Lesson Plans

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

These scaffolded Activity Suggestion Sheets give quick, grab-and-go activities for you to implement into lesson plans. The sheets cover the different roles, responsibilities, and impacts of women in the 18th century, and are perfect for incorporating women's history throughout your curriculum. 

These sheets were created by 2023 LifeGuard Teacher Fellows Pam Stafford and Kate Van Haren.

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.

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. 

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

This infographic tells the stories of people who fought in the American Revolution through visuals, graphics, and primary sources. It reads at an upper-elementary level, perfect for struggling readers, emerging English speakers, visual learners, or the average student. 

Created by LifeGuard Teacher Fellows Shawnel Padilla and Trevor Bliss.

This guide helps students record and compare the stories of individuals who sought freedom from Mount Vernon.

Learn about the people who lived and labored at Mount Vernon with this helpful notetaking guide geared towards all learners.

These activity sheets provide grab-and-go activity ideas about the foundation of the U.S. Constitution, government, and presidency. With different options for Elementary, Middle, and High School students, these activity suggestion sheets have something for every grade level. These sheets were created by 2024 LifeGuard Teacher Fellows Emily Finch and Tamera Johnson.