Abraham Lincoln - Life of Abraham Lincoln Lesson Plan

In the following social studies lesson, students will learn important, key events of
Abraham Lincoln’s life, learn his role in the Civil War, and understand the importance of
the Emancipation Proclamation, and how Abraham Lincoln helped to abolish slavery.
This is a great lesson for around Presidents Day. There is also an option to integrate this
lesson with music.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Grade Level: 5-6

I. CONCEPTS: Abraham Lincoln, Emancipation Proclamation, assassination.

II. OBJECTIVES:
* Students will learn important, key events of Abraham Lincoln's life.
* Students will understand Abraham Lincoln's role in the Civil War.
* Students will understand the importance of the Emancipation Proclamation, and how
Abraham Lincoln helped to abolish slavery.

III. MATERIALS:
• Copies of the ABRAHAM LINCOLN SONG
• Large laminated pictures of:
> Abraham Lincoln
> Family life
> Portraits
> Speaking
> Five dollar bill
> With generals and at battlefields o Slavery
> Plantations
> Field work
> From slave workers to soldiers

IV. PROCEDURES:
A. INTRODUCTION
1. The class would have been studying the Civil War for the past couple days, and would be
briefly reviewed on what they had already learned.
2. The teacher then shows the class a five-dollar bill and ask them who the president on it is.
3. The teacher then asks the students what they know about
Abraham Lincoln. Ex) - he had a beard
- he was really honest
- he lived in a log cabin, etc.
4. The teacher introduces the Abraham Lincoln Song by singing the first verse and the chorus.
B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Song is Optional
1. Students begin by singing the first verse and chorus of the song with the teacher this time.
2. Students are then are asked what they think life would be like growing up in a log cabin.
3. Students then will be taught aspects of Abraham Lincoln's life: (pictures will be shown and
passed around)
* How he grew up, schooling, home life
* Early jobs
* Marriage and family
* Asa lawyer
4. 2nd verse of the song will then be sung by the class.
5. Class will then talk about the election: How he beat the two Democrats and his stance on slavery
6. 3rd verse of the song will be sung by the class.
7. Teacher goes over what the class reviewed earlier about the Civil War
INTRODUCTION
8. Pictures of Lincoln and the Civil War will be shown and passed around.
9. 4th verse of the song will be sung by the class.
10. The class will be taught about the Emancipation Proclamation, and be shown pictures of:
Plantations, Slaves working in the fields, Going from slavery to the army.
11. 5th verse of the song will be sung by the class.
12. Students will be taught about Abraham Lincoln's

Assassination.
Who did it? (John Wilkes Booth)
Where? (Ford's Theater, while attending a play)
Why? (will be discussed)

C. CONCLUSION
1. Students given a brief review of what was learned through the lesson.
2. Students asked what they think the greatest thing Abraham Lincoln did was.

D. EXTENSION
Students put in groups of 3, given an age-appropriate Abraham Lincoln biography, and asked to write a new verse to the Abraham Lincoln Song.

V. EVALUATION:
Following the extension portion of the lesson, the students will be asked to write a short paragraph of what they think Abraham Lincoln's greatest feat was and why. This will be handed in and evaluated by the teacher.

THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN SONG
(Adapted from the tune, Short'nin' Bread (a plantation song))*
1.Abraham Lincolm, 1809
He was born in a cabin of Pine
In Kentucky, on a winter’s day
Everyone said “Hip, Hip, Hooray”
Chorus:
Abraham Lincoln did great things, great things
Abraham Lincoln did a lot of great things
Abraham Lincoln did great things, great things
Abraham Lincoln did a lot of great things
2. Abraham Lincoln, 1860,
Becomes the 16th president, isn't that nif-ty.
He was a Republican against slav-er-y,
He celebrated the vic-tor-y.
Chorus
3. Abraham Lincoln, 1861,
Civil War begins, hey let’s keep the nation one.
The South wanted to secede but he said, "No!"
We must stay a Union so please don't go.
Chorus
4. Abraham Lincoln, 1863,
Emancipation Proclamation set the slaves free.
They no longer had to work for free,
They now had freedom like you and me!
Chorus
5. Abraham Lincoln, 1865,
Won the Civil War, the Union had survived.
Later that year, it's sad but the truth,
He was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.
Chorus
*Beall, P.C., & Nipp, S.H. (1989). Wee Sing: Fun
'N Folk. Los Angeles: Price Stern Sloan, Inc.
(p. 10-11)
Lyrics by Abe Hanson

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