google.com, pub-8985115814551729, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 Free Printable Lesson Plans: May 2016

Free printable American government lessons: Democracy, core democratic values

The summer patriotic U.S. holidays, beginning with Memorial Day, turn attention to American government and historyt. America was founded on a democratic government system. Here are free printable American government lessons on democracy and core democratic values for teachers and students. PBS Kids free printable American government lessons teach that democracy is a Greek word meaning 'government by the people' ('dem' people + 'cracy'). Check that link for more free printable Greek words and roots. The people of Ancient Greece were the first to establish the idea of common people ruling their own country. In Greek democracy, all citizens had a right to participate in the process of choosing who from amongst their ranks would represent them. Typically nations were ruled by other forms of "-cracy" or "-archy." A monarchy refers to a country ruled by one supreme head, such as a king. "Oligarchy" refers to rule by a few elite people. In these forms of government, people who were ruled had no say about who their ruler would be. Leaders came to power by inheritance of a crown or by forced military take-over. These rulers had absolute power. They made the laws that the common man must obey. Typically the rules they made did not include themselves.
Never before the Greeks had a nation been ruled by a collective of people who voted to choose representatives. Here are free printable American government lessons on Greek democracy. Never before had a nation's people been given a voice over who should make the laws or what those laws would be. Never before had the rulers of a country had to obey the laws they made. The Greek experiment with democracy, or rule by the people worked well. Here are free printable Ancient Greece and core democratic values lesson plans to use for American government lessons.
Along with a system of democracy and core democratic values, the people of Ancient Greece taught gave the world philosophy, music, art, literacy, technology, medicine, science and language. Here is music of Ancient Greece for American government lessons. Here are free printable lesson plans on the medicine of Ancient Greece to use for American government lessons. Here are free printable Ancient Greece lesson plans on all those subjects.
When the founding fathers and mothers in America set out to establish a government, they looked to the Greek form of democracy as a model. Early Americans had experienced life under the monarchy of King George III and his predecessors. They had lived in a colony ruled by another nation across the sea. The American colonists knew about monarchies and oligarchies. To them, core democratic values in rule 'by the people of the people and for the people' looked very attractive. In the First and Second Continental Congress they drafted what a federal constitution and Bill of Rights that would become a model of democracy outlined core democratic values for other nations as theirs was modeled after the Greeks.
In a democracy, the constitution lays out the rights of citizens very clearly. Every citizen has a voice as to what goes into the constitution. When changes are made to the constitution citizens must approve those changes. To explore democracy and American history lessons in an interactive online games, visit Democracy Game. To experience life in an ancient kingdom, click here for a free download ofSeven Kingdoms. Here are free printable

Free printable American history lessons: Jamestown, Pocahontas, Virginia Company, Captain John Smith

May 14 commemorates the landing of English colonists to what would become Jamestown, the first English settlement in the New World, in 1607. Tampa Bay Times said on May 12 that this marks the 409th anniversary of the Jamestown landing. Here are free printable American history lessons on the Jamestown settlement and its settlers. The story starts back in England. The year is 1606. King James I of England grants a charter (document giving permission to do something) to the Virginia Company. The Virginia Company owned merchant boats that traded with other nations. The Virginia Company merchants had heard that there were riches in the New World. The company sponsored (paid for) a group of 104 entrepreneurs (people who start businesses) to go to the New World to start a settlement for trade.Visit the links for free printable American history lessons on the Virginia Compnay and its preservation.
On May 14, 1607, after a difficult ocean voyage the settlers landed in the Chesapeake area of North America. They named the establishment they founded Jamestown in honor of King James. Unfortunately most Virginia Company travelers were men and gentlemen at that. Gentlemen didn't mean what it means today--really nice guys. It meant they didn't do manual labor. They were accustomed to having servants do their work. Not only did the settlers know very little about farming and homesteading, they didn't want to spend their time doing those boring farm jobs. They wanted to hunt for the gold and treasure.
However there was work to be done. The Jamestown settlers needed to find a safe place to set up camp. The Jamestown settlers needed to build shelter from the harsh weather and wild animals. They had to learn about local wildlife, to hunt and forage for survival. They had to plant crops for food. The Jamestown settlers were pretty much clueless about how to do any of those things. They also had do deal with unpleasant things like being shot at by Spanish ships. They were attacked by Algonquin Native American Indians who saw them as a threat. The Jamestown settlers weren't farmers nor soldiers. They were helpless.

Imagine the headaches for their leader Captain John Smith! Here are free printable American history lessons showing all the things the Jamestown settlers had to deal with. In fairness to everyone in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith made a rule; "If a man will not work, he will not eat." You can play a settlement simulation game using the free printable American history lessons at National Geographic Kids to learn how Captain John Smith organized the work. Finally, the settlers managed to build a small small fort surrounded by a wooden palisade (wall). It helped that thePowhatan Indians helped the Jamestown settlers by trading food for tools and beads. Chief Powhatan's daughter Pocahontas befriended Captain John Smith and brought the settlers food. But when Captain John Smith returned to England in 1609 for treatment of a leg injury, Pocahontas ceased to visit. The Jamestown settlement suffered through the "Starving Time" that winter. Only 60 of the original settlers survived. When Captain John Smith returned on 38 of the 104 were left. Visit the links for free printable American history lessons on the Jamestown settlers' relationships with various native American Indian groups.

Free printable American history lesson plans on Benjamin Franklin, colonial America

Early summer is a time when the United States turns its attention to American History. Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July all focus on famous people and events in American history. One of the most famous was Benjamin Franklin. Students study his life and works extensively in school. Who was Benjamin Franklin? He was many things--statesman, diplomat, inventor and leader. Here are free printable lesson plans on Benjamin Franklin to explore this enigmatic character. Born January 17, 1706,Benjamin Franklin was the 15th of Josiah Franklin's 17 children. His parents were poor working class people. Franklin's grandparents had been blacksmith, farmer and indentured servant. Despite these humble beginnings, Benjamin Franklin has been called a polymath or Renaissance Man. A Renaissance Man is a "jack of all trades," a universal man. Most were ancients like Leonardo da Vinci and Cicero and Imhotep who fell into it by birth.Benjamin Franklin is one of a very few people to earn this title of Renaissance Man in modern times. Visit these links for free printable lesson plans on the Renaissance Man.
Why is Benjamin Franklin a Renaissance Man? Franklin was in his lifetime, an author, printer, satirist (political humorist), political thinker, politician, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, soldier and citizen activist. Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of America. He was one of the "committee of five" to draft the Declaration of Independence. Franklin traveled to England as an ambassador (person who seeks good will between nations). Franklin met many times with King George III. As one of the Sons of Liberty, Franklin published pamphlets educating people about problems with England. He worked against the Intolerable Acts and heavy tariffs. Here are free printable American history lesson plans about Benjamin Franklin and the many hats he wore.

Benjamin Franklin lived what he wrote about: common sense, hard work, community, education and thrift. Benjamin Franklin's book "Poor Richard's Almanack" was a mini encyclopedia for practical information. Franklin The Pennsylvania Gazette, an early newspapers in the colonies. He was the first postmaster general. Benjamin Franklin experimented with electricity and invented the lightening rod. He invented bifocal (double vision) glasses and the Franklin pot belly stove. Franklin began the first public lending library and fire department. He established the American Philosophical Society, was the first governor of Pennsylvania and help found the University of Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin worked hard right up to the end of his life. He fought against slavery, tyranny and injustice. Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790. Nearly 20,000 people from many lands attended Franklin's funeral. For more on Benjamin Franklin, please click on any of the links listed here. For more free printable American history lessons, visit Free Printable Lesson Plans and Free Lesson Plans 4U. You can find help with your American history homework here, too.

Free printable Cinco de Mayo activities, Mexican crafts, games, lesson plans

Cinco de Mayo, or Fifth of May, celebrates the victory of the smaller Mexican army over the mighty French juggernaut, in the Battle of Puebla, 1862. Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican Independence Day, but many Latino Americans celebrate it. Here are free printable Cinco de Mayo coloring pages and Mexican crafts
Apples 4 the Teacher offers free printable Cinco de Mayo coloring activities, games, crafts, puzzles and lesson plans to explore Mexican geography, culture and history.
Preschool Coloring Book has free printable Cinco de Mayo coloring pages of a sombrero, pinata, serape and fiesta.
Kiddy House provides free Cinco de Mayo coloring printables linked on from the Cinco de Mayo homepage. Color Mexican children in traditional costumes, maps and flag of Mexico, plus fiesta coloring pages.
Surf Net Kids has free printable Cinco de Mayo coloring pages, including some whimsical chili peppers in sombreros as well as a Mexican couple in ceremonial and traditional dress.
DL-TK is your one-stop source for free printable Cinco de Mayo crafts, coloring pages, games, Mexican history and social studies lessons, booklets and more. Create a complete classroom or homeschool unit to explore Cinco de Mayo and Mexican history and traditions. Here's the page onMexico coloring pages, lesson plans and activities. Color some for Cinco de Mayo greeting cards and party decorations.

About Family Crafts lists a gajillion free Cinco de Mayo printables including Mexican games, crafts, puzzles, greeting cards and more.