Story of Two Presidents

Story of Two Presidents

Lesson : Obj. 3 Grade : 6.10 (I) find similarities and

differences across texts such as in

treatment, scope, or organization Grade : 6

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Introduction

Today’s lesson is called paired selection where you will find similarities and differences across texts such as in treatment, scope, or organization.

To be able to recognize how the two stories and poems are similar and how they are different you will have to read them together, while making comparisons.

The stories are about two of the most famous Presidents of US and the two poems are on friendship.

The differences can be in Main Idea, Subject, Setting,

Characters, Plot, Conflict or Organization

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Story of Two Presidents…(1) 1. When George Washington was about six years old, he was

made the wealthy master of a hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way.

2. One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his mother's pea sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree, and barked it so hard that it died.

3. Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room.

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Story of Two Presidents…(1) 4. "George," said his father, "do you know who has killed my

beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five guineas for it!"

5. This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried: "I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet."

6. The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said: "My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! Yes, though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!"

7. Washington was unanimously elected President of the United States of America by electors in early 1789 and again in 1792. Both votes were unanimous. Washington died of an illness in 1799, at his home, Mt. Vernon, located in Fairfax County, Virginia.

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1. We celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12th.

Lincoln was one of the few great men who really was great. Before he became president, Lincoln spent twenty years as an unsuccessful Illinois lawyer – unsuccessful in financial terms.

2. As a young boy he worked in a store. In managing the store, as in everything that he undertook for others, Lincoln did his very best. He was honest, civil, ready to do anything that should encourage customers to come to the place, full of pleasantries, patient, and alert.

3. On one occasion, late at night, when he counted over his cash, he found that he had taken a few cents from a customer more than was due. He closed the store, and walked a long distance to make good the deficiency.

Story of Two Presidents…(2)

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Story of Two Presidents…(2) 4. At another time, discovering on the scales in the morning a

weight with which he had weighed out a package of tea for a woman the night before, he saw that he had given her too little for her money. He weighed out what was due, and carried it to her, much to the surprise of the woman, who had not known that she was short in the amount of her purchase.

5. Innumerable incidents of this sort are related of Lincoln. He was always alert to protect defenseless women from insult, or feeble children from tyranny; for in the rude community in which he lived, the rights of the defenseless were not always respected as they should have been.

6. During his years as a lawyer, there were hundreds of documented examples of his honesty and decency. For example, Lincoln didn't like to charge people much who were as poor as he was. Once a man sent him twenty-five dollars, but Lincoln sent him back ten of it, saying he was being too generous.

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Story of Two Presidents…(2) 7. He was known at times to convince his clients to settle their

issue out of court, saving them a lot of money, and earning himself nothing. An old woman in dire poverty, the widow of a Revolutionary soldier, was charged $200 for getting her $400 pension. Lincoln sued the pension agent and won the case for the old woman. He didn't charge her for his services and, in fact, paid her hotel bill and gave her money to buy a ticket home!

8. He and his associate once prevented a con man from gaining possession of some land owned by a mentally ill girl. The case took fifteen minutes. Lincoln's associate came to divide up their fee, but Lincoln reprimanded him. His associate argued that the girl's brother had agreed on the fee ahead of time, and he was satisfied.

9. "That may be," said Lincoln, "but I am not satisfied. That money comes out of the pocket of a poor, demented girl; and I would rather starve than swindle her in this manner. You return half the money at least, or I'll not take a cent of it as my share."

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Story of Two Presidents…(2) 10. He was a fool, perhaps, by certain standards. He didn't have

much, and it was his own fault. But he was a good human being by anyone's standards.

11. Lincoln didn't talk much about religion, even with his best friends, and he didn't belong to any church. But he once confided to a friend that his religious code was the same as an old man he knew in Indiana, who said, "When I do good, I feel good, and when I do bad, I feel bad, and that's my religion.”

12. He became President in March of 1861. On April 14, 1865 President Lincoln and Mrs. Lincoln were attending a play at Ford's Theater in Washington D.C. when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, an actor with extremist views concerning politics and slavery. He died after nine hours without regaining consciousness.

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Check Your Understanding

1. What are the points of similarity in these two stories?

a. both stories are about deeds of honesty b. both stories are very recent and current incidents c. in both stories, the subjects are God fearing and religious people d. the subject of both stories are past Presidents of US

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2. What are the appropriate points of difference in these two stories?

a. the subject of story # 1 is a child / the subject of story # 2 is

about a grown up who is working b. the subject in story # 1 is praised by his father / the subject

in story # 2 is praised by his teachers c. story # 1 states one incident of honesty / story # 2 has

several incidents of honesty d. story # 2 has some examples of how the subject spreads

honesty / in story # 1, such examples are missing

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3. Do you think the subjects of both these stories are from a similar background and financial status?

a. yes b. no c. no clues in the stories that indicate the financial status / background of the subjects

d. almost similar background / hardly any difference

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4. Give reasons that support your answer to question 3. Which are the paragraphs that helped you to decide?

……………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………... In the first story, paragraph/s #

……………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………. In the second story, paragraph/s

#.................................................... ………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………

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5. Mark “T” for true and “F” for false.

a. the subject in story # 1 grew up to be first President of US b. the subject in story # 2 succeeded Washington as the

second President of US c. the subject in story # 1 was killed during action in war d. the subject in story # 2 died after being assassinated

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6. Both the stories are …………………………………………………… (narratives in first person / extracts from biographies /

extracts from interviews held with actual subjects).

7. The subjects in both the stories became Presidents of US in ………..………………………………………………………(the same century / different centuries / a time gap of ten years).

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8. The incident described in story # 1 tells us that George had a

………………………………………………………………………… (decent and normal childhood / unhealthy childhood /

pampered and over indulged childhood).

9. The incidents described in story # 2 tells us that Lincoln was ………………………………………………………………………….. (foolish / generous and sincere / nervous and fearful of a lot

of things).

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1. You're a true friend, that I want you to know, Our love for each other has helped us to grow. We've been through some tough times, but we've made it through, The only one I ever trusted was you.

2. You helped me through anger, you've chased away fears. You held me through sadness, and kissed away tears.

3. You stayed by my side when the world turned away. You helped me see joy when the skies were all gray.

Poem on Friendship…(1)

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4. You were the rainbowat the end of the storm. You help me be different when I shouldn't conform.

5. You held my hand when you knew we would fall. Every heartache, you saw me through it all.

6. I'm not sure I'm always the best friend to you, I know I'm not perfect, but this much is true.


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7. When life gets you down, And there's nowhere to turn, I'll help you through and I'll share your concern.

8. I'll try my best to return every favor, When you're sure that you'll drown, then I'll be your lifesaver; Even if we both go down.

9. Whether we sink or swim doesn't matter at all, Just know that I'll be therewhenever you call.


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10. I'll pull you out when life pulls you under. I'll be the sun when there's lightning and thunder.

11. And when it's all over, And we've fought every war, There's one thing I promise, Of this I am sure, When the time comes that we're put to our rest. Be sure that you know that, My friend, you're the best.


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12. And if there is Heaven, then I know you'll be there, That if you die first then you'll hear every prayer.And soon I'll join you, but just know until then. That I'll miss you each day 'til I see you again.

13. At the end of the tunnel, you'll be my guiding light, You'll lead me to heaven, away from the night.

• We'll be there together, and we'll never grow old. And we'll walk hand in hand On the streets paved of gold. -

Unknown Author


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1. If I could catch a rainbow

I would do it just for you.And share with you its beautyOn the days you're feeling blue.

2. If I could build a mountainYou could call your very own.A place to find serenityA place to be alone.

Poem on Friendship … (2)

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3. If I could take your troubles

I would toss them in the sea.But all these things I'm findingare impossible for me; I cannot build a mountainOr catch a rainbow fairBut let me be...what I know best,a friend that's always there.

- by Khalil Gibran

Poem on Friendship… (2)

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10. How are these two poems alike?

a. both the poems are on good deeds b. both the poems are about the beauties of nature c. both the poems are about romance d. both the poems are on friendship


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11. How are these poems different?

a. poem # 1 is about broken promises / poem # 2 is about promises kept loyally

b. poem # 1 is about friendship between two adults / poem # 2 is

about friendship between two children c. poem # 1 lists the good deeds done to the poet and the

poet’s promise to return the same / poem # 2 only talks about

what the poet wants to do for his / her friend

d. poem # 1 is about reality / poem # 2 is about a dream


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12. What are the things the poet wants to do in poem # 2?

a. build a beautiful home where the friend can find everlasting

happiness b. build a street paved with gold where the poet and the friend can

walk hand in hand c. catch a rainbow, build a mountain, toss the troubles in the sea d. write a beautiful song that the birds can sing over the

mountains

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13. What are the things the poet wants do in poem # 1?

a. build a bridge of gold where the poet and the friend can always

find happiness b. be there when things are bad, be the sun when there's lightning

and thunder, return every favor, and be the lifesaver c. make a garden as beautiful as paradise d. never let the friend cry again

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14. In which poem do you think the poet faces a conflict? a. poem # 1 b. poem # 2 c. neither of the poems d, both the poems

15. What is the conflict faced?

a. the poet is unable pave the streets with gold b. the poet is finding it impossible to do all the things he

wants to do c. the poet is scared that the friend might die first d. the poet feel he may not be the perfect person for the

friend


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16. What is the bottomline in both the poems?

a. we will never be separated again b. you have helped me through all my troubles c. I’ll always be there for you d. I will give up my life for you

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17. In what context is the word “rainbow” mentioned in both the poems?

a. in poem # 1, the poet counts the colors of the rainbow and compares each color to a virtue the friend possesses

b. in poem # 1, the poet compares the friend to a rainbow at the

end of the storm c. in poem # 2, the poet expresses a wish – if he / she could catch a

rainbow to give to his / her friend d. in poem # 2, the poet feels that even the rainbow is not good

enough a gift to give to the friend

Summary

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Today’s lesson is called paired selections where you will find similarities and differences across texts such as in treatment, scope, or organization.

To be able to recognize how the two stories are similar and how they are different you would have read them together. Compare the stories as you go along.

GREAT JOB TODAY!

Documents

Story of Two Presidents