Leadership: Sorting it Out

This learning experience is inquiry-based and built on the 5E model. Students will be engaged by listing character traits that make a good leader. They will then explore primary source quotes about leadership and explain how historical figures viewed George Washington. They will partake in group discussion to evaluate their understanding of the content and understand who may be missing from the primary source quotes. Finally, learning can extend as students consider Alexander Hamilton's descriptions of Washington and relate those characteristics relate to their own life.

• This learning experience can be modified to fit a range of grade levels.
• This learning experience fits one class session.
• This learning experience integrates reading, writing, speaking, listening, social-emotional, and civics learning skills.
• This learning experience has sources that can accompany the lesson.

Engage:

• Introduce the lesson by showing George Washington as a military leader.
• Invite students to self-identify characteristics that match George Washington’s military leadership qualities.

Explore:

• In small groups, distribute the set of 22 quotes about George Washington
  • Have groups sort and categorize qualities by similarities and differences.
  • Do a gallery walk to review each other’s work.

Explain/Evaluate:

• Ask students whose voices are not represented.
• Which characteristics describe themselves?
• Which characteristics describe leaders in their life?
• Which characteristics can they be working on?

Extend:

• Focus on one additional quote (Alexander Hamilton is suggested)
• Does the describe a successful leader? Are you reflected in that quote? Why and how?
• Shuffle and start again with all new categories.