Lesson Plans

20 Questions for Reading and Evaluating Historic Places

An analysis worksheet prompting students to read and analyze historic places using twenty questions. The worksheet may be used during field trips to historic places or in a classroom setting while using virtual tours or digital images of historic spaces. Included are links to Mount Vernon's virtual tour in Virginia and Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

The “20 Questions” series worksheets from George Washington’s Mount Vernon are designed to guide students in a structured exploration of new primary sources. Each set of questions moves from concrete observations to an analysis of the source’s relationship to people that lived in the past. The last questions ask students to make larger conclusions about the culture of the time to inform a final writing prompt. Included with each worksheet are primary sources from George Washington’s world.

20 Questions for Reading and Evaluating Historic Prints

An analysis worksheet prompting students to read and analyze historic prints using twenty questions. Included are sample prints related to the Constitution, including: The Ninth and Sufficient Pillar Raised and A Display of the United States of America. 

The “20 Questions” series worksheets from George Washington’s Mount Vernon are designed to guide students in a structured exploration of new primary sources. Each set of questions moves from concrete observations to an analysis of the source’s relationship to people that lived in the past. The last questions ask students to make larger conclusions about the culture of the time to inform a final writing prompt. Included with each worksheet are primary sources from George Washington’s world.

20 Questions for Reading and Evaluating Historic Recipes

An analysis worksheet prompting students to read and analyze historic recipes using twenty questions. Included are sample recipes, including: Martha Washington's Great Cake Recipe, as well as 18th-century recipes for Ice Cream, Broiled Herring, and Indian Pudding.

The “20 Questions” series worksheets from George Washington’s Mount Vernon are designed to guide students in a structured exploration of new primary sources. Each set of questions moves from concrete observations to an analysis of the source’s relationship to people that lived in the past. The last questions ask students to make larger conclusions about the culture of the time to inform a final writing prompt. Included with each worksheet are primary sources from George Washington’s world.

20 Questions for Reading and Evaluating Objects

An analysis worksheet prompting students to read and analyze objects using twenty questions. Included are sample objects for analysis, including: The Key to the Bastille, Martha Washington's shoes, George Washington's Field Bedstead, and a Surveyor's Compass.

The “20 Questions” series worksheets from George Washington’s Mount Vernon are designed to guide students in a structured exploration of new primary sources. Each set of questions moves from concrete observations to an analysis of the source’s relationship to people that lived in the past. The last questions ask students to make larger conclusions about the culture of the time to inform a final writing prompt. Included with each worksheet are primary sources from George Washington’s world.

A Birthday Celebration for George Washington

Plan a birthday party for George Washington in your classroom. Students join either a Birthday Party Planning Committee or a Parade Committee to plan a celebration to honor George Washington's birthday. 

An Ale Glass

This lesson highlights the global economy of the 18th century by tracing one of Washington's ale glasses through production to consumption. Students will create a story on all the different people that they think would have touched the ale glass throughout this process. This activity will make them realize the many hidden hands behind a common object.  

The American Revolution and Suffrage

This DBQ-style lesson asks students to examine suffrage-era primary sources to understand the role of revolutionary rhetoric in the thoughts, actions, and goals of the women’s movement.

American Revolution Coloring Pages

American Revolution themed coloring pages featuring George Washington at Princeton, George Washington Crossing the Delaware, and a Map of the Thirteen Colonies.

American Revolution Fill-In-The-Blank

A fill-in-the-blank activity for students featuring eight key events of the American Revolution. Questions ask students to identify events from the Boston Tea Party to the Crossing of the Delaware to the Victory at Yorktown.

The American Revolution's Legacy of Protest

This DBQ style lesson asks students to use multiple primary and secondary sources from the 18th-21st centuries to evaluate the statement: Americans feel that those in positions of authority tend to be tyrannical and unjust. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Michael Ellis.

Apotheosis of Washington

The primary documents in this activity depict the apotheosis of Washington through visual and text-based primary sources. Students have an opportunity to analyze and compare different types of primary sources to better understand the ways in which Washington was characterized after his death. Reflective practice on a historical figure’s legacy provides context and periodization for historical practice.  

Be an Archaeologist

This activity sheet focuses students' attention on historical artifacts in the Archaeology collection to learn more about the enslaved population's lives at Mount Vernon. Students will learn how to use artifacts as a primary source, which is especially important in such cases where artifacts are some of the only primary sources left from enslaved communities. 

Be Washington: Genet Affair

This lesson was created to be used with Mount Vernon's Be Washington interactive experience. Students will analyze advice given to President George Washington during the Genet Affair crisis in 1794 through the use of primary and secondary sources. 

Be Washington: Newburgh Conspiracy

This lesson was created to be used with Mount Vernon's Be Washington interactive experience. Students will analyze advice given to General George Washington during the Newburgh Conspiracy crisis in 1783 through the use of primary and secondary sources. 

Be Washington: Second Trenton

This lesson was created to be used with Mount Vernon's Be Washington interactive experience. Students will analyze advice given to President George Washington during the Battle of Second Trenton in 1777 through the use of primary and secondary sources. 

Be Washington: Whiskey Rebellion

This lesson was created to be used with Mount Vernon's Be Washington interactive experience. Students will analyze advice given to President George Washington during the Whiskey Rebellion crisis in 1794 through the use of primary and secondary sources. 

Breaking and Mending the Two-Term Precedent

This lesson draws a connection between George Washington’s establishment of the two-term precedent for the presidency and Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s breaking of that precedent nearly 150 years later. In this lesson, students will analyze multiple primary and secondary sources, both collaboratively and independently. Discussion and debate is a large focus of this lesson. Students will make interdisciplinary connections between history and government/civics. This resource was created by 2013-2014 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Hannah Markwardt. 

Bullet Journaling with Washington

This activity connects students to George Washington's meticulous record keeping by equating it with modern day bullet journaling. Students will look at a 1793 Farm Report made by one of Washington's overseers and was sent to him while he was President. They will then keep a bullet journal for a week to experiment with recording their own information. By reflecting on their experience they will be able to get a better understanding of Washington and his personality. 

Character Chronicles

Ten newspaper-style explorations into the character traits of George Washington. Character traits covered include integrity, courage, perseverance, humility and devotion among others. This resource was created by 2013-2014 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Lisa Schisler. 

Choose Your Weapon

This activity recreates the distribution of Washington's swords between his five nephews after his death. In groups of five, students will learn about five of George Washington's swords, after which they work together to choose which sword they would pick. They will consequently learn about how swords were used in the 18th century to represent a person's rank and identity, as well as the situation they are in. Students will also realize how artifacts are not static and their lives continue beyond their original use. 

A Classroom Constitutional Convention

This lesson helps students understand the confusion and difficulties of the Constitutional Convention. Students will be separated into groups where they have to create a new form of government for their classroom that is more "democratic" than its current "monarchy" where the teacher as at its head. They will then reflect on how easy or hard it was to create a new form of government and convince others of their opinions. 

The Concept of Ownership

This DBQ style lesson asks students to use multiple primary source objects from Mount Vernon’s collection to explore the concept of ownership and what it can tell them about enslaved people in the 18th century. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Michael Ellis.

The Constitution as a Job Description

In this lesson, students are asked to use Article 1 and Article 2 of the Constitution and George Washington's notes on his personal copy of the document to create a job description for the President of the United States in 1787.

The Constitutional Convention through Biography

This lesson outlines a role-playing activity intended to help students better understand the perspectives of individual delegates at the critical point when they were debating representation at the Constitutional Convention. 

Create Your Own Infographic

This activity allows students to analyze a primary source and convey that information in the form of an infographic. Students will examine George Washington's List of Enslaved People, 1799 and create their own infographic to visually represent that data to convey a message. This will increase their media literary skills by analyzing the sources of infographics, while also learning more about the enslaved population at Mount Vernon in 1799.

Creating 18th Century Clothing in the Classroom

A guide to re-creating 18th-century style clothing, including hats and shoes, using modern materials. A great resource for biography projects, wax museums, and school plays.

Crossing the Delaware Comparison

In this lesson, students will compare Washington Crossing the Delaware to a suffrage political cartoon. This gives students the opportunity to analyze images while comparing social movements over time. 

Curating the Slave Quarters

A lesson plan that encourages students to analyze and use evidence from diverse sources to act as curators and create an interpretation plan for the Greenhouse Slave Quarters at Mount Vernon. 

The Death of Martha Washington

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze an obituary for Martha Washington printed in the Augusta Herald on June 9, 1802. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Disease During Wartime

A lesson plan that draws a connection between the threat of smallpox during the Revolutionary War and the influenza pandemic during World War I. In this lesson, students will utilize educational technology to consult primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in the completion of a webquest. Writing across the curriculum is a large focus of this lesson. Students will make interdisciplinary connections between history and science (specifically biology). This resource was created by 2013-2014 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Hannah Markwardt. 

Enslaved Worker's Cabin

This activity helps students understand the enslaved workers' housing conditions on George Washington's outlying farms. Students will measure out the dimensions of the size of a enslaved worker's cabin to think about how space was apart of the mental restrictions of slavery as well as the physical limitations.

Establishing the Presidency

A lesson plan that facilitates discussion amongst students about the challenges George Washington faced as the first President of the United States.

Farewell Address: Giving Advice and Leaving a Legacy

This lesson examines George Washington's advice in his Farewell Address in order to understand the context and rationale for it. Students are asked to create their own farewell address that offers advice to students in next year's class, specifically referencing a growth mindset. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Joanne Howard.

Feeding the Continental Army Winter 1775-1776, Boston

An infograph created by the staff at the Washington Library that visually represents the food required to feed the Continental Army during the Siege of Boston. 

First in Industrialization

A lesson that draws a connection between the innovative steps that George Washington took as “first farmer” and the wave of changes that comprised the American Industrial Revolution. Students will explore information from sources such as text, video, and drawings. Students will make interdisciplinary connections between history and science/engineering. This resource was created by 2013-2014 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Hannah Markwardt. 

Flat George Washington

A cut-and-color activity sheet that encourages students to find George Washington in their school or community. 

Following in the Footsteps of Their Fathers?

This DBQ style lesson asks students to use multiple primary and secondary sources to evaluate if the Southern secession movement in the 19th century was an extension of the ideals of the American Revolution. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Michael Ellis.

George Washington and Civic Virtue

A lesson focused on George Washington’s character and civic virtues. Students examine the connection between these virtues and fostering a democratic and free society in the United States.

George Washington and the Suffragists

Students will compare traditional imagery of George Washington and the American Revolution to political cartoons from the suffrage movement. This allows students to better understand the goals of suffragists, as well as the legacy of Revolutionary figures and ideals.

George Washington Farmer

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to use historical thinking skills to analyze a work of art depicting George Washington's life. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

George Washington in Song

A lesson asking students to investigate and analyze the historical context of the Revolutionary War song, Yankee Doodle. As a culminating activity, students are asked to create their own additional verses about George Washington to the tune of the song.

George Washington in the Wilderness Coloring Page

A coloring page based on the painting Washington and Gist Crossing the Allegheny River attributed to artist Daniel Huntington.

George Washington Personality Case Study

In this psychology lesson, students look at short primary and secondary source excerpts in order to determine how different psychologists (Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Albert Bandura, and any trait theorist) might discuss the personality of George Washington. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Kelsey Snyder. 

George Washington Quotes

This classroom resource directly supports the video A More Perfect Union: George Washington and the Making of the Constitution. Use this reference sheet to draw attention to evidence on the state of the government under the Articles of Confederation using George Washington's own words. 

George Washington's List of Enslaved People, 1799

A lesson that uses George Washington’s list of enslaved people from 1799 to reveal him as a meticulous businessman and slave owner. Students will explore information related to the institution of slavery in the 18th century.

George Washington's Foreign Policy

A lesson that asks students to connect George Washington’s Farewell Address to later presidential foreign policy messages. As a group, the class will discuss the influence Washington’s message had on the nation and posterity. Working in groups, students investigate excerpts from later presidential foreign policy messages and compare and contrast these with Washington’s Farewell Address. A Socratic Seminar analyzing past U.S. foreign policy also asks students to chart a course for future U.S. foreign policy.

George Washington's Inauguration

Two activity sheets with information and short activities introduce young students to President George Washington. Students learn about George Washington's election as President and his journey from Mount Vernon to New York City for his inauguration, as well as what happens during a presidential inauguration. 

George Washington's Letter to Henry Knox About the Presidency

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to use historical thinking skills to source an excerpt from George Washington's 1789 letter to Henry Knox about accepting the presidency. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

George Washington's Life in Color

Four seasonal magazines use inquiry, cross-curricular connections, and coloring pages to explore color through the landscape George Washington loved, the home he built, the army he led, and more. Students learn how Washington’s world encompassed the full spectrum of colors by examining 18th-century life and material culture. This resource was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Lynn Miller.

George Washington's Tweets

This activity has students summarizing entries from George Washington's 1754 Journal in the form of a tweet. Students will be divided into groups to analyze one of the entries from The Journal of Major George Washington, which was written after Washington's expedition to the Ohio territory before the French and Indian War. They will them summarize that information by transforming it into a tweet and then presenting that to their fellow classmates. 

George Washington's Views on Slavery

A lesson that asks students to examine document-based evidence related to George Washington and slavery. Students are asked to use evidence to write an essay that answers the essential question: What were George Washington’s views on slavery?

Path to Patriot

This integrated lesson connects the concept of informed civic agency to the life of George Washington as he changed from serving the British military in the French and Indian War to fighting against them in the Revolutionary War.  It allows students to see themselves as citizens that have the agency to solve problems in our world today.

Leadership: Sorting it Out

Let your students take a look at the leadership qualities of George Washington and the establishment of the first cabinet. By sorting and categorizing primary source excerpts in group-generated categories, students are offered an opportunity to associate character, virtues, and values with traits of good citizens and leaders today.

Civic Friendship

Explore with your students how George Washington’s first presidential cabinet was created and how its members’ varying political views and compromises affected their decision-making. Through analysis of primary source excerpts and small groups, this resource illustrates the value and productivity that came from civic friendship and civil disagreement in the past, and invites them to reflect on their responsibilities today.

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association: The Possibilities and Debates in a Civil Society

Just like Ann Pamela Cunningham, the founder of the Mount Vernon ladies’ association and defender of George Washington’s legacy, students can use persuasive language to motivate others to care about an important civic challenge they hope to address.  Through the analysis of a primary source and a civics activity, this learning resource empowers students to see themselves as citizens whose voices matter and who have agency to collaboratively confront problems in our world today.

Washington's Complex Views on Slavery

This integrated lesson connects the civic concepts of A People with Contemporary Debates & Possibilities and We the People to the life of George Washington and his varying views on enslavement.  It allows teachers to support students’ ability to engage in the difficult conversations that are necessary to support a diverse democratic society and reflect critical understanding of how our shared history and experiences contribute to contemporary society

George Washington, Public Space, and National Identity

Washington has been a symbol of the United States since the moment of its founding. Students explore the value of civic conversations about historic symbols in monuments of George Washington in our world today. Through the analysis of primary sources and a creative civics activity, this learning resource empowers students to see themselves as citizens whose voices matter and who have agency to participate in civic conversations.

George Washington, the Farewell Address, and National Unity

Are you looking for a way to incorporate civics into your high school classroom? This learning resource connects the concept of informed civic agency to George Washington’s significance as a visionary for the nation’s future.  Through primary source analysis and a creative civics activity, this resource empowers students to see themselves as citizens with responsibilities to engage in civic participation and who have agency to research and collaboratively participate in civic disagreement.

Washington and Mount Vernon as National Symbols of Liberty and Enslavement

This learning resource connects the concept of informed civic agency to George Washington’s significance as a national symbol in rhetoric. Two leading 19th-century African-American orators provide different perspectives on George Washington’s legacy in the century after his death. Through the analysis of primary sources and a creative civics activity, this learning resource empowers students to see themselves as citizens whose voices matter and who have agency to collaboratively confront problems in our world today.

U.S Policy with Indian Nations

How did the United States government develop policies towards Indian nations during George Washington’s presidency?  How were Indian societies and cultures affected by U.S. policies?  This integrated lesson explores how the United States government, American citizens and Indian nations asserted rights to their lands during Washington’s presidency.  Students will study the changing landscape of our nation and who benefited from and was harmed by these changes.

A Grub Hoe

This activity is designed to question students' assumptions on how labor was divided at Mount Vernon. Students will look at an artifact (the grub hoe) and then analyze primary and secondary sources to reinterpret that artifact. They will learn that enslaved women primary worked in the fields, while enslaved men usually did "skilled" tasks. This is an activity that will illustrate how gender binaries are constructed and have changed throughout history. It also reinforces students' STEM skills, such as percentages and ratios. 

Hoecake Recipe

This lesson shows how recipes are one way women documented their lives in the 18th century. Students will closely examine a recipe for hoecakes and focus on the people involved in that recipe. They will then hypothesize on the lives and interactions of those people based on the recipe. 

Home at Mount Vernon

A Readers' Theater and Read Aloud Story that introduce students to the people who lived and worked at George Washington's Mount Vernon plantation. Students meet members of the Washington family, members of the enslaved community at Mount Vernon, and indentured servants working on the estate. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Julie Huson.

Ice Cream at Mount Vernon

An inquiry-based module that provides primary and secondary sources to help students answer the question: Why was ice cream an exclusive treat at Mount Vernon long ago? Using a familiar sweet treat as an entry point, students research and analyze the lives of enslaved individuals, as well as the specialized skills and objects that went into serving a single dish of ice cream. Source materials include farm reports, material culture objects, rooms, maps, and biographies. This project was developed in partnership with McGraw Hill Education. 

Imperial Trade in 18th Century British North America

An infograph created by the staff at the Washington Library that visually represents colonial imports and exports between 1768-1772.

The Inauguration of George Washington

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze George Washington's diary entry from April 16, 1789, the day he left Mount Vernon for his inauguration in New York City. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Integrating Women's History in the Founding Era

A series of lesson plans that uses Martha Washington as a case study to integrate women's history into the events of the American Revolution and the New Nation historical eras. This lesson was created by 2017-2018 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Bonnie Belshe. 

The Journal of Major George Washington, 1754

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze an advertisement George Washington wrote after his report to Governor Dinwiddie was published in 1754. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Journey to the Presidency Board Game

A printable board game that follows George Washington's journey from Mount Vernon to New York City for his inauguration in April 1789. The board game prints best on 11x17 paper.

Key Concepts of the Constitution

This lesson supports the video A More Perfect Union: George Washington and the Making of the Constitution. After viewing the video, students use image-based flashcards to practice and demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts of the Constitution presented in the video. Visual cues provide new routes for student understanding of these complex ideas. Key concepts addressed reflect the importance of compromise, the weakness of the union after the War for Independence, the importance of George Washington as a unifying figure during a fractious time, and the elements of government reflected in the first seven Articles of the Constitution. 

Life After Slavery: A Receipt for Wages to George Smith

This activity sheet is designed to get students to look closely at a primary source document so that they can extract and analyze the information with in it. Students will use the source to learn about what happened to the enslaved people at Mount Vernon after George Washington's death. 

Lighting the Little Spark of Celestial Fire

A lesson plan that uses rules from the Rules for Civility and Decent Behavior to establish a context for behavior and social expectations in George Washington’s time and creates best behavior practices for present-day classrooms and communities. 

Make Your Own Exhibition

In this activity students will use objects from the Lives Bound Together exhibition to create their own exhibit. Students will learn to use primary sources as evidence to convey a message. 

Manners & Mores of Washington's America

A lesson that engages students in an in-depth study of the manners and mores of late 18th century America. Students explore the personal rules of decorum by which George Washington lived and compare and contrast these to the rules they live by today. 

Map of Mount Vernon

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to use historical thinking skills to source a map of George Washington's five farms. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Martha's Bible

This activity has students examine Martha Washington's Bible as a primary source and then recreate Martha's family tree from clues like those in the bible. Students will learn to use fragmented information to create a larger picture, as well as use math to calculate birth and death dates. 

Martha Washington's Garnets

This activity gives students a chance to write their own interpretation labels for a primary source object. Students will be receive information on one of five aspects of Martha Washington's garnets and use that information to interpret the object. The class will then come together to discuss all aspects of Martha's garnets to show how many different stories can be told using one object. 

Martha Washington's Letter about the Presidency

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze a letter written by Martha Washington to her nephew John Dandridge about the presidency. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Measuring Loyalism in America c. 1775-1785

An infograph created by the staff at the Washington Library that visually represents loyalists in America during the Revolutionary War, and where they migrated to following the war.  

"Meet the Press" - American Presidents

A lesson that uses the weekly news show “Meet the Press” as a model for engaging students using primary sources. Students portray George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the current President of the United States in a television interview. Students will develop answers to the host’s questions through primary sources research and current news articles.

Mount Vernon During the Civil War

A lesson that draws attention to the continued importance of the legacy of George Washington in the midst of the Civil War. In this lesson, students practice map skills and analyze primary source documents in order to develop a historical argument and make interdisciplinary connections between history and geography. This resource was created by 2013-2014 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Hannah Markwardt. 

The New Room - Place as a Primary Source

A lesson that challenges students to use non-text-based sources to consider the essential question: What did George and Martha Washington want to convey to their guests in the New Room? After close examination and analysis of the architecture, paintings, and objects in Mount Vernon's New Room students debate whether George Washington created an autobiography through his home. 

Oliver Evans' Patent

This activity exemplifies George Washington's appreciation for innovation and ingenuity. Students will examine Oliver Evans' Mill Patent, which Washington adopted in his own Gristmill, and analyze how those represent both Washington's and America's values at the time. 

The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret: The Founders' Failure to End Slavery

This DBQ style lesson asks students to use multiple primary and secondary sources to evaluate the statement: Ideals and moral concerns regarding human equality and the evils of slavery espoused over the course of the Founding Era were impossible to carry out and enforce due to the economic necessity and racial dynamics of slavery. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Michael Ellis.

Origin of the Purple Heart

A lesson that explores the creation of the Purple Heart military decoration, known during the American Revolution as the Badge of Military Merit. Students explore the historical and modern significance of this award created by George Washington.

Powder Bag and Puff

This activity examines the more "gentlemanly" side of the Revolutionary War and the importance of appearance and discipline in the military. Students will practice analyzing Washington's Powder Bag and Puff and other primary and secondary documents to answer questions on life in the Continental Army. 

Presidency Comparison

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students compare how both George and Martha Washington felt about General Washington becoming the first President of the United States. This lesson builds on the George Washington's Letter to Henry Knox about the Presidency and Martha Washington's Letter about the Presidency worksheets which should be completed prior to beginning this worksheet. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Putting Up Resistance

This DBQ style lesson asks students to use multiple primary and secondary sources to evaluate the statement:  Non-violent opposition proved to be the most productive method of effecting change during the Revolutionary Era in America. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Michael Ellis.

The Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to rank ten modern rules of civility alone and in small groups before completing a short activity sourcing and rephrasing George Washington's version of the Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Reading the News

A worksheet encouraging students to read and source a newspaper article reporting on a celebration of George Washington's birthday from the Massachusetts Gazette from 1787. 

Realpolitik in 1793

A lesson that draws a connection between the realpolitik practiced during the Nixon administration and George Washington’s foreign policy practices. Students explore the application of modern foreign policy styles to 18th-century diplomatic situations and make interdisciplinary connections between history and government/civics. This resource was created by 2013-2014 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Hannah Markwardt. 

Samuel Vaughan Plan

A primary source worksheet for students focused on using place as a primary source. Students will explore Samuel Vaughan's 1787 map of Mount Vernon to gain a better understanding of George Washington and the 18th-century world in which he lived. 

Seven Years' War Primary Source Set

Mount Vernon’s Primary Source Sets contain documents, maps, objects, and images all related to a given theme. Each primary source includes a brief background for students and supporting content for instruction (additional background information, discussion questions, activity suggestions, and resources). Supporting content is available as one complete document for teachers. Use these sets as a whole collection, in small groups or pairs, or individually depending on classroom needs.

The Slave Quarters at Mount Vernon

This activity uses the Slave Quarters at Mount Vernon to better understand the lives of the enslaved population who lived and worked on Mansion House Farm. Students will learn how to use place to examine American values and culture in the late 18th century. 

Slavery at Mount Vernon, 1799

An infograph created by the staff at the Washington Library that visually represents information from George Washington's List of Enslaved People, 1799. 

Snuff Box and Hogshead

This activity compares two containers of tobacco- one on the production side and the other on the consumption side to show how tobacco was made and sold in the Colonies and in England. Students will analyze a snuff box and hogshead as well as British advertisements for tobacco and snuff to understand the importance of tobacco to the 18th century. It also shines a light on how slavery was the foundation of Colonial and English economy, government, and lifestyle. 

Solomon Gundy Recipe

This activity highlights the global economy that Mount Vernon was a part of in the 18th century. Students will use primary and secondary source to follow the process of how fish from Mount Vernon could become Solomon Gundy, a fish paste that was traditional in Jamaica. It also shows how George Washington was an active member of the slave trade and profiting off of the institution of slavery independent of him owning enslaved people. 

Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Tue' Tue': Transmitting Songs

This activity uses music to explore how enslaved African people transmitted their traditions down to subsequent generations. Students will learn how to sing as a collective and see how that builds a sense of shared community. 

Two Accounts

This activity explores two accounts of a meeting between the Iroquois Nation and the French before the French and Indian War. Students will analyze the sources of the two accounts and evaluate how truthful or biased they are to reconstruct what actually happened during that meeting. Students will consequently learn the difficulties historians have in interpreting history and increase their media literacy skills. 

An Unalterable Affection: Did George Washington Have a Soft Side?

This DBQ style lesson asks students to use multiple primary and secondary sources to evaluate the statement: George Washington was a stern and unknowable man, always in complete control, with little tolerance for sentimentality or familiarity. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Michael Ellis.

Using Music to Communicate

This activity explores how music was one of the main forms of communication on the battlefield. Students will work together to create musical signals that convey marching directions. They will then show how they work as a team to give and follow those commands as a well-organized military unit. 

Using Political Cartoons to Understand History

A lesson that uses political cartoons to engage students in a deeper understanding of George Washington's presidency. Students examine political cartoons, created in 2005 by well-known political cartoonists from newspapers across the country for the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center at Mount Vernon, to explore issues related to the president's title, the Jay Treaty, and the debate surrounding a national bank.

Washington Becomes Commander

This activity sheet uses a primary source document to introduce students to critical thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of Washington becoming Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. Students will learn about Washington's deliberation about taking on this leadership role, while extracting information from a primary source. 

Washington Survives Braddock's March

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze George Washington's letter to his brother John Washington written after Braddock's defeat in 1755. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Washington's 1799 Last Will and Testament and William Lee

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze a section of George Washington's 1799 Will and Testament concerning the freedom of his enslaved manservant William "Billy" Lee. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Washington's 1799 Will and Testament Concerning National Education

A primary source worksheet for students focused on close reading skills. Students are asked to read and analyze a section of George Washington's 1799 Will and Testament concerning the creation of a national university. This resource was created by 2015-2016 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Marcia Motter.

Washington Family Portrait Coloring Page

A coloring page based on the painting The Washington Family by artist Edward Savage.

Washington Leaving Office

This activity puts Elizabeth Willing Powel's 1792 letter to George Washington asking him to serve a second term as President in conversation with Washington's 1796 Farewell Address. Students will analyze those two documents, find the main arguments in each, and then juxtapose them to the counterarguments of the other. Finally, students will evaluate what makes a good argument and learn how to create a debate. 

Washington to Wilson: Taking a Stance on Suffrage

Students will learn the arguments for and against suffrage using Washington as a basis. They will do independent research to understand both sides and argue their opinion before the class.

Washington's Whiskey Legacy

This activity uses advertisements of Mount Vernon Whiskey to analyze how George Washington's image has been used in marketing throughout history. Students will learn to examine primary source images and explain how they use qualities associated with Washington and Mount Vernon to sell their products. 

What Makes a General?

A lesson exploring George Washington’s leadership and character as commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary War. Students analyze primary source documents and images to examine the relationships between George Washington and his generals during the American Revolution. A short research project focused on a Revolutionary War military leader challenges students to examine leadership characteristics.

Which Grace: Analysis of Historical Resources

A lesson challenging students to analyze primary and secondary sources to answer the question How many enslaved individuals named Grace, Isaac, and Suckey were there at Mount Vernon from 1750-1799? Using information available to researchers and scholars at the Washington Library, students become historians as they work to answer a question that has no definitive answer. As an optional extension, students can create a biography about one of the individuals identified in their research. 

Who Are Our Greatest Presidents?

A lesson that encourages students to actively develop their own conclusions, rather than passively absorbing ideas generated by the media or other outside influences. Students use systematic analytical methods to compare past presidents to current or future presidents and to create their own research-based ranking system to compare presidents.

Who Are We?

A lesson plan to help students gain an understanding of the lives of the enslaved people on Mount Vernon.  The students will use a primary source document, entitled the French’s Slave Census 1799, to research an enslaved individual in order to answer questions and write an introduction about the person. This lesson was created by 2017-2018 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Donella Smither.

Who You Are Today Is Not Who You Will Be Tomorrow

This lesson explores George Washington's legacy through a growth mindset by allowing students time to research and know George Washington by analyzing myths about him and exploring why those myths were created. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Joanne Howard.

Wisdom Through War

This DBQ style lesson asks students to use multiple primary and secondary sources to support the historian Joseph Ellis’ statement: Instead of going to college, Washington went to war.  And the kind of education he received…left scars that never went away, as well as immunities against any and all forms of youthful idealism. This lesson was created by 2016-2017 Life Guard Teacher Fellow Michael Ellis.

Vocabulary of the Constitution

This lesson supports the video A More Perfect Union: George Washington and the Making of the Constitution. After viewing the video, students use flashcards, quizzes, interactives, and worksheets to study and demonstrate their understanding of advanced vocabulary. 

Yorktown: Now or Never (Elementary School)

A graphic organizer to help guide upper elementary students in analyzing and evaluating secondary source material as historic resources. This worksheet was created to accompany Mount Vernon's animated presentation Yorktown: Now or Never.

Yorktown: Now or Never (Middle School)

A graphic organizer to help guide middle school students in analyzing and evaluating secondary source material as historic resources. This worksheet was created to accompany Mount Vernon's animated presentation Yorktown: Now or Never.

Yorktown: Now or Never (High School)

A graphic organizer to help guide high school students in analyzing and evaluating secondary source material as historic resources. This worksheet was created to accompany Mount Vernon's animated presentation Yorktown: Now or Never.

Hands-On History- 18th-Century Recipes

Did you know George Washington loved hoecakes for breakfast? Work together to cook a historic recipe in your kitchen. Here are other recipes you can try at home.

Hands-On History- Washington Spymaster Activities

Did you know there were spies in the Revolutionary War? Download these activities to become one of Washington's agents, decoding and sending messages. Make the messages extra secretive by writing them with invisible ink.

Hands-On History- Writing with Hornbooks

George Washington wrote out the Rules of Civility to practice his penmanship and learn how to be a proper gentleman. Hornbooks were used to help children memorize important things, such as the alphabet or sayings that they needed to remember! You can make your own hornbook.

Hands-On History- Create-Your-Own Crafts

Artists painted George Washington’s portrait many times during his lifetime and after. Some portraits show scenes from Washington’s life. Explore your creativity by downloading these templates to create your own portrait, along with your own dollar bill, Mount Vernon postcard, horse puppet, quilt block, and fan. 

Hands-On History- Mount Vernon Bingo

Explore Mount Vernon’s website and virtual tour to complete bingo! Play in a group or by yourself.

Hands-On History- Mansion Bingo for Young Learners

There are many shapes and colors on the Mansion. Use the virtual tour to find more shapes you can find!

Importance of Health

Students will examine excerpts from different primary source documents to understand the importance that Washington placed on being proactive about personal health. After the examination, students will create their own health diaries, like Washington.

Washington's Library

A post- distance learning program activity for your classroom that uses Washington's library collection to understand his personal research and interest. Students will identify different subjects within his collection and compare them to the subjects studied within their own classrooms today. 

Take A Seat

A post-distance learning program activity where students will explore three different Washington-owned chairs to explore different ways technology was used to solve problems in the 18th century. Students will explore simple designs, analyze the technology used, and compare them to modern inventions that make life easier today. 

Taking Agency

In this post- distance learning program activity, students will use primary source objects, places, and documents to investigate different ways members of the enslaved community took agency over their lives while living in bondage. Students will learn about enslaved life at Mount Vernon, explore multiple perspectives, and contextualize history within a larger narrative.