Edison Rhet2

Blueprints for Biography
STEM Series
Young Thomas Edison
BLUEPRINTS FOR BIOGRAPHY

Young Thomas Edison
Blueprint developed by:

BENJAMIN HARDY
EMILY WERNSDORFER
ANN ROBINSON
Blueprints for Biography

Young Thomas Edison
March 2015
Blueprints for Biography are dedicated to Maxine Robinson

Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
master teacher, perfect mother.
2801 South University, SUA Rm. 101

Little Rock, Arkansas 72204
http://ualr.edu/gifted
Credits:
Ann Robinson, Ph.D.

Director, Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education
Blueprints Coordinator: Krista M. Smith

Writers: Benjamin Hardy and Emily Wernsdorfer
Cover & Layout: Krista M. Smith
Acknowledgements
Contents
Blueprints for Biography Young Thomas Edison
Blueprints for Biography combine the twin interests of biography as a means of

investigating talent development and as a lively curriculum art.
The decision to create a series of curriculum materials based on biographies written
for children and young adults was influenced by very marvelous people along the
way.
Introduction for Teachers......................................................................................6

About Blueprints for Biography...........................................................................8
About the Person...................................................................................................13
First, I was born into a reading family. Books were everywhere in our home. My
mother, Maxine Robinson, and my father, Frank Robinson, were avid, enthusiastic
and completely open-minded readers. They modeled the intense curiosity that can
be satisfied by reading widely and thinking carefully about what one reads. Trips to
the Platte County Library were an almost daily event throughout my childhood and
adolescence.
About the Book.....................................................................................................15
Second, I had the good fortune to find myself in a doctoral program at Purdue
University. My major professor and lifelong mentor, John Feldhusen, was a
voracious reader of biographies. He introduced me to the joys of examining a life in
print, whether for scholarly investigation or for leisure.
P- Quad: Prompt for Writing................................................................................24
Discussion Questions...........................................................................................16
P- Quad: Portrait Study.........................................................................................21
P- Quad: Primary Source Analysis......................................................................30

P- Quad: Point-of-View Analysis.........................................................................38
Ann Robinson
Little Rock, Arkansas
Experimentation...................................................................................................42
Additional Resources...........................................................................................50
Glossary..................................................................................................................52
References..............................................................................................................54
Feedback Form......................................................................................................55
Introduction for Teachers

Hello, and welcome to Blueprints for Biography. If you are new to Blueprints, please read this
brief introductory section before continuing.
What are Blueprints for Biography?

Blueprints are guides for teachers and students engaged in the study of a specific biography.
The Blueprint you are reading is a part of the STEM Starters series (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics). STEM Starters Blueprints introduce readers in the elemenary
grades to the lives of some of historys most influential and memorable scientists and
inventors. By supplementing quality biographies written for children with targeted
discussion questions and relevant activities, we hope to provide teachers with the means
to bring both history and science alive for young students. Blueprints are developed at the
Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Who is the audience for this Blueprint?

This Blueprint is designed for primary level teachers whose students are reading Young
Thomas Edison by Michael Dooling. The biography and its accompanying Blueprint activities
are suitable for fluent, advanced readers in elementary school.
How can this Blueprint be integrated into the curriculum?

Young Thomas Edison could be integrated into a unit of study on physics, math, or the history
of scince. This Blueprint emphasizes themes of independence, nonconformity, intellectual
creativity, and individual worth.
What kinds of lessons are included in a Blueprint?

All Blueprints include discussion questions based on a specific trade book and extension
activities called P-Quads. Each Blueprint in the STEM series also contains a classroom science
experiment related to the person in the biography. Each is outlined below.
Discussion Questions. The discussion questions for a Blueprint are divided into three
sections (Robinson, 2006). The first set of questions, BEFORE THE BOOK, focuses students
attention on the biography to be read and asks them to make predictions. The second
set of questions, BY THE BOOK, includes reading comprehension, vocabulary study, and
textual and graphic analysis. The third set of questions, BEYOND THE BOOK, emphasizes an
understanding of talent development and encourages connections to the readers life.
@Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education, UALR. May be reproduced for classroom use only.
Introduction for Teachers

P-Quads. P-Quads are four types of activities, so named because each begins with the letter
P (Robinson & Cotabish, 2005). The activities selected as P-Quads focus on skills important
to understanding and appreciating non-fiction texts such as biography.
The first P-Quad is a PORTRAIT STUDY. Whether the portrait is painted, engraved or
photographic, rich comparisons can be made between a biography and a portrait of
the same individual. Portrait Study is best used as group activity, and is accompanied by
suggestions to assist teachers in utilizing these tools.
The second P-Quad is a PROMPT FOR WRITING. Prompts in the Blueprints emphasize
persuasive writing because of its importance throughout life and because persuasive writing
is especially relevant to non-fiction reading. This P-Quad is accompanied by a rubric to assist
teachers in grading student responses.
The third P-Quad is a PRIMARY-SOURCE ANALYSIS. The use of primary sources, documents
or artifacts written or created at the time of an event, is a means of developing historical
thinking and habits of mind in learners. The primary source may be a document such as a
letter, diary entry, newspaper article or cartoon of the period. Other primary sources are
photographs, artifacts, maps, posters, and sound recordings. Primary-Source Analysis is best
used as a group activity and is accompanied by suggestions to assist teachers in utilizing
these tools.
The fourth P-Quad is a POINT-OF-VIEW ANALYSIS. Biography often involves controversy,
conflict and complex situations. Point-of-view activities encourage learners to use critical
thinking and empathy whether they are considering the perspectives of different people
or investigating multiple interpretations of an individual historical event. This P-Quad is
accompanied by a rubric to assist teachers in grading student responses.
Experimentation. A classic science experiment is included with each Blueprint in the
STEM series. These experiments should not be thought of as stand-alone lessons. Rather,
they are intended to complement the reading of the biography by allowing students to step
into the shoes of the scientist aboutwhom they have learned. Whenever possible, the subject
of the experiment reflects a theme, concept, or invention presented in the book itself.
Teachers are encouraged to integrate the lessons communicated by the biography and the
other Blueprint sections into the teaching of the experiment as well.
Other Information. Each Blueprint also contains:
a biographical sketch of the person about whom the biography is written

an annotation of the biography
a list of additional resources for the teacher to consult
a glossary of literary and historical terms
About Blueprints for Biography
...no species of writing seems more worthy of cultivation than biography, since none can be more
delightful or more useful, none can more certainly enchain the heart by irresistible interest, or
more widely diffuse instruction to every diversity of condition. Samuel Johnson, Rambler No. 60
Children selected their own biographies; however, Hollingworth noted that children did not
tend to choose outside the fields of warfare, government and mechanical invention when
left without guidance. Therefore, she provided a list of possible individuals for biographical
investigation and spent time and money to acquire a classroom library.
Why should students read biographies?

According to C.N. Parke, biography combines the solid satisfaction of facts with the shaping
pleasures of the imagination (1996, pp. xiii). It is the writing of a life, as its Greek roots
revealbio for life and graph for writing. Because biography combines imaginative literary
elements with historical methods, life writing is emotionally rich, intellectually challenging,
and multidisciplinary. By examining a life, students learn about a real person in an historical
time and place, but they also learn about themselves. The subjects of biographies can
provide role models for their readers. Because biographies often focus on the challenges
faced by people, this kind of reading helps students to recognize and solve problems of their
own. Biography can teach life lessons, and well-written biographies teach life lessons in
exciting and compelling ways. Biographies are a favorite choice of adult readers; biographies
written for children will ignite interests in younger readers, too.
How have biographies been used with high-ability learners in the

past?
Biography has a documented history in the field of gifted education. For example, the
famous Terman studies included a research volume by Catharine Cox (1926) based on the
analysis of three hundred and one biographies of eminent figures in history. Insights on the
development of talent over the course of a persons life were drawn by a team of researchers
reading the biographies.
In terms of school programs and services, Leta Hollingworth used biography to enrich the
curriculum of the elementary school, for young, intellectually gifted children as early as
1923. Funded by the Carnegie Corporation, Hollingworth worked with two classes of highability students in New York City to investigate how young learners pursued their studies and
how they benefited from the study of biography in the elementary school (Hollingworth,
1926).
Hollingworths students, who were eight to ten years old, organized much of their own
instruction. After an introduction to the meaning of biography in the fall of the year, children
began spring discussions of their self-selected biographies every Tuesday morning for forty
minutes. Two biographies were considered each week and managed by a committee of
children elected by the class.
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Instruction was organized like a seminar with children reading or reporting orally on their
biographical figure and leading a discussion. Student questions were so numerous that the
class instituted a box for questions not addressed during the time allotted for the seminar.
After working with students for a year, Hollingworth decided that one hour per week for a
year should be devoted to the study of biography with high-ability learners.
How can a teacher use Blueprints in the classroom?

Blueprints are adaptable to a variety of instructional arrangements in the classroom. They
may be used with individual learners, with small groups, or with a whole class of learners.
Study Guide or Gloss for Independent Reading. An individual student with an
intense interest can be guided toward specific biographies for reading outside the classroom
or as part of an independent reading program. The discussion questions of the Blueprint can
be provided to the student as he or she reads independently. The questions include three
sections: BEFORE THE BOOK, BY THE BOOK and BEYOND THE BOOK. Each section is separate
to allow teachers to pace individually guided instruction. Teachers can also schedule an
individual reading conference to follow up with students or can assign particular questions
to be answered in writing as part of a reading journal.
Learning Centers. Biographies enrich learning centers, and the discussion questions
and activities included in a Blueprint can be placed on task cards for a center. The P-Quad
extension activities found in a Blueprint focus on four general areas: PROMPTS FOR WRITING,
POINT-OF-VIEW ANALYSIS, PORTRAIT STUDY, and PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS, including the
analysis of photographs. Lessons include reproducible prompts and facsimiles of primary
sources.
Reading buddies or reading dyads. Teachers can include biographies as part of the
reading buddy program in which pairs of students take turns reading aloud and asking
questions of one another. Again, the discussion sections, BEFORE THE BOOK, BY THE BOOK
and BEYOND THE BOOK, can be used to guide student questions and answers.
Silent Sustained Reading. A good selection of biographies can be part of the
How does this Blueprint align to the Next Generation Science

Standards and Common Core State Standards?
classroom Silent Sustained Reading program (known also as Drop Everything and Read). The
biographies for which Blueprints are developed were selected for their merit and provide
choices for students casting about for something interesting to read. Busy teachers can use
the Blueprints series as a source for promising titles for their classroom libraries.
Small-group instruction. Blueprints can be used by the teacher for small-group
This Blueprint aligns to the following Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core
State Standards. The information in parentheses lists which activity in the Blueprint fulfills
that standard.
instruction in reading or in social studies. The questions can be used by the teacher as he
or she leads a discussion of a book all students have read. Prompts can be used to develop
childrens writing skills, particularly in the area of persuasive writing which is often included
on state accountability exams. Blueprint PROMPTS FOR WRITING provides students with
opportunities to develop expertise in organizing their thoughts and using evidence to
support their arguments.
Next Generation Science Standards
Whole-class instruction. Blueprints are developed for biographies available in
NGSS 5ESS1: Earths place in the universe. (Experimentation)
paperback for reasonable prices as well as for hard cover texts. The reasonably-priced
biographies can be used as class sets just as easily as fictional paperbacks in a whole-class
setting. In addition, the P-Quads focused on point-of-view analysis and primary sources can
be implemented in small groups or with the whole class.
NGSS 3PS2-2: Make observations and/or measurements of an objects motion to provide

evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future movement. (Experimentation)
NGSS 4PS3-4: Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy
from one form to another. (Experimentation)
Science and Engineering Practices: Asking questions and defining problems; Planning and
carrying out investigations; Constructing explanations and designing solutions; Engaging in
argument from evidence. (Experimentation)
Crosscutting Concepts: Energy and Matter; Cause and Effect; Patterns; Scale, Proportion, and
Quantity. (Experimentation)
English Language Arts Common Core State Standards

CCSSELA-Literacy W.2.1; W.3.1; W.4.1; W.5.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce
the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the
opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and
provide a concluding statement or section. (Point of View)
CCSSELA-Literacy W.3.3; W.4.3; W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event
sequences. (Prompt Writing)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 2.3 & 3.3: Describe the connection between a series of historical events,
scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text. (Primary Source
Analysis)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical,
scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information
in a text. (Primary Source Analysis)
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CCSSELA-Literacy RI 4.6: Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the
same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided. (Primary
Source Analysis)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 5.3: Explain the relationship or interactions between two or more
individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on
specific information in the text. (Primary Source Analysis)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 5.6: Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting
important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. (Primary Source
Analysis)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why,
and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. (Discussion questions)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text,
referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. (Discussion questions)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the
text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. (Discussion questions)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical,
scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information
in the text. (Discussion questions)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 4.6: Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of
the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
(Discussion questions)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inference from the text. (Discussion questions)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more
individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on
specific information in the text. (Discussion questions)
CCSSELA-Literacy RI 5.6: Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting
important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. (Discussion
questions)
Math Common Core State Standards

CCSS.Math.MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (Experimentation)
CCSS.Math.MP.3: Use appropriate tools strategically. (Experimentation)
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About the person

Thomas Alva Edison, 18471931

Thomas Edisons career as an inventor and scientist began in early childhood. Although he
received no formal education, Edison possessed precocious entrepreneurial ambitions and
an endless fascination with technology from a very young age. By his early twenties, he had
moved from his boyhood home in Michigan to the East Coast and began working full-time as
a self-described freelance inventor.
His technical experimentation first resulted in commercial success with an improved version
of the stock ticker, followed by improvements to the design of the telegraph. However, it was
the invention of the phonograph in 1877 that made him famous among the general public
and earned him the nickname the Wizard of Menlo Park (Edisons laboratory at this point in
his life was located in the small town of Menlo Park, New Jersey).
Today, Edison is probably best remembered for his electric light bulb, which he developed
in tandem with the other technical components necessary to create a complete electricity
generation and current delivery system the foundations of the power grid that now
delivers energy around the globe. He also created the first movie studio, the alkaline storage
battery, and over a thousand other patented inventions. However, many historians today
think that Edisons most influential innovation was his research laboratory.
Edison was among the first to hire large numbers of professional craftsmen and scientists
to work systematically on research and development projects. Such methods have since
been incorporated into industrial and scientific operations around the world and have led to
countless technological innovations in every field of science and engineering.
The peak of Edisons career coincided with the so-called Gilded Age in American history,
when the nations economic, political and cultural life were largely defined by the actions of
aggressive industrialists and financiers such as John D. Rockefeller and Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Edison was continually in the employ of multiple business interests who financed his
research in hopes of achieving commercially viable products.
Edison himself was as much a businessman as he was an inventor and was always striving
to make his creations more profitable and successful. Intensely competitive, he and his
assistants would race to complete new inventions ahead of rival laboratories by working for
weeks at a time with only brief periods of rest.
Some critics of his legacy note that Edisons work drew heavily from the inventions and
discoveries of other inventors, which led to numerous legal battles concerning his patents;
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About the person
About the Book
Thomas Alva Edison, 18471931 continued

also, many inventions patented by Edison were developed at least partly through the
unacknowledged intellectual labor of his employees.
Edisons name became synonymous with genius in his lifetime, but he always insisted that
his achievements were the product of hard work and persistence in the face of constant
setbacks rather than any sort of extraordinary intellectual ability. He died in 1931 at age 84,
leaving behind his second wife, Mina, and six children.
Title:
Young Thomas Edison
Author:
Michael Dooling
Illustrator: Michael Dooling

Publisher: Holiday House, Inc.
Date: 2005
Subjects: Thomas Edison
Length:
40 pages
Annotation:
Young Thomas Edison focuses on the inventors childhood in the Midwest. In touching on
the best known episodes from Edisons early life, this biography explores the aspects of its
subjects character that would grow to define his legendary career: his passion for science
and self-education, his entrepreneurship, and his indomitable persistence in the face of
setbacks along the way. Although the book concentrates on Edison as a boy, it also provides
brief descriptions of the groundbreaking inventions that made him a household name. The
story is illustrated with realistic, beautifully-rendered paintings in oil.
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Before the Book

1.
Most of Thomas Edisons inventions were related to electricity. In his time, people were
just beginning to discover how to use this powerful force. Do you use electricity in your
daily life? List at least five things in your home that use electric power and try to include
something from each room in your house.
Yes, we use electricity in our daily lives today. Answers will vary.
2.
As a boy, Edison was fascinated with performing experiments. What is an experiment?
Why do people perform experiments?
An experiment is a series of scientific tests that a person performs so that he
or she can learn something about the world. Experiments tell us whether our
ideas about the world are correct or not.
3.
This book is called Young Thomas Edison because it focuses on Edison as a boy and a
young man. Why might a biography focus on a persons early life?
A biography might focus on a persons childhood because understanding
the experiences and personality of a person as a child can teach us about the
person when they are grown.
4.
The text on the inside front sleeve describes Edison as Americas greatest inventor and
entrepreneur. What is an entrepreneur? How might being an inventor help someone to also
become an entrepreneur?
An entrepreneur is someone who starts their own business. An inventor might
start a business to sell the things he or she invents.
5.
One of Edisons most famous quotes is that genius is one percent inspiration, ninetynine percent perspiration. Explain this quote. Do you agree with it?
This quote means that much hard work and persistence is required to create
extraordinary new things. Genius is more about dedication and hard work
than it is about having a single brilliant idea. Answers will vary.
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By the Book
1.
As a boy, Al did not do well in school. What were two reasons why? What happened as
a result of his poor schoolwork? Do you think Al was happy with this outcome? Why or why
not?
Al did poorly in school because he had hearing problems, because he tended
to daydream, and because school moved too slowly for him. As a result, his
teacher considered him addled, or not very bright. This led Als mother to
teach him lessons at home instead. Al very much enjoyed reading and learning
on his own, so it is likely he was happy to stay home from school.
2.
What was Als first business, and where did it operate? How did he later expand this
business?
Als first business was selling newspapers on the train that ran from Port Huron
(where his family lived) to Detroit, Michigan, the Grand Trunk Railway. He later
began selling fruits and candies to passengers on the train and eventually
began printing his own paper, which he called The Weekly Herald.
3.
Even though Al began working at an early age, he continued to educate himself. How
did he use his business to further his self-education? What accident put a stop to his job?
Al used the money he earned to continue his experiments. Because he worked
on a train that traveled to Detroit, he also spent hours each day reading at the
city library and performing experiments in a laboratory that he installed in
a train car. His job ended when a bottle of phosphorus a chemical that will
easily catch on fire exploded and started a fire on the train.
4.
As a teenager, Al worked as a telegraph operator and learned Morse code, a type of
alphabet made of long and short taps. The telegraph was the first device that allowed people
to send messages over long distances, and in Als time it had become extremely popular.
Why do you think people found it to be so important?
The telegraph was extremely important because it allowed people to
communicate over long distances.
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By the Book
5.
Towards the end of the book, the author stops calling the main character Al and
begins calling him Thomas instead. Why does the author do this? What changes happen in
Als life around this time? What does the name change suggest about Al at this point in his
life?
The author begins referring to Edison by his first name at the point in the plot
when he moves to Boston, Massachusetts to begin his career as an inventor.
The book tells us that Edison himself began using his first name at that point in
his life. The name change suggests that the character is growing up and is no
longer a child.
6.
According to the book, who was the most influential person in Thomas Edisons early
life? How did this person encourage him? Do you think he would have become an inventor
without this person? Why or why not?
Edisons mother was probably the biggest influence on his early life. She taught
him to ask questions constantly, such as What is this? Why does that happen?
How does it happen? Answers to the last questions will vary.
7.
Read about the inventions described on the last several pages of the book. Do any
of the devices shown look like things you use in your everyday life? Pick one invention and
describe how the modern-day version of the device is different from Edisons version.
Answers will vary.
Beyond the Book

1.
Considering his interests as a child, do you think Edison was happy as an adult? Why or
why not?
Because he loved to experiment and learn, it is likely that Edison was happy as
an adult. He was able to turn his passion for science into a career as an inventor.
2.
Edisons experiments usually did not work right at first. How did he respond to his own
failures? Do you think it is common for scientists to try many different solutions to a problem
before they find one that works?
When his experiments went poorly, Edison would always keep trying. He never
gave up, even when faced with disappointments. Scientists almost always have
to try many different solutions before they solve a problem.
3.
Edison began losing his hearing as a young boy and was almost deaf by the time he
reached his mid-twenties. How did this affect his life? In what ways can a disability in one
area encourage a person to improve in another area? Give at least one example.
Edison said that his hearing loss let him tune out the world, which helped
him to concentrate. This may have made him an even better scientist. People
with other disabilities often compensate by learning new skills for example,
people who are blind may learn to hear extremely well, and people without the
use of their legs may develop greater upper-body strength. Answers will vary.
4.
The telegraph is no longer used anywhere in the US because it has become obsolete,
meaning that it has been replaced by better technology. What do we use today for longdistance communication? Why are these methods better than the telegraph? Does the fact
that the telegraph is now obsolete mean that it was not actually an important invention?
Why or why not?
Today, we use the telephone and the internet for most of our long-distance
communication. These methods allow spoken or written language to be sent
directly from person to person, rather than requiring Morse code. However,
the telegraph was still a very important invention because it greatly affected
history during the period when it was widely used. It also helped better
technologies (such as the telephone and internet) to be later developed.
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Beyond the Book

5.
If Thomas Edison were a young boy today, how do you think his life would be
different? Do you think he would be experimenting with telegraphs and chemicals, or would
he instead be experimenting with something different? What sort of things might he be
interested in? Why?
If he were a boy in our world, Edison would probably be more interested in
newer, cutting edge sciences. He might be interested in studying computers
and other digital devices, robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, or green
energy.
Portrait Study
NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
This famous photograph of Thomas Edison appeared in the New York Times in 1888 while
the inventor was working on improving the phonograph. Edison had been working without
sleep for three days straight when the picture was taken! Analyze this portrait by answering
the prompts on the following page.
6.
When electric lights were introduced, many people thought that electricity was too
dangerous to be used in their homes and other buildings. Edison helped to create a system
of wiring that made electricity safe for home use. However, today we have other concerns
about electricity specifically, we are worried about how our use of energy may be harming
the planet. What are these concerns? What are scientists today doing to improve the way we
use energy?
Today, we are concerned that our use of energy is polluting the air and causing
global warming. Scientists are working on ways of creating energy that cause
less pollution and are less harmful to the earth.
7.
Think again about what it means to be an entrepreneur and what it means to be an
inventor. Edison was both, but not all inventors are also entrepreneurs. Likewise, not all
entrepreneurs are inventors. Create a Venn diagram listing qualities you would expect to find
in an inventor and those you would expect to find in an entrepreneur.
Answers for inventor may include: curiosity, science ability, math skills, a love
of reading, being good with tools. Answers for entrepreneur may include:
ambition, willfulness, being good with people. Answers for both may include:
creativity, persistence, intelligence.
CCSS alignment: This activity fulfills guidelines of the CCSS. See pages 1112.
Courtesy of U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Edison National Historic Site. Image
retrieved July 9, 2009 from http://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/items/show/1070
Portrait Study, designed at the Jodie MahonCenter for Gifted Education is adapted from Morris, S., Teachers Guide to
Using Portraits, English Heritage, 1989.
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May be reproduced for classroom use only
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Portrait Study
Portrait Study for Teachers

FACE
Explain the persons
facial expression
or mood.
AROUND THE PORTRAIT

As you look all around the portrait, what details or ideas do you see?
CLUES
The act of studying portraiture encourages students to think of the subject of a biography as
a real human being. Students should first be introduced to the idea of a portrait as a study
of a particular person. A person who poses for a portrait is called the sitter. But a portrait
is more than a picture of the sitter it is about that person and who he or she really is. A
portrait should capture something special about the sitter and his or her life. One could
think of a biography as a kind of portrait in words (or, one could think of a portrait as a kind
of biography in picture form).
It should be explained to students that studying the portrait of the subject of a biography
can give us a better understanding of the person. Sometimes, a picture can express
something about a person that words cannot. Also, taking a long and thoughtful look
at a picture can provide us with information that we might miss otherwise. Encourage
students to draw connections between the book they have read and the portrait they are
investigating.
The FACE portrait analysis tool on the preceding page is intended to be used as part of a
classroom discussion. If possible, project the image onto a screen for the entire class to see.
Instruct students to stand up and assume the pose of the sitter for fifteen seconds (including
his or her facial expression, perhaps). Then, use the FACE method to discuss the portrait.
Think about the biography you just read. In what ways does the
information in the portrait add to your understanding of the person?
EXCITING NEWS!
What did you learn from studying this portrait?
FACE created by Dr. Christine Deitz.

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May be reproduced for classroom use only.
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Prompt for Writing

Prompt for Writing

NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
Choose one of the two prompts below:
_____________________________________________________________________________
A.
Today, Thomas Edisons home and laboratory in New Jersey have been turned into
a museum. Imagine the museum is trying to pick one of Edisons inventions to highlight
as the single most important of his career. Write a letter to the directors of the museum
persuading them to pick the invention of your choice. You may choose the electric light, the
phonograph, the movie studio, or research a different invention at http://edison.rutgers.edu/
inventions.htm
B.
Imagine you are Thomas Edison living in the 1880s. You are touring the country to
show off your new electric light and you are trying to convince a group of citizens that
their town needs electricity. Some of the people are very skeptical of your ideas and think
electricity is too dangerous to have in their homes. Persuade them by describing the benefits
of electricity, especially electric lighting.
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Prompt for Writing

Prompt for Writing

NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
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27
Prompt for Writing for Teachers
Prompt for Writing for Teachers
Students responses to the first prompt may take either position. Responses to the second
prompt should give specific details about traits, activities, or accomplishments of the
person the student chooses. The teacher may wish to require students to choose someone
who embodies a positive quality. The following rubric may also assist in evaluating writing
responses.
Category
4: Above Standards
3: Meets
Standards
2: Approaching 1: Below
Standards
Standards
Position
The student shows a
and
clear understanding of
Perspective both sides of the issue
and demonstrates
some sympathy
towards both.
The student
shows general
understanding
of both sides of
the issue.
The student
shows some
understanding
of both sides of
the issue.
Point-ofView
The response is The response

mostly written in is sometimes
written in
character.
character, or
only one of the
two positions
is written in
character.
The response is
consistently written
in character for both
points-of-view.
The student
shows
understanding
of only one
side of the
issue or of
neither side.
The student
does not
adopt a
characters
point-of-view
for either
position.
Category
Support
for
Arguments
4: Above Standards
3: Meets
Standards
The student provides The student
provides at
at least one clear
and compelling
least one
argument or piece of argument
supporting evidence or piece of
for both positions.
evidence for
both positions.
One or both of the
positions directly
address points that
are raised by the
opposing position.
2: Approaching
Standards
The student
provides
arguments or
evidence for only
one position.
1: Below
Standards
The student
does not
include
compelling
arguments for
either position.
Sentence
Structure
All sentences are

Most sentences About half the
Most sentences
are wellsentences are
are not wellwell-constructed,
constructed.
well-constructed. constructed.
and there is some
variation in sentence
structure.
Grammar
&
Spelling
The student makes

no more than one
error in grammar or
spelling that distract
the reader from the
content.
Caitalization The student makes

&
no more than one
Punctuation error in capitalization
or punctuation that
distract the reader
from the content.
The student
makes 2-3
distracting
errors in
grammar or
spelling.
The student
makes 4-5
distracting errors
in grammar or
spelling.
The student
makes 5 or
more distracting
errors in
grammar or
spelling.
The student
makes 2-3
distracting
errors in
capitalization
or punctuation
.
The student
makes 4-5
distracting errors
in capitalization
or punctuation
The student
makes
more than 5
distracting
errors in
capitalization or
punctuation

28
29
Primary Source Analysis 1
NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
The book mentions that Edison was nicknamed the Wizard for the inventions produced
in his laboratory, because people found them so incredible. The phonograph particularly
amazed the public. The announcement that Edison had created a talking machine made
him famous across the world.
Step 1. Pre-listening
The National Park Service has preserved some of the earliest recordings of the phonograph.
The audio clips found at the links below are from early phonograph recordings created
by Edison and his staff. Read the information on the website about both clips. Then, listen
carefully to the recordings.
B. When and where was this recording made? Please be specific?
Choose one of these clips below and answer the questions on the
following page.
A.
After Dinner Toast at Little Menlo this is one of the earliest sound recordings ever
made! http://www.nps.gov/edis/photosmultimedia/very-early-recorded-sound.htm
B.
Electricity and Progress this clip contains Thomas Edison himself giving a speech on
technology and its role in the United States at the turn of the century. http://www.nps.gov/
edis/photosmultimedia/documentary-recordings-and-political-speeches.htm
A. Whose voices will you hear on this recording?
Step 2. Listening
A. How would you describe the quality of this recording?
B. What is the tome or mood of this recording?
Step 3. Inference and Questions

A. What do you think Dr. Carver is saying to his students?
B. Both of these recordings express opinions about technology. What does the speaker
think of the new inventions made during Edisons time?
C. Write a question.
r classroom use only
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31


A patent is a document that proves a particular device was invented by a particular person. It tells
us who owns an invention. Without a patent, another person could steal an inventors idea. So,
when an inventor creates a new device, he or she asks the government for a patent so that he or she
can prove that the invention was really his or her idea. Examine the original patent application for
Thomas Edisons light bulb on the following pages and answer the questions below. A larger image
of the patents can be found at http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc_large_image.php?doc=46;
Records of the Patent and Trademark Office; Record Group 241; National Archives. Retrieved from
http://www.ourdocuments.gov on May 20, 2009
32
Records of the Patent and Trademark Office; Record Group 241; National Archives. Retrieved from
http://www.ourdocuments.gov on May 20, 2009
33

NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
Step 1. Observation
A. Study the document for two minutes to gather as many details about the patent as
possible.
B. On what date was this invention patented? In which state was the patent granted?
C. Is the patent typed, handwritten, or both? Describe the appearance of the writing.
Step 3. Inference and Questions

A. Look at the pictures on both pages. On which page are the pictures used mostly for
decoration? What is the purpose of the pictures on the other page?
B. How does Edisons light bulb look different from the ones in your home today?
C. Write at least one question that this document brings to mind. Where could you find an
answer to this question?
34
Primary Source Analysis for Teachers

Primary sources are valuable instructional tools for many reasons. Historical artifacts
whether written documents, videos, photographs, or some other objects or pieces of media
allow students to connect with the past in an immediate way. When used to supplement a
biography, primary sources can breathe life into the subject of the biography, transforming
him or her from simply another character in a book into a real person. Focusing on a primary
source also encourages observation and inference on the part of students.
The worksheets on the preceding pages are intended to be used as part of a classroom
discussion. Words on the worksheets such as infer may need to be defined for students
beforehand. If using the sound recording(s), the teacher should play the recording(s) for the
entire class. If using the patent of Edisons light bulb, the teacher should project the image
onto a screen for the class to view.
Students should be encouraged to think as historians in order to gather information from
the primary-source document and answer the questions as a group. (The attention of the
classroom should not be limited to the source document itself, as the documents captions
may also include relevant information.)
Finally, if teachers are interested in including more primary-source material to further
supplement the biography, many other photographs and documents about Thomas Edison
are available online at the sources listed under the Additional Resources section at the end
of this Blueprint. Further information about teaching with primary source documents can be
found at the National Archives at http://www.archives.gov/education
35

Transcripts of Audio Clips

Audio Clip A
The following partial transcript of After Dinner Toast at Little Menlo is provided by the NPS.
The speaker is the British composer Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert and Sullivan), co-author of
comic operas such as The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado.
. . . For myself, I can only say that I am astonished and somewhat terrified at the results
of this evenings experimentastonished at the wonderful power you have developed,
and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on
record forever. But all the same, I think it is the most wonderful thing that I have ever
experienced, and I congratulate you with all my heart on this wonderful discovery.
Audio Clip B
The following was transcribed by the Center for Gifted Education from Electricity and
Progress. The speaker is Thomas Edison. Edison references Samuel Morse, inventor of the
telegraph, and Cyrus W. Field, the businessman responsible for laying the first transatlantic
telegraph cable in 1858. Fields endeavor would have been well known to the audience that
Edison is here addressing.
News of Fields successful transatlantic telegraph brought great public celebration in 1858
(the jubilee Edison mentions) and, only a few weeks later, great public disappointment
upon the cables rapid deterioration and failure. A durable, practical transatlantic line was
not installed until 1866. Edison references these events because they were seen as ranking
among the most significant technological milestones of the 19th century.

to all who would add to the resources of our race and extend our control over the forces
of nature. Never was failure more complete, never was higher courage shown, never
was triumph more brilliant than that which since 1866 has kept the old world forged
alongside the new by cables of steel and copper, the family prize of the civilized world.
When I look around at the resources of the electrical field today as shown in this
exhibition, I feel that I would be glad to begin again my work as an electrician, and
inventor and we veterans can only urge upon our successors, the younger followers
of Franklin and of Kelvin, to realize the measure of their opportunities and to rise to the
heights of their responsibilities in this day of electricity.
Patent Application Text

To the Honorable Commissioner of Patents:
Your Petitioner Thomas A. Edison of Menlo Park in the State of New Jersey prays that
Letters Patent may be granted to him for the invention of an Improvement in Electric
Lamps and in the method of manufacturing the same set forth in the annexed
specification. (Case no. 186).
And further prays that you will recognize Lemuel W. Serrell, of the City of New York,
N.Y., as his Attorney, with full power of substitution and revocation, to prosecute this
application, to make alterations and amendments therein, to receive the Patent, and
to transact all business in the Patent Office connected Therewith.
Ladies and gentlementhose of us who began our love labors at the operators key
50 years ago have been permitted to see and assist in the whole modern industrial
development of electricity. Since the remarkable experiments of Morse in 1844 and
the unsuccessful efforts of Field in 1858, there have come with incredible rapidity one
electrical art after anotherso that in practically every respect, civilization has been
revolutionized.
It is still too early to stand outside these events and pronounce final judgment on their
lasting value. But we may surely entertain the belief that the last half of the 19th century
was as distinct in its electrical inventions and its result as the first half was in relation to
steam. The lesson of the jubilee of the Atlantic cable of 1858 is one of encouragement
36
37
Point-of-View Analysis
NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
Many people think that Edison invented the light bulb, but this is incorrect other inventors
had created light bulbs before him. The special thing about Edisons bulb is that it could glow
for days, while earlier versions could last for only a few minutes before burning out. Edisons
light bulb worked well enough to be sold commercially, which means that it was something
many people wanted to buy. (This is one way in which Edison showed his genius as both an
inventor and an entrepreneur.)
However, Edison might never have created his improved light bulb if earlier inventors had
not done their important work. Some people believe that these earlier inventors should get
more credit for their work. Is it more important to create something entirely new, or to create
something that is practical? First, imagine you are an inventor who created an early version
of the light bulb. Write a paragraph arguing that you should be given credit for the light bulb
rather than Edison. Then, imagine you are Thomas Edison. Write another paragraph arguing
that you should continue to be given credit for the light bulb.
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38
Point-of-View Analysis
NAME:_______________________________________________________________________
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39
Point-of-View for Teachers
Point-of-View for Teachers
Students should use evidence from the book to argue for both sides of their issue in turn and
may or may not favor one position over the other. In the first prompt, both responses should
reference the same event of Albert frightening his tutor. In the second prompt, Alberts letter
may mention his great talents in math and the fact that he finds it hard to learn a subject he
does not love. The teachers letter should warn Albert that he may fail to get into college if he
neglects his studies. Responses may also include different arguments entirely. The following
rubric may assist in evaluating writing responses.
Category
4: Above Standards
3: Meets
Standards
2: Approaching 1: Below
Standards
Standards
Position
The student shows a
and
clear understanding of
Perspective both sides of the issue
and demonstrates
some sympathy
towards both.
The student
shows general
understanding
of both sides of
the issue.
The student
shows some
understanding
of both sides of
the issue.
Point-ofView
The response is The response

mostly written in is sometimes
written in
character.
character, or
only one of the
two positions
is written in
character.
The response is
consistently written
in character for both
points-of-view.
The student
shows
understanding
of only one
side of the
issue or of
neither side.
The student
does not
adopt a
characters
point-of-view
for either
position.
40
Category
Support
for
Arguments
4: Above Standards
3: Meets
Standards
The student provides The student
provides at
at least one clear
and compelling
least one
argument or piece of argument
supporting evidence or piece of
for both positions.
evidence for
both positions.
One or both of the
positions directly
address points that
are raised by the
opposing position.
2: Approaching
Standards
The student
provides
arguments or
evidence for only
one position.
1: Below
Standards
The student
does not
include
compelling
arguments for
either position.
Sentence
Structure
All sentences are

Most sentences About half the
Most sentences
are wellsentences are
are not wellwell-constructed,
constructed.
well-constructed. constructed.
and there is some
variation in sentence
structure.
Grammar
&
Spelling
The student makes

no more than one
error in grammar or
spelling that distract
the reader from the
content.
Caitalization The student makes

&
no more than one
Punctuation error in capitalization
or punctuation that
distract the reader
from the content.
The student
makes 2-3
distracting
errors in
grammar or
spelling.
The student
makes 4-5
distracting errors
in grammar or
spelling.
The student
makes 5 or
more distracting
errors in
grammar or
spelling.
The student
makes 2-3
distracting
errors in
capitalization
or punctuation.
The student
makes 4-5
distracting errors
in capitalization
or punctuation
The student
makes
more than 5
distracting
errors in
capitalization or
punctuation
41
Experiment 1
Experiment 1
Introduction for Students
Important Safety Rules
Before Thomas Edison and his amazing inventions, most ordinary people never used
electricity at all. Today, we use electricity for thousands of different purposes in our daily
lives. When we plug a computer into the wall or turn on a light switch, we expect that the
electricity will do its job and make the device work. But how? What exactly happens when
we turn on a computer or a light?
(1) This experiment must be done with an adult present and supervising!
Electric current flows through the device. Current is the word we use to describe the
movement of electricity. Do the words current and flow make you think of anything else
besides electricity?
Such words might make you think of a river or stream. In some ways, current acts very much
like water. Just as water flows through your plumbing, electricity flows through the wires in
the walls of your house. When you turn the knob on a sink, water flows from the faucet. In a
similar way, flipping a light switch causes electricity (current) to flow through a light bulb.
Whenever you finish using the sink, you have to turn the knob to make the water stop
flowing. However, when you unplug a laptop from the wall, you dont have to turn off the
electricity in the wall afterwards. Why not? For that matter, why doesnt the current flow out
of the wall and fill the room with electricity?
One reason is that current can only flow through some materials. Some materials conduct
electricity, which means current will flow through them easily. These materials are called
conductors. Materials that do not conduct electricity are called insulators. One example of
an insulator is the air around us. Because air does not conduct electricity, the current inside a
wall socket cannot flow out into the room.
Another fact about electricity is that current must follow an unbroken path. The path
taken by an electric current is called a circuit. If we were to open up a computer, a lamp, a
washing machine, a toaster, or any other kind of electrical device, we would see the circuits
inside. Sometimes circuits are very complicated, with many loops and twists and turns, and
sometimes they are very simple. For a circuit to work, though, its path cannot have any gaps
or holes.
In this experiment, you will build your own circuit and test which kind of materials are
insulators and which are conductors.
42
(2) Always wear safety glasses and gloves when doing experiments!
(3) NEVER play with wall sockets or household electric currents!
Procedure
1. Tape the two batteries together, with the negative end of one to the positive end of the
other. Take two pieces of insulated wire and tape one end of one wire to the positive
terminal. Tape one end of the other piece of wire to the negative terminal. You should
now have two loose, exposed ends of wire.
2. Screw the bulb into the socket
3. Touch the wire to the screws on the bottom of the bulb socket. What happens? Does it
matter which wire touches which screw? What happens if both wires touch the same
screw?
4. Keeping the wires on the screws, carefully cut one of the pieces of wire in two. What
happens to the bulb? Why?
5. Your teacher will come by your table to strip away the insulation from the two new tips
you have just created and tape them to the table.
6. Without removing the tape from the wires, light the bulb. You may use one item from the
box of materials.
7. What other items would also help you to light the bulb? Make predictions.
8. Now, try each item. Record your results. Were your predictions correct?
9. The items that allowed you to light the bulb are called __________________. The items
that did not light the bulb are called _________________. Do you notice any similarities
between the items that allowed you to light the bulb?
Congratulations, you have built a circuit! The electric current is following a path from the
batteries to the wire to the light bulb. It then flows through the second piece of wire back to
the batteries.
43
Experiment 1
Experiment 1 for Teachers
Draw a picture of your circuit. Then, draw arrows to show how the electricity is moving
through the different parts of your circuit.
NOTE: The current generated by the batteries in this experiment is too small to cause injury,
but, children should be given a safety talk beforehand about the dangers of household
electricity. Batteries are fine to experiment with, but wall sockets are not!
Materials

Teacher only: Wire strippers (scissors can be used as wire strippers if necessary)
Two lengths of insulated copper wire with about a half inch of insulation stripped from
both ends. Speaker wire works well.
Two D batteries
Small light bulb the kind usually found in a flashlight
Bulb socket (available at Radio Shack or other electronic stores)
Masking tape
Scissors

Box of various metal and nonmetal materials a paper clip, aluminum foil, cardboard,
chalk, a nail, coins, a slice of lemon, and/or any other small objects
Procedure
This is an experiment for small groups or individuals. Divide students into groups and
distribute materials. See student section on previous page for step-by-step instructions.
Guide students as necessary to secure their batteries together and attach the wires to their
bulb sockets. After students have cut their lengths of wire in step 4, go around the room and
strip off another half-inch of insulation from the two new loose ends.
Conclusions
Students should observe that some objects conduct electricity and some do not. They may
have an intuitive sense beforehand that objects made of metal make better conductors
although they should also observe that some metals seem to work better than others.
Also, some nonmetal materials make good conductors: a lemon slice, for example, should
complete the circuit.
NGSS/CCSS alignment: This activity fulfills guidelines of the NGSS and CCSS. See pages 11-12.
44
45
Experiment 2
Experiment 2
Introduction for Students
Results
Edisons light bulb was an incandescent light, which means that it glowed with heat. As
electricity passes through the small wire in an incandescent light bulb, the electricity heats
the wire to very high temperatures. This wire is called the filament. As the filament heats up,
it begins to give off light. (Today, we also have ways of creating light that do not produce
heat, such as the fluorescent tubes that probably light your school. These light bulbs work
differently than Edisons invention.)
Thomas Edison tried hundreds of times to make filaments that would glow and not burn
up. He used many different materials, from metal to cardboard to bamboo. Edison was
persistenthe never gave up trying until his project worked!
Light and heat often go together. Some electrical devices such as toasters or electric stoves
will glow as they heat up. A campfire also gives off both light and heat.
Test #
1
3
4
Part of the answer is that different materials burn in different ways. A piece of paper burns
much more quickly than a piece of wood, for example. Edison designed his light bulb so that
it gave off a great deal of light yet did not burn up for a very long time.
Important Safety Rules

(1) This experiment must be done with an adult present and supervising!
(2) Always wear safety glasses and gloves when doing experiments!
(3) Be careful handling the filaments and wires - they will be HOT!
(4) NEVER play with wall sockets or household electric currents!
Number of seconds the filament was lit
However, think about the difference between a campfire and a light bulb. A fire will only give
off light as long as there is plenty of wood or other fuel to burn, but an incandescent light
bulb will glow for hundreds of hours before the filament burns out. If a light bulb is so hot,
why doesnt it burn up like the wood in a campfire?
In this experiment, you will copy Edisons work on the incandescent light.
Number of strands of iron wire used
5
6
How does the number of strands that you use affect the amount of time the filament stays lit
before burning out?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Examine the filament of a commercially sold incandescent light bulb. Is it thick or thin? Do
you notice anything interesting about the shape? Try out different filament shapes with the
iron wire and note which one seems to work best.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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47
experiMent 2 for teachers
experiMent 2 for teachers
Materials
Conclusions
Wire strippers (scissors can be used as wire strippers if necessary)
Small jar with a lid or cork stopper
Students should draw a connection between the thickness of the filament that is, how
many strands of iron wire are used and how long it takes for it to burn up.
1-inch nail
3 feet of insulated copper wire
6-volt battery (find one at a hardware store)
Thin iron wire (unraveled picture-hanging wire works best)
Stopwatches for students
Clear glass incandescent light bulb (to examine)
NGSS/CCSS alignment: This activity fulfills guidelines of the NGSS/CCSS. See pages 1112.
Procedure
1. Cut the copper wire in half and strip off an inch of insulation from both ends of each
length of wire.
2. With a nail, drill two holes into the lid or stopper of the jar. Push the wire through the
holes so that about 2 inches of wire can be seen in the jar.
3. Bend the exposed copper ends into hooks. Twist one or more strands of iron wire
together and stretch them between the two copper hooks to form the filament.
4. Secure the lid or cork stopper (with the filament) onto the jar.
5. Carefully hook up the other ends of the copper wire to the battery and watch your
filament glow! (Note: the filament will become very hot. Do not touch!)
6. Students should use a stopwatch to time how long the filament glows, and use the
Results Form to record the time.
7. Try the experiment again with a different number of iron wire strands twisted together.
Record your times in the Results Form.
48
49
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Published Resources
Baldwin, N. (1995) Edison: Inventing the Century. New York: Hyperion.
A biography of the inventor that focuses on placing him within the cultural and
economic context of his time. Biography. Reading level: Adult.
Brown, D. (2010) A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood & Amazing Inventions of
Thomas Edison. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books.
Recommended as a supplemental source for this Blueprint. A biography focusing on
the childhood and young adult life of Edison. Biography. Reading level: Ages 6 and up.
Jackdaw Publications, www.jackdaw.com

This company offers for sale thematic collections of authentically reproduced
documents with support materials.
Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/teachers
A government source that provides free, downloadable lesson plans and activities with
media analysis tools for more than 10 million primary sources online.
National Archives, www.archives.gov/education
A government source that provides free, downloadable primary sources, lesson plans,
activities, analysis tools, and teacher training.
Josephson, M. (1959) Edison: A Biography. New York: McGraw-Hill.

A comprehensive biography of Edison that contains ample quotations and primarysource materials. Biography. Reading level: Adult
Internet Resources
Edison National Historical Site, National Park Service http://home.nps.gov/edis/
Excellent educational site with biographies of Edison and others, hundreds of photos
and sound recordings, resources for teachers, and kids activities.
The Thomas A. Edison Papers, Rutgers University http://edison.rutgers.edu/
Contains thousands of pages of primary-source documents from Edisons life and work
and readable, illustrated descriptions of many of his inventions.
Edisons Miracle of Light, PBS. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/edison/index.html
A companion to the PBS American Experience documentary.
Instructional Resources
College Board Pre-AP. (2002). The AP vertical teams guide for English (2nd ed.). New York:
College Board.

The definitive source on literary analysis, close reading, rhetoric, and writing tactics.
50
51
Glossary
Glossary
Autobiography is a biography of a person written by that person.
Mood is the atmosphere or predominant emotion in a literary work.
Bias is a personal and often unreasoned preference or an inclination, especially one that
inhibits impartial judgment.
Narration is the telling of a real or invented story in speech or writing.
Biography is an account of a persons life written, composed, or produced by another.

Constructed conversation is undocumented, created dialogue between characters in a
biography.
Corroboration is the process of strengthening or supporting with evidence that some fact
or statement is true.
Point of view is the perspective from which a narrative is told.

Portrait is a painting, drawing, or photograph for which there was a consciously posed
person or group and in which the sitters identity is the main object of study.
Primary sources are original works in various media that are recorded at the time of an
event.
Diary is a personal daily record of events, experiences, and observations.
Secondary sources are works that record an event which are removed from that event by
time or place.
Diction is word choice intended to convey a certain effect.
Self-portrait is a portrait in which the artist is the subject.
Document analysis is the process of critically inspecting artifacts, cartoons, written

documents, maps, photographs, posters, or sounds and making connections and inferences
regarding them.
Setting is the time and place of the action in a story, novel, play, or poem; also, surroundings
or environment.
Engraving is a print made from an engraved or etched plate or block.

Foreshadowing is the use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest future action.
Group biography is a biography of a collective number of individuals sharing a common
characteristic.
Sitter is a person who poses or models as the subject of a portrait.

Tone is the attitude a literary work or author takes toward its subject and theme.
Unreliable narrator is a speaker whose version of the details of a story are consciously or
unconsciously deceiving; such a narration is usually subtly undermined by details in the story
or the readers general knowledge of facts outside the story.
Historical fiction is a story set in a specific time period, having characters, setting and plot
which are both imaginary and historically documented. Where fictional, the characters,
settings and plot events are portrayed authentically as if they actually could have happened.
Imagery is the written representation of people, objects, actions, feelings or ideas through
works or phrases which appeal to the senses.
Letter is a written message addressed to a person or organization.
Memoir is a written account of the personal experiences of an individual.
Milieu is an environment or setting.
Glossary terms adapted from the following sources: AP Vertical Teams Guide for English (College
Board, 2002), www.dictionary.com, http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/litweb/glossary,
http://www.gale.com/warehouse/glossary/
52
Glossary terms adapted from the following sources: AP Vertical Teams Guide for English (College
Board, 2002), www.dictionary.com, http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/litweb/glossary,
http://www.gale.com/warehouse/glossary/
53
References
Feedback Form
Cox, C. (1926). The early mental traits of three hundred geniuses. Stanford, CA: Stanford
University Press.
Hollingworth, L.S. (1925). Introduction to biography for young children who test above 150
Please provide us with feedback about this Blueprint! If you have any comments about
Blueprints, copy this page and send it to the address below. Please be specific about the
items to which your comments apply.
I.Q. Teachers College Record, 2, 277287.

Parke, C. (1996). Biography: Writing lives. New York, NY: Twayne.
____ I use biography in my curriculum in the following ways:
Robinson, A. (2009). Blueprints for biography: Differentiating the curriculum for talented
readers. Teaching for High Potential, Fall, THP-78.
Robinson, A. & Cotabish, A. (2005). Biography and young gifted learners: Connecting to
commercially available curriculum. Understanding Our Gifted, Winter, 36.
_____I would like to recommend a childrens or young adult readers biography as a subject
for a Blueprint. My recommendation(s) follows:
Robinson, A. & Schatz, A. (2002). Biography for talented learners: Enriching the curriculum
across the disciplines. Gifted Education Communicator, Fall, 1215, 3839.
Additional photo credits
_____I have comments about the questions and/or activities in this Blueprint:
Front cover: http://edison.rutgers.edu/patents/00091527.PDF

Back cover: Electric lamp patent to Thomas Edison, National Archives, retrieved from http://
www.ourdocuments.gov May 20, 2009.
Date:
Your name and address (optional):
54
55
Feedback Form
Please send your feedback to:

Dr. Ann Robinson
Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
2801 South University, SUA Rm 101
Little Rock, AR 72204
Email: giftedcenter@ualr.edu
Visit us at ualr.edu/gifted
56
STEM Series Blueprints for Biography are guides

for teachers and students engaged in the
study of a specific biography of a great figure
in science, mathematics, or engineering. Each
Blueprint contains questions, activities, and
resources to be used in the classroom.
For more information, please contact the Jodie
Mahony Center for Gifted Edication at the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
58

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Blueprints for Biography

Young Thomas Edison

BLUEPRINTS FOR BIOGRAPHY

Blueprint developed by:

Blueprints for Biography

Blueprints for Biography are dedicated to Maxine Robinson

master teacher, perfect mother.

2801 South University, SUA Rm. 101

Ann Robinson, Ph.D.

Blueprints Coordinator: Krista M. Smith

Blueprints for Biography combine the twin interests of biography as a means of

Introduction for Teachers......................................................................................6

About the Book.....................................................................................................15

P- Quad: Prompt for Writing................................................................................24

P- Quad: Primary Source Analysis......................................................................30

Introduction for Teachers

What are Blueprints for Biography?

Who is the audience for this Blueprint?

How can this Blueprint be integrated into the curriculum?

What kinds of lessons are included in a Blueprint?

Introduction for Teachers

Experimentation. A classic science experiment is included with each Blueprint in the

Other Information. Each Blueprint also contains:

a biographical sketch of the person about whom the biography is written

About Blueprints for Biography

About Blueprints for Biography

Why should students read biographies?

How have biographies been used with high-ability learners in the

How can a teacher use Blueprints in the classroom?

Study Guide or Gloss for Independent Reading. An individual student with an

About Blueprints for Biography

About Blueprints for Biography

Silent Sustained Reading. A good selection of biographies can be part of the

How does this Blueprint align to the Next Generation Science

Small-group instruction. Blueprints can be used by the teacher for small-group

Next Generation Science Standards

Whole-class instruction. Blueprints are developed for biographies available in

NGSS 5ESS1: Earths place in the universe. (Experimentation)

NGSS 3PS2-2: Make observations and/or measurements of an objects motion to provide

English Language Arts Common Core State Standards

About Blueprints for Biography

Math Common Core State Standards

About the person

Thomas Alva Edison, 18471931

About the person

About the Book

Blueprints for Biography Young Thomas Edison

Blueprints for Biography Young Thomas Edison

Thomas Alva Edison, 18471931 continued

Young Thomas Edison

Illustrator: Michael Dooling

Before the Book

Beyond the Book

Beyond the Book

May be reproduced for classroom use only

Portrait Study for Teachers

AROUND THE PORTRAIT

FACE created by Dr. Christine Deitz.

May be reproduced for classroom use only.

Prompt for Writing

Prompt for Writing

Choose one of the two prompts below: