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DAY 4
Social Studies in Reading
OBJECTIVES
  • Examine features of proverbs.
  • Practice a test-taking strategy.
  • Compare and contrast across texts.
PREVIEW
Have students preview Ben Franklin's Little Words to Live By. After they preview ask:
  • What do you think you will read about in this selection? (The selection will be about sayings/ proverbs by Benjamin Franklin.)
Link to Social Studies
Tell students that an almanac is a yearly book that contains a wide variety of current and historical information. You may wish to show students a modern example of an almanac.
Whole Group Discuss the Question of the Day.
Group Time
Differentiated Instruction
Read "Ben Franklin's Little
Words to Live By." See
pp. 42f–42g for the small group lesson plan.
Reading
Language Arts
Use pp. 63e–63h, 63k–63m.
Whole Group Use pp. 63a,
63j.
DAY 4
Grouping Options
PROVERBS
Use the sidebar on p. 62 to guide discussion.
  • Tell students that a proverb is a short, wise saying that teaches a lesson.
  • Explain that many proverbs are old, and they often use old-fashioned language.
  • Discuss with students the meanings of the proverbs on this page.
Audio CD
AudioText

Summarize
Students' summaries should list his pursuits.
CONNECT TEXT TO TEXT
Reading Across Texts
Help students understand that the sayings on p. 59 are proverbs similar in style to those listed on p. 62.
Writing Across Texts Tell students that comparisons can list similarities and differences.
Social Studies in Reading
Link to Social
Studies
Ben Franklin's Little Words to Live By
o you know any of these          
sayings? Short, catchy ideas
like these are called proverbs.
These sayings are meant to
teach a lesson.
     The proverbs on this page
are all alike in two ways. First,
they teach lessons about money
or greed. Second, they all come
from Ben Franklin.
     In the 1700s, Ben Franklin
wrote little books called Poor
Richard’s Almanack. The books
are filled with proverbs that
teach lessons Franklin thought
people should learn. He
believed in using money wisely
and working hard. Franklin tried
to practice these lessons himself.
     Ben Franklin did many
things besides writing his
Almanack. He started a hospital
and a library. He invented
helped with ideas for the
Declaration of Independence.
     Take another look at
Franklin’s proverbs. Think
about what they mean. Which
one teaches an important lesson
you could learn?
Genre
Many proverbs use
old-fashioned
language. This is
because they were
created many
years ago.
They have been
handed down over
many years.
Proverbs teach
a lesson.
Proverbs are short,
wise sayings based
on common sense.
Proverbs
Find Poor Richard’s
Almanack in the
library. Share other
interesting proverbs
with your class and
explain their meanings.
Try to rewrite them using modern language.
by Myka-Lynne Sokoloff
Reading Across Texts
What About Me? and Ben
Franklin’s proverbs all
teach lessons. How are the
lessons alike, and how are
they different?

Writing Across Texts
Choose a proverb.
Then think about What
About Me? Write a short
paragraph comparing the
two lessons you learned.
Sum up what you read about Ben Franklin.
Summarize
reading glasses. Franklin also
D
 
   
Close  
Content-Area Vocabulary: Social Studies
Declaration of Independence the statement written in 1776 that declared the people in the American colonies would rule themselves
wealthy rich
ELL
Extend Language Spanish speakers may be interested to know that proverbios is the Spanish-language cognate for proverbs and that there are many Spanish proverbs. Ask students to tell any Spanish proverbs they know.