HANDS-ON HISTORY WITH MONUMENT MAKER, by Linda Booth Sweeney, Illustrated by Shawn Fields About the Book: In my Monument Maker school visits, students discover the story behind the Lincoln Memorial and its sculptor, Daniel Chester French. Through age-appropriate activities—like exploring Dan’s childhood sketches, hands-on clay making, or discussing Lincoln’s lasting impact—students connect history, creativity, and the idea that what we do with our lives can shape history. School Visits with Monument Maker: For younger audiences: We focus on the joy of making. Students see how young Dan, at just five years old, sketched birds and studied their wings—not as a famous sculptor, but as a curious child who loved to create. We then dive into a hands-on “Make What You Love” clay activity, encouraging kids to explore their own creativity. For older students (like 5th grade studying the Civil War): We shift to the intersection of history and art. Starting with the line “History shapes our lives, and what we do with our lives shapes history,” we talk about French as a 13-year-old living through Lincoln’s assassination and the Civil War. Students consider how Lincoln’s ability to “see straight when others saw crooked” influenced French and ultimately shaped the monument. For all ages: I highlight the process of writing and creating a book—idea generation, revision, and stamina—and invite students to connect with both the story and their own potential as makers and readers. Grade Level: 2nd-5th grade (adaptable for younger or older audiences) Themes: history, engineering, art, creativity, design thinking Activity Options: Make What You Love (1 hour) Learn about the sculptor and the making of the Lincoln Memorial. Engage in Visual Thinking Strategies to develop critical thinking skills Imagine, create or write about a sculpture/art piece of your own design: who would it be dedicated to? Engineering a Monument (45-60 minutes, classroom size) – ASK MELANEY TO HELP WITH THIS? Or see the activity in my Guide… link to it from here. STEM-based, interactive program. Students practice design thinking as they design, build, and test a monument. Apply the NGSS Engineering Design Process Writing Workshops: Writing Inspired by Art: Use various prompts to write about sculptures or art pieces Writing Inspired by History: For older students (ages 10+): Explore how historical events shape our lives inspired by the first line of the book: “History shapes our lives, and what we do with our lives can shape history.” Connect to current events. Proposing A Monument: Research and design a monument proposal (2-3 hour workshop) My goal is always to leave students: •Inspired by history •Connected to the act of creation •Aware of how their experiences and choices today can shape the world tomorrow