Lesson Plans

Adelicia’s European Tour – 4th Grade

 After the Civil War, Adelicia traveled all over Europe for 15 months. In this activity, students will consider travel in the 19th century and use math to figure out how many miles, kilometers, and meters Adelicia traveled while in Italy and Switzerland. How does this compare to vacations they have gone on?

Topic: Calculating miles traveled.

 

A Letter from 1863 – 5th Grade

Without cellphones, text-messages, or emails, Adelicia’s only option for contacting someone long distance was by writing letters. Have your students read a letter written to Adelicia by her second husband Joseph Acklen. Then have students write a letter of their own, pretending they are living in 1863. 

Topic: Reading, Writing, Using primary sources

 

Beautiful Acres – 7th Grade

Belmont Mansion once sat on a 177 acre summer estate. Students will use math to determine the change in land value since Adelicia first purchased the property to today.

Topic: Ratio and Proportional Relationships 

 

Calculating Crop Cost – 5th Grade

Although Belmont Mansion was a summer estate, it still produced food crops to feed Adelicia’s family, her enslaved workers, and servants. This lesson plan will teach students how the commodities market determines crop value. It will also utilize their multiplication skills to figure out how much Adelicia’s crops were worth in 1860.

Topic: Using multiplication to find crop value.

 

Cisterns and Windmills - 2nd through 4th Grade

Conservation is not just a 21st century issue! This lesson plan will teach students how Belmont Mansion used and conserved water and encourage them to design their own plan for becoming environmentally efficient.

Topic: Conservation and environmentalism

 

Descriptive Writing - 4th through 6th Grade

Many people liked to stop and visit with Adelicia at Belmont. Have students read a description of Mother Frances Walsh’s visit to Belmont Mansion in the 1800s and write a few descriptive compositions about their own bedroom or favorite places to visit. How do they compare?

Topic: Using Primary Sources and Descriptive writing

 

Design Your Summer Home - 4th Grade

Home design includes as much personal taste as it does necessity. Have students examine Belmont Mansion’s floor plan and then design a mansion of their own. 

Topic: Figuring out area and perimeter

 

Fight of the Century - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade

If someone had a list of things you like and dislike, how much would they really know about you? In this lesson, students will learn about primary and secondary sources by creating some of their own.

Topic: Using primary sources

 

How Much is That Today - Market Conversion - 5th Grade

It is hard to believe that an object’s value can change over time. This lesson will have students examine a list of items belonging to Adelicia’s first husband, Isaac Franklin, and will require students to figure out the value of those items today. 

Topic: Using primary source information to calculate worth of items and introduce topic of inflation

 

The Acklens Online - 4th, 5th, and 8th Grade

If Adelicia or one of her family members could have an online profile, what would she be posting about herself? What about George Washington or Abraham Lincoln? Have your students create a pretend Facebook profile for Mrs. Acklen and another historical figure based on research they have done.

Extensions: Computer research skills, computer design, reading, writing, and relating to other historical figures students are currently studying in class. 

 

Lines of Life - K, 1st, and 2nd Grade

Anyone’s life can be organized into a timeline of events from their birth to her death. What experiences did Adelicia have which are important enough to be included in her timeline? Have students consider this question before making a timeline of their own life.

Topic: Timelines

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