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Lesson 1 (from Chapters 1-2)

Objective

Chapters 1-2

As the book opens, we are introduced to Lincoln, but first we are introduced to Donald, the biographer, through whose language we see Lincoln. This lesson discusses Donald's style and his biographic interest.

Lesson

1. Close Reading: Read the opening paragraphs, and pay close attention to the meaning and style of the language. How does Donald present Lincoln? Is he bringing Lincoln to life, or is he preserving an academic distance from his subject? Where in his language does his style become apparent?

2. Small Group Discussion: Ask students to work together in small groups to characterize Donald's temperament. What does Donald focus on, and what are his methods for describing Lincoln's life? Can you find places where Donald might have made different decisions about how to describe Lincoln? Ask each group to report to the class after some time for discussion.

3. Class Discussion: Who does...

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