Part A: Young George Washington For Part A, Level Two As background information, give students use Resource Pages 1–8, 10, copies of Resource Page 2: Washington as a and Images 1–6 on the Record Keeper. CD-ROM. 4 Explain that 16-year-old George Washington wrote these journal entries about his first trip Level Two (Grades 7-12) to the wilderness. Washington and others were surveying land on the Virginia frontier Getting Started for Lord Fairfax, an important landowner. 1 To stimulate discussion of what students Ask students to read the adapted versions of already know about George Washington— the journal entries. Discuss what practical their perceptions and misconceptions—hold skills Washington would have gained as a up a one dollar bill (and if possible display surveyor. (Learning how to determine land other classical images of Washington—alone boundaries, how to survive in the wilderness, and on horseback). Ask the class to imagine how to work as part of a team.) him as a boy, a teenager, and a young man 5 Engage the class in a short discussion “just starting out.” On a wall chart titled The about Washington’s character traits based on Young George Washington, record their prior these excerpts and add them to the wall knowledge of Washington (both events in his chart. Have them consider whether life and his personality traits) before he Washington was concerned with doing a became widely known. good job and impressing others. (Elicit an 2 As background information, distribute understanding that this was a determined Resource Page 1: Timeline: Young George young man. Remind students that he was out Washington. Invite students to correct myths working when he was about the age of a high and misconceptions on the wall chart as they school sophomore or junior.) Ask students to meet the “real” George Washington. speculate on why Washington was motivated Interested students can research the Julian to do a good job. What motivates them to calendar, used in Great Britain and the succeed? Use this as a jumping off point for colonies until 1752. According to the Julian a discussion of the personality and drive calendar, Washington was born on February needed to reach the professional heights 11th, not February 22nd. Washington would achieve later in life. 6 3 Introduce the “real” George Washington by Point out to the class the two different distributing copies of Resource Page 3: versions of Washington’s journals on the George Washington, Surveyor, 1748. Pointing handout—the original as written by Part A: out that these are excerpts from the journals Washington and an adaptation into modern Level One Washington began keeping as a teenager, English. Invite students to compare the two. Then discuss the spelling, capitalization, and Level Two discuss what private journals or diaries can “shorthand” that Washington used. Ask a Making reveal about their writer. Depending on your Connections students’ understanding of the nature of volunteer to read the original entries aloud primary sources, you may wish to review the and point out that this is a good technique Part B: wide range of materials in addition to formal for figuring out what some of the “oddly Level One documents that are considered primary spelled” words mean. If your students find Level Two sources. Students should understand that the original wording and spelling fascinating, Making their own journals are primary sources on you may want to use Resource Page 4: Connections Spelling the Washington Way their experiences and opinions. to help them understand more about 18th-century writing. 10 Part A: Young George Washington Reading and Reflecting A Man of Responsibility 1 Using the Interactive Learning Journey on the CD-ROM, explain or review the Like other competing claims of French and British in militias, the the Ohio River Valley in the 1750s. Virginia militia When Robert Dinwiddie, governor of the was made up of British colony of Virginia, learned that the ordinary citizens French were laying claim to land the British rather than themselves claimed in the Ohio River Valley, professional he wanted to send a message demanding military officers. their withdrawal. George Washington volun- teered to deliver the message. Explain to the class that Noah An accomplished mapmaker, Washington used his Explain to students that Washington was just surveying skills to create this map in 1753. A detail is 21 years old and intent on making a name Webster did not shown here. for himself. This was almost one year after publish his first dictionary of the 7 In a Washington Resource Center, provide Washington had become an officer in one of American books, videos, or other resources about Virginia’s militia districts and six months language until Washington, which students can consult before the start of the French and Indian 1828. Interested during the study. (See the Additional Sources War. To set the stage for reading students can listed on the CD-ROM.) Encourage students Washington’s journal, give students Resource begin a to correct any misconceptions or misinfor- Page 5: Washington’s Journey to Fort “dictionary” of mation on the wall chart as they learn more. LeBoeuf and copies of Image 3: Map of the Journey to Fort LeBoeuf. Have students 18th century 8 As well as handing out individual copies, locate key places on the map. For further terms and you may wish to display in the Resource information about the organization of the spellings based Center copies of maps and pictures from the Virginia troops, students can consult on Washington’s Image Gallery on the CD-ROM. Begin now Resource Page 10: All Kinds of Soldiers. journals. with Image 1: Map of the Virginia Colony and 2 Resource Page 6: Return from Image 2: Washington as a Young Surveyor. Hand out These images will provide historical and Fort LeBoeuf, 1753 and tell students that this geographical context and help students excerpt deals with one event in the long and imagine the scenes. dangerous trip back to Virginia with guide Christopher Gist. Have the students read the 9 In addition, provide copies of Resource adapted version of the excerpt to themselves Page 7: Cast of Characters and encourage first. (Ambitious students may wish to begin students to consult it as names come up in with the original.) You may want to invite the discussion. Invite students to add other students to work in pairs to answer the short biographies to the list as they do Guided Reading Questions on the handout. further research. Ask students why Washington found himself in this situation. (He had to get the message 10 To focus students’ investigation, write this back to Dinwiddie and was determined to Focus Question on the chalkboard: push ahead.) Students should understand that What can you learn about young George Washington easily could have died in the Washington’s personality and ambitions by frigid river. reading his journals? 11 Part A: Young George Washington Show students the three images in the promotion he requested and from now on Image 4 file, suggesting that they imagine will remain in the public eye. This is a major themselves in each of the three scenes. Have turning point in his life. students identify the “three nations” shown Tell students 5 in Image 4a: “Domain of Three Nations” by In order to answer the following questions, that artist John students will need to cite evidence from the Buxton recreated John Buxton (British, French, and American Indians). Discuss why the artist would have documents. They will also need to keep in the Allegheny mind the Focus Question about ambition. crossing on a shown the American Indians as shadows on handmade raft the floor (because they were “outside” of the ~What do you think Washington’s motiva- before he negotiations). tions were for writing each piece? (1753: painted 3 Then hand out Resource Page 8: Seeking on an important assignment, recording every “Washington’s Promotion, 1754. Explain to students that detail, sense of duty, Washington as main Crossing, 1753” this letter was written about two weeks after character. 1754: seeking a higher rank in (Image 4b). Washington’s return from the Ohio River military, relying on connections, reviewing his Valley. Almost immediately upon his return, qualifications, emphasizing his sense of duty Washington had been given more military and capabilities. Washington’s motive in both Ask students to duties and told to prepare to return to the pieces was to prove himself.) speculate on Ohio River Valley to attack the French and how Washington ~Based on the originals, how do the drive them from lands claimed by the British. was able to language and style of each excerpt reflect Washington wrote this letter to Richard create a map who Washington was? (1753: short action Corbin, who was an influential figure in (Image 5) so sentences, informal, simple language, realistic, Virginia politics, in charge of the colony’s accurate that it articulate. 1754: longer, detailed sentences; revenues. (Students should read about him was used to plan more formal polished and structured prose; on Resource Page 7: Cast of Characters.) modern roads. clear—stating his case, positive, inner thoughts, How would his 4 Have the students read the adapted version articulate. Students also should take into surveying skills of the excerpt to themselves first and then account the different forms: journal and letter.) have helped answer the Guided Reading Questions on ~Based on these materials, how do you think him? the handout. Ask students what this letter Washington related to other people? (In the reveals about Washington’s personality and trip from Fort LeBoeuf, Washington had to ambitions. (Washington was confident enough work closely with Gist.