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Benjamin Banneker's Letter

Grade Levels: 6 - 8

Objectives

Students read and learn about the great African American scholar, Benjamin Banneker.
Students rewrite a letter Banneker wrote to Thomas Jefferson.
Students review analogies, and search for them in Banneker's writing.

Materials

Procedures

Distribute the Banneker Fact Sheet.
Discuss Banneker's life, how and why his was different from other African Americans of his time.
Distribute Banneker's letter to Thomas Jefferson, and analogy sheet.
Ask students to read Banneker's letter to Jefferson.
After students have read the excerpt, ask them to rewrite the letter in their own words.
Following that exercise, have students identify the analogy in Banneker's letter.

Excerpt from Multicultural Activities for the American History Classroom.

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