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Rafe Esquith: Five Tips to Help Children Develop Their Natural Gifts

#1487. Benjamin Franklin's Epitaph

Literature, level: Senior
Posted Sun Jan 2 05:50:23 PST 2000 by K. Foster (kfoz81@hotmail.com).
Willow Springs R-IV, Willow Springs, MO
Materials Required: computer graphics, colored paper, markers, magazines.
Activity Time: Homework assignment
Concepts Taught: Career choices like Benjamin Franklin

When introducing Benjamin Franklin, show students his own Epitaph that he wrote at the age of 22. Franklin wanted to be remembered as a printer. Also, remind students that people over 100 years ago, put long epitaphs on their tombstones. Have them follow Franklin's style of writing using the same phrases, and write their own epitaph of how they would like to be remembered. Make it all school appropriate. It can be a career choice or a value judgment such as a "good father. etc." Have students put it on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with appropriate art work or graphics on it. Give them points for their illustrations, too. Have them displayed in the classroom. Students remember the term epitaph, they think about their future, and they use critical thinking skills to write their epitaph like Franklin's.