Washington, DC

Tonia Christian Katie Esken

Tasha Hackworth Andrea Hemmert

Kristen Riddlebaugh

Lesson Info• Washington, DC• 1st Grade• This lesson focuses on the landmarks of our nation’s

capital, including: - The White House- Arlington National Cemetery- The Washington Monument- The Lincoln Memorial- The National Zoo• Authors: Tonia Christian, Katie Esken, Tasha Hackworth,

Andrea Hemmert & Kristen Riddlebaugh

Table of Contents• Title Slide• Lesson Info• History Activities• History Websites• People in Societies Activities• People in Societies Websites• Geography Activities• Geography Websites• Economics Activities• Economics Websites• Government Activities• Government Websites• Citizenship Activities• Citizenship Websites• SS Skills Activities• SS Websites**Click on the bald eagle picture to return to the table of contents.

History

History Activities1. Arlington National Cemetery: Tell if you feel the Unknown Solider was a hero. Do

you think others think he was? Why or why not?2. The National Zoo: Discuss in small groups how animals were used back in earlier

days and how they are used now.3. Washington Monument: Have students create a timeline of George Washington’s

life beginning with his birth and ending with the present day. Mark the date when the Washington Monument was built.

4. The White House: Students will learn about President’s Day and then explore why George Washington was called the Father of Our Country. Students will then draw and write about a family hero of theirs.

5. The Lincoln Memorial: Students will place events of Abraham Lincoln’s life in the correct order on a timeline. They will include the year that the Lincoln Memorial was inaugurated.

History Websites1. Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.constitutional.net/140.html2. The National Zoo: http://www.rightsforanimals.org/texts.php3. Washington Monument: www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson051.shtml

4. The White House:

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/presidents-day/index.html#aboutpresidentsday

5. The Lincoln Memorial: http://www.historyplace.com/lincoln/index.html

People in Society

People in Societies Activities1. Arlington National Cemetery: Write a biography describing what you think the

Unknown Soldier's life was like. 2. The National Zoo: Have children write down a sentence or two of how their house

pet affects their home life.3. Washington Monument: Have students write about three of George Washington’s

achievements and qualities to determine if they had any effect on a monument being built in his honor.

4. The White House: Students will learn about traditions at the White House, then they will draw a picture and explain a tradition they have with their family to the class.

5. The Lincoln Memorial: Students will look at different pictures of people from the pioneer days. We will discuss how people look different now.

People in Societies Websites1. Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.

org/visitor_information/tomb_of_the_unknowns.html2. The National Zoo: http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/healthy/Pets.htm3. Washington Monument: www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/62wash/62wash.htm

4. The White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/traditions/

5. The Lincoln Memorial: http://pioneerlife.tripod.com/

Geography

Geography Activities1. Arlington National Cemetery: Locate Arlington, Virginia on a map. Explain that

Arlington is near the Pentagon and the Potomac River.2. The National Zoo: Have students pick one animal and explain where that animal

lives and what it needs in order to live in the specific place.3. Washington Monument: Use a map to locate the Washington Monument in the

National Mall. Track the distance of our journey from Ohio to Washington, D.C.4. The White House: Students will locate the White House symbol on a map of

Washington, D.C. 5. The Lincoln Memorial: Students will look at a map of the United States and

compare it to what the U.S. map looked like in 1861-1865, when Abraham Lincoln was president. You can discuss how the map has changed over the years.

Geography Websites1. Arlington National Cemetery:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pentagon_road_network_map_1945.jpg

2. The National Zoo: http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0768522.html3. Washington Monument:

www.cyberlearning-world.com/nhhs/compapps/workshop/dc/washmon.htm

4. The White House: http://www.carolmendelmaps.com/mapdc/dc6.html

5. The Lincoln Memorial: http://www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/proj/lincoln/states.htm

Economics

Economics Activities1. Arlington National Cemetery: Discuss requirements for burial at Arlington

National Cemetery.2. The National Zoo: Explain how animals help our economy.3. Washington Monument: Discuss the cost of the monument’s original design by

Robert Mills with the cost of the materials to build a similar monument today. 4. The White House: Students will describe how the government/White House

affects them in their school.5. The Lincoln Memorial: We will discuss how the economics have changed since

Abraham Lincoln was president. You can compare the different costs of things as they are now to what they cost in the 1860’s. We will discuss why things are more expensive now.

Economics Websites1. Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.

net/eligib.htm2. The National Zoo: http://www.magickeys

.com/books/farm/index.html3. Washington Monument:

www.tourofdc.org/monuments/washington-monument/

4. The White House:

http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?id=18199&external=http://www.pbs.org/democracy/kids/presforaday/index.html&original=http://www.proteacher.com/090055.shtml&title=President%20for%20a%20Day

5. The Lincoln Memorial: http://measuringworth.com/calculators/ppowerus/

Government

http://harpervalley.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/_george-bush.jpg

Government Activities1. Arlington National Cemetery: Discuss the ‘changing of the guard.’ List

purposes/roles and expected visitor behavior.2. The National Zoo: Have a guest speaker come in and talk about what government

agency they work for and how they make sure animals are taken care of.3. Washington Monument: Students take a vote to elect a “president for a day”. The

student president will make speeches, enforce rules, get along with their peers and shake hands with those in the hall.

4. The White House: Students will complete a White House page in a symbols book by matching the words with the correct symbol, then coloring.

5. The Lincoln Memorial: Discuss how the Lincoln Memorial is an important landmark in the U.S. They will learn why the Lincoln Memorial is so important. Read the book, The Lincoln Memorial: American Symbols, by Terri Degezelle.

Government Websites1. Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.tombguard.org/FAQ.html2. The National Zoo: http://www.ppath.org/3. Washington Monument: http://www.lessons.ctaponline.org/~tbrunner/

4. The White House:

http://www.abcteach.com/free/a/american_symbols_primary.pdf

5. The Lincoln Memorial: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/lincoln.html

Citizenship

Citizenship Activities1. Arlington National Cemetery: Were the soldiers buried at Arlington good citizens?

Why or why not?2. The National Zoo: Discuss in small groups how to treat animals. Discuss that

people are allowed to have pets as long as they take care of them.3. Washington Monument: Read about the good deeds of George Washington that

led to a monument being built for him. Have students practice the same generosities and respect for others that George Washington had.

4. The White House: Students will learn about the accomplishments that some of our former Presidents have achieved by the teacher reading, What Presidents Are Made Of, then they will write and draw a picture of a personal accomplishment they have.

5. The Lincoln Memorial: The students will now know that Abraham Lincoln ended slavery. They would have also learned how Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Have students get with a partner and discuss what they thing Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln would have said to one another.

Citizenship Websites1. Arlington National Cemetery:

http://www.christophers.org/nn436.html

2. The National Zoo: http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/kidscorner/default.asp

3. Washington Monument: www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudies/citizenship/ussymbols/grownups.weml

4. The White House:

http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr008.shtml#kindergarten

5. The Lincoln Memorial: http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=11392

S.S. Skills & Methods

http://www.finetre.com/images/capitolarea.jpg

S.S. Skills & Methods Activities1. Arlington National Cemetery: Guest speaker from WPAFB. Students listen to

speaker and ask relevant questions.2. The National Zoo: Trip to the local zoo, students ask questions about what they

have learned throughout the week.3. Washington Monument: Discuss the importance of memorials such as the

Washington Monument and the people or events they honor. Have students create a “memorial” of an event important in their life and write about it.

4. The White House: Students will first read a list of jobs that the President must perform. Then they will need to write about what it would be like to do that job and draw a picture.

5. The Lincoln Memorial: Have students read the book Meet Abraham Lincoln, by Barbara Cary. They should then get with a partner and summarize what they have learned.

S.S. Skills & Methods Websites1. Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/2. The National Zoo: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/3. Washington Monument:

http://www.content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3221

4. The White House:http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/class/pdfs/2005S/050128_bp5.pdf

5. The Lincoln Memorial: http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/presidents/abrahamlincoln.html