Famous Americans
People Who Made A Difference....

 

Introduction

Helen Keller, American Author and Educator who was blind and deaf once said “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved." * Many famous Americans have used their own difficulities to inspire and lead themselves and others to success. Their success cannot be attributed to wealth, intelligence, or personality. It could only be explained by their perserverance and strength of character.

*from http://en.thinkexist.com/quotations/character/3.html

Tasks

After learning about the attributes of good character and several famous Americans, your task will be to create a character report card and "grade" a chosen historical figure according to the Northside Pillars of Character, justifying each grade.

Process

Step 1: Learn about character from this character counts website. Using the SFA Pillar graphic organizer chart, list one or two definitions for each of the character attributes.

Step 2: Find out about the lives of a chosen famous American, paying particular attention to character attributes that he/she may have shown. As you read about them jot down those characteristics under the correct character heading on your graphic organizer

Step 3: After choosing one of the Americans above, set-up and enter grades for that person for each of the 6 attributes.

Intelligences in the Basic Project

Researching character and the different Americans, as well as justifying "grades"- verbal/linguistic, The creation of the report card, as well as the assigment of a grade (quantifying quantity/quality of attribute) as well as the collection aspect of the research project are all logical/mathematical. Use of self evaluation would extend project into intrapersonal intelligence. Completion of the project itself on the computer using keyboard and mouse would put the project into the bodily/kinesthetic intelligence. The final question (What in their opinion was the most important contribution to mankind by this person?) draws on the Existentialist (big picture) intelligence.

Additional Optional Intelligence Activities

You might also add these activities to meet more of the intelligences:

Timeline of the Americans life- Visual/Spatial Intelligence
Powerpoint "Scrapbook" of how the American displayed character attributes- Visual Spatial Intelligence
Using groups of students who have chosen the same person- let them come to "consensus" as to what grade should be assigned using discussion and debate.
(Naturalist and Musical Rhythmic intelligences would not be addressed here.

 

 

Evaluation

Use one of the following evaluation tools to "grade your own work," that of a peer, or see how your teacher will score you.

 

Conclusion

What did you learn about character and how that affects success and happiness? Write a short quote of your own (one sentence) and submit it for our own "Character Quote" page.

 

Teacher Resources

Credits

Taken from the NISD Grade 3 Modern Communities Unit Materials,
Lesson 11, "People Make a Difference."
Note: The Pillars SFA chart has been modified to include a row
to list definitions for the character attributes.

 

Image: "Cesar Chavez." Artist: Dick Strandberg from
http://www.incwell.com/Biographies/Chavez.html