Benjamin Franklin Teacher Resources

For this lesson plan, learners will consider "Benjamin Franklin's Many "Hats." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.

In addition to his work as a politician and author, Benjamin Franklin was a significant scientist of his era. He is best known for his experiments with electricity, which proved that lightning was electricity that could be stored in a...

In this video, Sal and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson discuss Benjamin Franklin the writer. [7:28]

Test your knowledge of Benjamin Franklin's life with this quiz.

Although he was the old sage of the American Revolution and the Founding generation, Benjamin Franklin's considerable work in the areas of journalism, science, and invention often obscure his many contributions to the creation of the...

Find out how Benjamin Franklin had a profound effect on our understanding of electricity and shaped the language we use when we talk about it.

"The First American", Benjamin Franklin, is the only Founding Father that signed all three major documents that founded the United States of America. Students explore the many roles he took during the founding of America.

Learn about the life and contributions of Benjamin Franklin by examining his letters, books, cartoons, speeches, and manuscripts. An excellent resource for teaching and learning about the history of the United States using primary source...

Learn about the roles Benjamin Franklin played before, during, and after the American Revolution in furthering America's diplomatic interests.

Excerpt from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, 1771, 1774, 1788 in which Franklin discusses his thoughts and beliefs on nature and religion. Paragraph numbers have been added.

In this article learn about Benjamin Franklin and how he published numerous scientific papers. Discover how Franklin compared weather patterns with others and even made weather predictions.

This is an online photocopy of the original text of the children's book Young Benjamin Franklin or The Right Road Through Life by Henry Mayhew (1861). This story shows how young Benjamin Franklin learned the principles he lived by.

A scanned copy of the 1853 publication of The Life of Dr. Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin, an autobiography for children.

This is an online photocopy of the original of the children's book Benjamin Franklin, the Printer Boy by William P. Nimmo & Co., (1880?) a historical fiction children's novel.

An extensive biography of founding father and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, transcribed from an 1829 publication, Lives of the Signers to the Declaration of Independence, by Rev. Charles A. Goodrich.

This fact-filled article surveys the life of Benjamin Franklin.

In this video, Sal and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson discuss Benjamin Franklin as a diplomat. [10:02]

Research Benjamin Franklin's life. With this project, students will decide which of his discoveries holds the longest lasting effect.

In this video, Sal and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson discuss takeaways from Benjamin Franklin's life. [4:39]

In this video, Sal and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson present an overview of Benjamin Franklin's life. [8:12]

In this video, Sal and Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson discuss Benjamin Franklin as a civic leader. [3:37]

PDF file of a transcript of a lecture delivered by Michael Zuckerman, Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania on the topic of personal writing and autobiography using the "Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" as an example.

This article discusses allegations that Benjamin Franklin was a British spy and a member of the Hell-Fire club.

A video exploring how well rounded Benjamin Franklin from his negotiations with France to invention of electricity. Learn more about his discovery of electricity and how his experiments lead to change the misunderstanding of the public...