Biography

·         George Washington: Our First President  written by garnet Jackson and illustrated by Cornelius van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu

o   Suggested Grade Level: 1^st grade. This book contains short but full sentences. The vocabulary is not too difficult, nor is the story too long. The illustrations take up the entire page and support the text very well.

o   Summary: George Washington is the biographical tale of our first president. The book begins with President Washington’s birth and follows him into childhood. President Washington was often described as a smart and honest youth. As a child, he loved animals and being a leader. When he was only sixteen years old, he began to work as a surveyor. By the time President Washington was twenty years old, he was a major in the Virginia army. He fought in the French and Indian war in 1754, and was promoted to Colonel. He married his wife, Martha, in 1759. President Washington went on to be a prominent figure in the Revolutionary War and was once again promoted, this time to General. President Washington became our nation’s first president in 1789. He served for eight years and then retired. He lived out the rest of his days with his wife, family and friends surrounding him.

o   Classroom skills and strategies:

§  This book could be used to teach a lesson on the life and presidency of President George Washington.

§  This book could also aid in creating a timeline of colonial and revolutionary America. It provides the dates of several important events including the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

o   ESOL strategies/applications:

§  Illustrations: This book contains full page illustrations that support the text. Students could summarize the book in their own words using the illustrations to help them.

§  Reading Logs: Students could use the dates in the book to write a journal entry about that time period. For example, the student could date an entry some time in 1754 and write about how they would feel if they or perhaps their father or brother were fighting in the French and Indian War.

o   Read aloud: Pages 21-29.

o   Personal opinion: George Washington is a biography that presents an idealized version of President George Washington, and very little else. Details of war are not shared, nor are the tough times American’s faced during this time period. However, I believe that this biography is perfectly appropriate for the grade level that it is aimed toward.