NAME:

DAY 1

Meet the Writer – p. 164Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)

Think About the Writer How do you think Franklin was able to accomplish so much in so many fields?

Preparing to Read – p. 165

What Do You Think? How can people’s beliefs affect their actions?

QuickWrite Write a short journal entry about a time when you or someone you know set out to achieve self-improvement. What was the goal, and what was the plan for accomplishing that goal? Were the efforts at self-improvement successful? Why or why not?

EXPLAIN:

Autobiography:

Aphorisms:

Inferences:

DAY 2

from The Autobiographyby Benjamin Franklin – Begin on page 166

Reading FocusMaking Inferences What kind of “figure” does Franklin imply that he has since made of himself?

Reading FocusMaking Inferences Franklin has almost no money and is very hungry. Why then does he insist on paying for his passage on the boat? Based on this action, what can you infer about his character?

Literary Focus Autobiography Why do you think Franklin mentions the first impression he made on his future wife? What does it reveal about his character?

Reading FocusMaking Inferences Based on Franklin’s experience in the Quaker meeting house, what inferences can you draw about the Quakers Franklin met?

Literary Focus Autobiography Where in this paragraph does Franklin seem to be mocking his younger self? Explain your answer.

Literary Focus Autobiography Skim over the virtues listed in red type in the next column. If you were writing your own autobiography, which virtue would you describe as your strongest? Why?

INTERPRET THESE VIRTUES:FRANKLIN’S VIRTUE OUR MODERN MEANING

1. Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling5 conversation.

3. Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of

your business have its time.

4. Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. Industry. Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

11. Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. Chastity. Rarely use venery6 but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Reading FocusMaking Inferences If the adjective trifling means “unimportant” (“avoid trifling conversation”), what can you infer about the meaning of the noun trifles (“be not disturbed at trifles”)?

Reading FocusMaking Inferences What does Franklin’s plan reveal about his character?

Reading FocusMaking Inferences Based on your knowledge of Franklin’s life, how successful do you think his project was? Explain.

Literary Focus Autobiography Franklin wrote his autobiography when he was an elderly man. How might the book be different if he had written it when he was young?

DAY 3

from Poor Richard’s Almanackby Benjamin Franklin – PAGE 171

SELECT ONE OF THE NINETEEN APHORISMS ON PAGE 171.

REWRITE IT HERE:

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INTERPRET THE APHORISM:

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CREATE OR DESCRIBE IN AN ANECDOTE WHERE THIS APHORISM MIGHT BE APPLIED: (If you don’t know what an anecdote is, look it up.)

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Literary FocusAphorisms Which aphorisms on this page have similar messages? Explain.

Reading FocusMaking Inferences Infer some possible purposes of aphorisms, based on the aphorisms you have read here. When and why do people use aphorisms?

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S DAILY CHART

1. What time did Franklin get up in the morning?

2. What does it mean to “address Powerful Goodness!”

3. What does “Contrive day’s business” mean?

4. How long did Franklin work in the morning?

5. How long did Franklin take for lunch?

6. How long did Franklin work in the afternoon?

7. Interpret in your own words a minimum of TWO of Franklin’s EVENING activities:

8. At the end of the day, Franklin sked himself, “What good have I done to-day?” What good have you done today?

DAY 4

Explore the world of Benjamin Franklin:

http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/explore.html

1. Try “How Shocking”. Name three things Benjamin Franklin did with electricity:

2. Visit “Ben’s Town”. Name three things that Franklin did to help towns:

3. Explore “Worldly Ways”. How many times did Franklin cross the ocean?

Explain Franklin’s involvement with Spain:

What did Russia do to honor Franklin?

Franklin was America’s first __________________ to France.

What did Franklin negotiate between Sweden and the United States?

4. In the menu on the far left side of the website, select BEN A TO Z.

Read about the roles (A to Z) that Franklin played in his lifetime.

- Find the first letter of your first name. - Select one of the roles listed under that letter. - Research that role on the internet and type a one-page

essay in your own words that (a) that clearly outlines that role(b) gives a good example or explains something

famous that Franklin did in that role; and(c) find an illustration for that role.

YOUR ESSAY SHOULD BE TYPED ON THE NEXT PAGE AND AT LEAST 200 WORDS.

ON DAY 5 (Friday) AT THE END OF CLASS, THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT IS DUE IN THE DROPBOX. THANK YOU.