Monday Mix-ins: Adams and Jefferson

John Adams by John Trumbull / Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale
{Public Domain images via Wikipedia}

Welcome back to school – we hope your holiday break was restful and that you’re ready to come back so SLOCA life! Let’s dive in, lean in, and soak in all the rich learning that lies before us. 

We’ve got a few supplemental history links to share this week, as our new nation continues to develop and we see the introduction of political parties. Let’s learn a little more about the men who followed in George Washington’s footsteps… John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Enjoy these optional videos and websites with your kids in your free time for extra enrichment:

VIDEOS:

John Adams – This is an excerpt from the History Channel’s series on the presidents:

Thomas Jefferson – And in the same series, here’s an excerpt about Thomas Jefferson:

Disney’s The American Presidents: John Adams:

Abigail Adams Mini Biography:

60 Second Presidents – John Adams:

60 Second Presidents – Thomas Jefferson:

“Abigail Adams” by Jessica Michna – Jessica plays the wife of our second president in this historical performance. Included is a short interview: 

Thomas Jefferson Mini Biography:

Jefferson’s Monticello – Here’s a look at his famous home, from the Smithsonian Channel:

Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything – Here’s a video of the picture book by the same title being read aloud:

Sesame Street: Thomas Jefferson Needs a Quill – A fun one for preschoolers:

American Experience: John and Abigail Adams – This full 2-hour documentary might appeal more to older students and adults:

American Experience: Thomas Jefferson – And here’s another in the same series, about Thomas Jefferson. This is part 1 of a 3-hour documentary: 

And here’s part 2:

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson – Here’s a 12-minute documentary available for free with Amazon Prime, about these two presidents and the rise of political parties.

John Adams miniseries from HBO – We’ve shared this before, but if you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, it’s excellent! It’s currently available to stream for free with Amazon Prime. Suitable for older students and adults, this is definitely one to watch with your (older) kids.

WEBSITES:

Guess Who? President’s Edition game – These are instructions and printables to create your own version of the popular “Guess Who” game with a presidents theme! Clearly, this will take a little work to put together, but if you are the crafty type and you want to help your kids learn about the presidents, this would be a fun way to play and learn. 

Online activities about John Adams – Here’s a collection of activities, games, coloring pages, etc., about John Adams.

Online activities about Thomas Jefferson – And here are more, for the third president.

John Adams Flashcards, Memory game, and Concentration game

Thomas Jefferson Flashcards, Memory game, and Concentration game

US Presidents online games

The Monticello Classroom – This website for kids is full of information about Thomas Jefferson, including a brief biography, a wonderful image gallery, and activities. 

Jefferson’s Cabinet (Office) at Monticello – Click on areas of this interactive poster to learn more about the objects.

Thomas Jefferson Animated Book

A Day in the Life of Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson at a glance – A 1-page infographic

Documents of Thomas Jefferson – A collection of some of Jefferson’s most important writings, from PBS.

SLO Classical Academy is not affiliated with any of the above mentioned websites, businesses, organizations, or individuals.