Keywords:

Benjamin Franklin, Franklin Institute, Inventors Franklin, Franklin Museum

Site Overview:

Benjamin Franklin has an amazing legacy, yet his accomplishments as an inventor and writer stand out. This site links you to many of the discoveries and accomplishments credited to Franklin plus much more. The museum really exists and the exhibits will change, some monthly.

Featured exhibits, which are currently running at the museum's facility, are listed on the home page. These are available to view online, in a limited fashion. There is a listing of what is currently available as well as museum times, interactive exhibits, movies currently playing four-story, doomed screen theater and more.
Features specific to the online site are: Inquiry Attic, Wired@Shool, Minutes from Me and calendar… which tells what's happening at the Franklin Institute each month, Investigations, Flights of Inspiration, Benjamin Franklin: Glimpses of the Man, and much more.

Our field trip tour will deal with a very specific area of the site. That area is the Learning Resources section. You are not limited to this area, but it is where the answers to the scavenger hunt can be found.

Goals and Objectives:

The goals and objectives of this site are to have a basic understanding of: (1) Benjamin Franklin the man, (2) Franklin's many accomplishments in science and literature, (3) Franklin's inventions, and (3) Franklin’s involvement in government, in the USA and abroad.

Research:

(Source: Franklin Institute Web site and World Book Encyclopedia CD-ROM, 1999.)

Benjamin Franklin lived during a time of firsts. He is said to have inspired the Wright Brothers and Thomas Edison. He is credited with inventions in meteorology, electricity, optics and much more. He was born in 1706 to working class parents. He learned to read at a very early age, and his formal schooling ended at the age of 10. At that time, he was apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer. He was self-taught, read extensively and taught himself to write. He left his brother's printing business and ended up in Philadelphia. Through a series of circumstances and adventure, which led him to London, England and back, he began his own business as a printer. Franklin became involved in many projects ranging from extensive writing, projects in social improvement, politics, investigations in electricity, deputy postmaster general,  and much more. His last days were spent as a delegate for the Second Continental Congress. Franklin died in 1790 at the age of 84.

Lesson Plans and Site Navigation:

1. Go to The Franklin Institute Science Museum at: http://sln.fi.edu   Look over the home page. Click on the button labeled Learning Resources.
2. Scroll down until you find Franklin Glimpses of the Man
3. Read this page, and click on every hyperlink button (those in a different color) such as: scientist, inventor, statesman, printer, philosopher, musician and economist.
4. Use the above links to find the answers to the questions in the Scavenger Hunt listed below by grade levels.
5. If you would like, read the remaining links in this section.
6. If you would like, you can go to the links on resource materials, enrichment activities and the glossary found on this site.
7. Look at the additional activities section, and do those that may be of interest.

Scavenger Hunt Questions:

Grades K-3

1. Franklin invented a device to reach books from high shelves. Why would this be a practical invention?
2. What is Franklin best known for?
3. Who was the first person to use swim fins?
4. What did Franklin invent that helped to keep people warm?
5. Franklin invented a musical instrument. What is it called?
6. Franklin was the first to discover that storms move in what direction?
7. What exhibits are currently available (can be seen) online during this month?
8. Which of Franklin's inventions do you like the most? Why?
9. Franklin was very curious. How can this be a good character quality?

Grades 4-8

1. Franklin is best known for his contributions to electricity. Explain.
2. What terms used in electricity are attributed to Franklin's development?
3. Franklin was the first to discover that storms moved from west to east. Why was this significant?
4. What was the importance of inventing an iron stove?
5. Why did Franklin invent swim fins?
6. Franklin ended formal schooling at the age of 10. Did he stop learning at this time? Explain your answer.
7. On a map, find Boston, Massachusetts; (his birth place); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (where he lived the majority of his life); London, England (where he spent some time); and other places he visited. Calculate the distance and type of travel he undertook to go to these places. What was transportation like in the days of Franklin?
   

Grades 9-12

1. What did Franklin prove about the nature of lightning?
2. What would be the dangers involved in recreating Franklin's lightening key and kite experiment?
3. What environmental contribution did Franklin make by inventing the iron or Franklin Stove?
4. How could Franklin's observation of a hot air balloon flight have led him to predict the use of balloons for military, recreational and scientific purposes?
5. What would be the value of understanding the conductivity of heat by color?
6. What fire-related organization did Franklin establish?
7. In order of importance, list what you think were some of Franklin's most notable accomplishments
8. List what you think were some of Franklin's most significant writings?

Additional Activities:

• Franklin was an inventor, scientist, philosopher, writer, politician and businessman. Pick one of these areas and do further research.
• Use common household items to invent or reinvent something useful. Try to make it fit the following criteria: Simple to use, economical and will make life easier. Before you do this, begin by brainstorming ideas. What are some things you could use to make everyday life easier? This does not have to be factual (for example, an automatic bed maker… when you wake up, you push a button and your bed is made for you). Brainstorming, even fanciful ideas, will provide a good starting point.
• Check to see if your area has an Invention Convention and participate.
• Research almanacs. What are the categories listed? Make up an almanac of your own.
• Get involved in politics. Run for student government or help someone with their campaign. On the local level, work with a candidate whose philosophy you believe                    in. Ask how you could be helpful in volunteering by calling the local office.
• Keep current about a political event or politician through the news on television, radio or the Internet. This will be under the heading of current events.
• Write a newspaper article. Look at the topics that Franklin wrote about and model your article after his. You can modernize this by writing a letter to the editor in response to a newspaper article.
• Write a newspaper with your class or a group of friends. What are the categories or topics you would cover?
• Write an autobiography, telling about your life and your family.
• Franklin experimented with many things. Some of his experiments were not safe, such as those using electricity. Devise a lab safety program that might have benefited Franklin.