a Hexagonal Clusters instructional strategy as a class. Explain that they will work together with you using the Abraham Lincoln Hexagonal Clusters.
6
Hold up each hexagon and read it aloud, making observations and asking questions such as these:
Where should we put the United States hexagon? Near what other words?
The South goes here. What other words tell us about the South?
When we put these words together, they tell a part of Abraham Lincoln’s story.
7
Praise students for their efforts, emphasizing that there are many correct ways to group these words and that there is no one right answer. Share a few examples of other possible groupings. Do this by arranging the hexagonal clusters into various different groups.
8
To wrap up the activity and assess students’ learning, ask students, “What is one new thing you learned about Abraham Lincoln?”
Sentence Stems: Provide sentence stems to assist students in explaining connections, such as these:
I think ___ and ___ are connected because ___.
___ caused ___, so they are connected.
___ and ___ are both ___.
Digital Clusters: Creating a digital version of the hexagonal clusters can enable students to create a “before reading” and “after reading” version for comparison, or to build on their cluster across several lessons in a unit.
Alternative Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to an Alternative Teaching strategy. In this model, one teacher instructs most of the class while the other works with a small group of students who need specialized attention or remediation. This provides targeted instruction for students who need extra help, ensuring they can keep up with their peers. It also allows for enrichment activities for advanced students, addressing diverse learning needs and ensuring that all students receive the appropriate level of challenge and support. Studies have shown that differentiated instruction significantly benefits students who have varied learning needs, leading to more equitable educational outcomes.
Activity Introduction: The teacher instructing most of the class follows the activity plan above. The teacher working with the small group shows the pictures of Abraham Lincoln and talks through each one. The teacher might ask guiding questions such as “What is Abraham Lincoln doing in that picture?” “What is going on around him?” “Does he look happy? Sad? Worried? Why do you think he feels that way?” or “From this picture, what do you think Abraham Lincoln’s job was?”
Article Reading: Both teachers read the Abraham Lincoln article aloud to their groups. The teacher working with the smaller group may read more slowly and pause more frequently to ask comprehension questions and model thinking about important sentences.
Hexagonal Clusters Activity: Each teacher engages their whole group in the Hexagonal Clusters activity.
Activity Wrap-Up: The small group rejoins the class, and the two groups compare and explain their clusters.
Meeting Abraham Lincoln

Activity

3:

Lincoln Puzzle

By the end of the activity, students will be able to research and teach others about one stage of Abraham Lincoln’s life.

20-30

Minutes

Materials

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per group)
Whiteboard and display
Writing utensils

Resources

Britannica Library Abraham Lincoln article (one printed copy per group or on a shared device) https://library.eb.com/levels/early/article/Abraham-Lincoln/635491
Lincoln Puzzle Pieces (one set per group and one for teacher display)
Puzzle Notes handout (one per student and one for teacher display)
Prepare for the Activity: Print one set of Lincoln Puzzle Pieces for each group and one for teacher display and cut out the pieces. Set aside.
1
Introduce the activity by telling students they will complete a puzzle about Abraham Lincoln.
2
Divide the class into small groups (three or four students each), and distribute a set of Lincoln Puzzle Pieces to each group, inviting them to work together to put the puzzle together. Model how to work together:
a)
Spread out all your pieces.
b)
Look for edges and corners.
c)
Take turns trying to fit pieces into the puzzle.
3
Invite students to share their completed puzzles with the class. Encourage them to look at the completed image and answer the following questions:
Who do you see in your picture?
What is happening in your picture?
4
Explain that the man in the puzzles is Abraham Lincoln. Consider saying, “This is Abraham Lincoln. He was president a long time ago. Each group has a different part of his life in their puzzle! You’re going to become experts about your part of his story and then teach your friends.”
5
Give each student a Puzzle Notes handout corresponding to their group’s puzzle (whether it reflects his early life or his presidency). Guide students to complete the handout using the Abraham Lincoln article (printed copies or on shared devices):
a)
Read the section of the article named on their puzzle.
b)
Draw a picture of Abraham Lincoln in his early life or as president, depending on the handout they receive.
c)
Write three facts about Abraham Lincoln’s early life or his presidency, depending on the handout.
6
Circulate among the groups to keep students on task and provide support. Use the following questions to prompt students:
“Early Life”
How did Abraham Lincoln learn as a child?
Why was he called “Honest Abe?”
“Lincoln as President”
What’s one thing Abraham Lincoln did when he was president?
How can you show that in your picture?
“Remembering Lincoln”
How do many people remember Abraham Lincoln?
What’s something else you know about Abraham Lincoln?
7
Encourage students to find a partner who completed a different puzzle and share what they learned with their partner. Tell students that now they are going to be teachers! Consider using a simple structure:
a)
Partner A shares for one minute.
b)
Partner B asks one question.
c)
Switch roles.
8
Wrap up the activity by creating a Lincoln timeline with the class. Have groups post their handouts on a classroom timeline, in the order in which the events shown occurred in Lincoln’s life. Celebrate their work as “Lincoln experts.”
One Puzzle: Consider giving all groups the “Lincoln as President” puzzle. Read the “Introduction” and “Early Life” sections as a class before releasing students to work on the Puzzle Notes handout. Then read the “Remembering Lincoln” section together as a class. This allows students to discuss and share knowledge as a class as they work.
Caption the Image: During the puzzle activity, invite groups to identify one sentence from the text that describes what is happening in their pictures. This supports students making text-to-text connections.
Act It Out: Invite groups to act out the notes they took on their handouts, with one student acting as the narrator. For example, if the narrator says, “Abraham Lincoln learned by reading,” members of the group might pretend to read a book. This engages learners who learn best through movement.
Parallel Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Parallel Teaching strategy. In this model, the class is divided into two groups, and each teacher delivers the same activity simultaneously to their group. This reduces the student-teacher ratio, allowing for more interaction and individualized attention. With smaller groups, students are more likely to participate actively and receive immediate feedback, which fosters a deeper understanding of the content and promotes a more engaging learning experience. Evidence suggests that small-group instruction leads to increased student engagement and improved academic outcomes.
Meeting Abraham Lincoln

Activity

4:

Minutes

Materials

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Resources

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Meeting Abraham Lincoln

Activity

5:

Minutes

Materials

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Resources

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INTERNAL
Prepare for the Activity:
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a)
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum .
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