Mini-Lesson

American Presidents

Grades 4-6

Objective: Students will learn about U.S. Presidents.

1. After reading the article, High-Tech Five, ask: What U.S. President is on the five-dollar bill? What other Presidents are shown on bills and coins? If possible, show a few kinds of bills and pass around coins. Write responses on the board. (Answers include: George Washington: $1 bill and quarter; Thomas Jefferson: $2 bill and nickel; Abraham Lincoln: $5 bill and penny; Andrew Jackson: $20 bill; Ulysses S. Grant: $50 bill; Franklin Delano Roosevelt: dime; John F. Kennedy: 50-cent coin) Note: Note: Only three non-Presidents appear on U.S. paper money: Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, is on the $10 bill; Benjamin Franklin is on the $100 bill and former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Salmon P. Chase is on the $10,000 bill.

2. Next, ask: What do you know about these Presidents? What is each President famous for? What historic events happened during their presidencies? On the board, under each President’s name, list student’s responses.

3. Finally, ask: Why do you think these Presidents were chosen to be on U.S. bills and coins? Remind students that the U.S. has had many more Presidents than the ones that are shown on our money.

4. As an extension, have students choose a President to research. Discuss possible sources of information then have students write a biography about the President of their choice.

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SITE SET: American Presidents Use this set of topic-based online resources to supplement this mini-lesson. Additional resources available at www.eduhound.com