The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon
by Carla Killough McClafferty
Carolrhoda, grades 5-12
C.S.I. Meets the Biography Channel
Did George Washington really look like his image on the dollar bill? This question is answered in The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon, which follows Mount Vernon’s dream team of experts in the fields of science, art, and history as they conduct a forensic study of the man. Through the investigation of Washington’s statues, dentures, hair, clothes and more, a very different George Washington emerges. Alongside this fresh information is a biography of the man based on primary source documents.
Common Core State Standards
Teachers can use this complex literary nonfiction book as a mentor text to cover CCSS in ELA, History/Social Studies, and Science, and Technical Subjects strands. Using this book in the classroom will demonstrate to students how to do close reading of complex texts, gather information from a variety of sources, synthesize the information, and communicate facts in an understandable way—the goals of the CCSS.
Research
This book is based on primary sources of many different types including George Washington’s journals, historic letters, Washington’s personal effects and home, journals written by his contemporaries, books, online databases, maps, historic lithographs, personal interviews with scientists, artists, historians, craftsmen, first-hand experience of visiting historic locations, and many more. Teachers can use the text of The Many Faces of George Washington, the source notes, bibliography and author’s note to demonstrate how to find and use primary sources.
The Main Idea
Science, history and art come together in this book. Color photographs illuminate the text that describes how the experts determined what George Washington looked like at the ages of 19, 45, and 57. Throughout the book, biographical sections allow readers to “see” Washington through his own words and the words of others who knew him.
Craft and Structure
In a sea of books about our first president, The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon is unique. This original approach combines modern cutting-edge science and technology with a traditional biography of the man. The result is a book that reveals George Washington like never before.
Working with the author, Carla Killough McClafferty
One example of how the author could collaborate with teachers and students is to concentrate on primary source documents. By using specific examples from the book, McClafferty can show the actual primary source, discuss why she used the document in the way she did (for example why she quoted some material and paraphrased others), and suggest ways these same primary sources could be used by the students to write arguments, informational and narrative text.
Teacher comments:
"Carla McClafferty was AMAZING! What a great recommendation! One of our teachers gave her the ultimate compliment while we were debriefing (and this teacher is amazing!) She said that listening to her passion made her realize that one thing she needs to do is to express that passion to her students and she did not feel she was doing that! I just wish all teachers would have the ability to hear what we heard this morning! She gave us so much to think about in so many ways!" Sue Sheffer, working with a group of educators on a Library of Congress Grant on the classroom use of primary source material
by Carla Killough McClafferty
Carolrhoda, grades 5-12
C.S.I. Meets the Biography Channel
Did George Washington really look like his image on the dollar bill? This question is answered in The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon, which follows Mount Vernon’s dream team of experts in the fields of science, art, and history as they conduct a forensic study of the man. Through the investigation of Washington’s statues, dentures, hair, clothes and more, a very different George Washington emerges. Alongside this fresh information is a biography of the man based on primary source documents.
Common Core State Standards
Teachers can use this complex literary nonfiction book as a mentor text to cover CCSS in ELA, History/Social Studies, and Science, and Technical Subjects strands. Using this book in the classroom will demonstrate to students how to do close reading of complex texts, gather information from a variety of sources, synthesize the information, and communicate facts in an understandable way—the goals of the CCSS.
Research
This book is based on primary sources of many different types including George Washington’s journals, historic letters, Washington’s personal effects and home, journals written by his contemporaries, books, online databases, maps, historic lithographs, personal interviews with scientists, artists, historians, craftsmen, first-hand experience of visiting historic locations, and many more. Teachers can use the text of The Many Faces of George Washington, the source notes, bibliography and author’s note to demonstrate how to find and use primary sources.
The Main Idea
Science, history and art come together in this book. Color photographs illuminate the text that describes how the experts determined what George Washington looked like at the ages of 19, 45, and 57. Throughout the book, biographical sections allow readers to “see” Washington through his own words and the words of others who knew him.
Craft and Structure
In a sea of books about our first president, The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon is unique. This original approach combines modern cutting-edge science and technology with a traditional biography of the man. The result is a book that reveals George Washington like never before.
Working with the author, Carla Killough McClafferty
One example of how the author could collaborate with teachers and students is to concentrate on primary source documents. By using specific examples from the book, McClafferty can show the actual primary source, discuss why she used the document in the way she did (for example why she quoted some material and paraphrased others), and suggest ways these same primary sources could be used by the students to write arguments, informational and narrative text.
Teacher comments:
"Carla McClafferty was AMAZING! What a great recommendation! One of our teachers gave her the ultimate compliment while we were debriefing (and this teacher is amazing!) She said that listening to her passion made her realize that one thing she needs to do is to express that passion to her students and she did not feel she was doing that! I just wish all teachers would have the ability to hear what we heard this morning! She gave us so much to think about in so many ways!" Sue Sheffer, working with a group of educators on a Library of Congress Grant on the classroom use of primary source material