Lessons from Jefferson

Teaching Aims( 教学目的 ):

To grasp the important words and patterns ( 掌握重点单词和句型 ).

To understand the lessons from Jefferson( 了解杰斐逊的遗训 ).

Focal Points(Focal Points( 教学重点教学重点 ):):The usage of the important words and patterThe usage of the important words and patterns (ns ( 重点单词和句型的用法重点单词和句型的用法 ))To understand the contents of the text (To understand the contents of the text ( 理理解课文内容）解课文内容）

Difficult Points( 教学难点 ):

Focal patterns( 重点句型 )

Teaching Methods(Teaching Methods( 教学方法教学方法 ):): Teaching(Teaching( 讲授式讲授式 ) ) Discussion(Discussion( 讨论式讨论式 )) Elicitation(Elicitation( 启发式启发式 ))

Important words and phrases （重点单词和短语）

source, appoint, create, go out of one’s way, leave to, act on, leave behind, above all

Important patternsImportant patterns （重点句型）（重点句型）

• 1. It is/was…that… 1. It is/was…that…

• 2 neither … nor… 2 neither … nor… • 3.were it left to me…3.were it left to me…

The Declaration of Independence

Adopted on July 4, 1776

A. The rights belong to everybody

B. Recounts the wrongs the British did against colonies

C. Proclaim the independence from British rule

B. Mark the beginning of a new nation

C. Hence, July 4 become the national birthday

.The Declaration of Independence: One of the most important historical documents of the U.S. written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. It declared formally the independence of the thirteen colonies in North America from Great Britain.

I.Information Related To the Text ( 与课文相关的信息 )

.1.George Washington (1732---1799): Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and first President of the U.S. (1789---1797)..

Abraham Lincoln (1809---1865): Sixteen President of the U.S. (1861---1865).

Thomas Jefferson (1743---1826): third President of the U.S. (1801---1809) and author of the Declaration of Independence .The son of a wealthy planter in Virginia. Jefferson was well educated and trained as a lawyer. A man of many interests, he was also an architect, and a patron of learning and the arts.

Social Class

Social Class is a group of _______________________ from other groups in terms of weath, position and power. According to ____________ classes are determined primarily according to ___________________ of a given society, that is, according to an examination of who owns the means of production and whooperates the means of production. The theory of class is largely based on ________________.

people differentiated

Marxist viewpoint

the relations of production

Max Weber.

An introduction to Social Class

Max Weber’s theory

The men in every society are evaluated by their fellow men on a number of structural bases. They are evaluated in terms of their profession, their social statues, their membership in a family or ethnic body, and their knowledge or education

Jefferson served as minister to France from 1785 to 1788 when revolution was imminent in France

He sympathized with the revolution, feeling it was similar in purpose to the American Revolution.

Thanks to his political writings and his legal reforms in Virginia, French reformers regarded Jefferson as a champion of liberty.

A Brief Introduction to Jefferson and the French Revolution

Group Discussion Topic:Let’s talk about Jefferson

Qustion: Do you have any idea about him?

Have you ever heard any story about him?

Can you list us his Professions? Statesman, Writer, Thinker, Diplomat, Architect, Musician,Scientist & Inventor

What is the spirit we can learn from him?

1. Always learning something new, Always trying to contribute to human progress

Group Work:

2. “I had rather be shut up in a very modest village, with my books, my family and a few old friends, dinning on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it likes than to occupy the most splendid post which any human power can give”

Learn more about America

Washington D.C. Capital of the United States,

situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The district is a piece of land ten miles square and it does not belong to any one state but to all the states. The district is named in honor of Columbus, the discover of America.

The capital owes much to the first President of the United States, George Washington. It was Washington who chose the place for the District and laid in 1790 the corner-stone of the Capitol, where Congress sits.

Learn more about America

obtain

action

create

false

prefer

talent

agreement

custom

Hesitate

Origin

reject

Threaten

Appoint

Educate

Humble

Owe

Resent

Conflict

Error

Influence

Perform

Source

Word-web

Proper NamesBruce Bliven / 布鲁斯 · 布利文

Thomas Jefferson / 托马斯 · 杰斐逊

George Washington / 乔治 · 华盛顿

Abraham Lincoln / 亚伯拉罕 · 林肯

the Declaration of Independence 《独立宣言》

the James River 詹姆斯河

Lafayette / 拉斐特

Heaven / 上帝；天堂

Philadelphia / 费城 ( 美国港市 )

II. Lessons from Jefferson（杰斐逊的遗训） Go and see. You can learn from everyone. Judge for yourself. Do what you believe is right. Trust the future; trust the young.

III. Analyze the text（分析课文）

Lessons from Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, may be less famous than George Washing- ton and Abraham Lincoln, but most 5 people remember at least one fact about him: he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Although Jefferson lived more than 200 years ago, there is much 10 that we can learn from him today. Many of his ideas are especially in- teresting to modern youth. Here are some of the things he said and wrote:

By Bruce Bliven

The setting of the story,

when, who and where

The author’s occupation in

detail

Go and see. Jefferson believed 15 that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation is important. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of the James River was deep enough to be used by large boats. While the other members of the committee sat in the state capitol and studied papers on 20 the subject,Jefferson got into a canoe and made on-the-spot observations.

You can learn from everyone. By birth and by education Jefferson be- longed to the highest social class. Yet, in a day when few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of his way to talk with gardeners, servants, and waiters. Jefferson 25 once said to the French nobleman, Lafayette, "You must go into the people's homes as I have done, look into their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will only do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and understand the revolution that is threatening France. "

Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other people's opinions without careful thought. "Neither believe nor reject anything," he wrote to 30 his nephew, "because any other person has rejected or believed it. Heaven has given you a mind for judging truth and error. Use it. " Jefferson felt that the people "may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct judgment. Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. "

Do what you believe is right. In a free country there will always be conflicting ideas, and this is a source of strength. It is conflict and not unquestioning agreement that keeps freedom alive.Though Jefferson was for many years the object of strong criticism, he never answered his critics. He expressed his philosophy in letters to a friend, " There are two sides to every question. If you take one side with decision and act on it with effect, those who take the other side will of course resent your actions."

Trust the future; trust the young. Jefferson felt that the present should never be chained to customs which have lost their usefulness. " No society," he said, "can make a perpetual constitution, or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs to the living generation. " He did not fear new ideas, nor did he fear the future. " How much pain, " he remarked, "has been caused by evils which have never happened! I expect the best, not the worst. I steer my ship with hope, leaving fear behind. “

Jefferson's courage and idealism were based on knowledge. He probably knew more than any other man of his age. He was an expert in agriculture,archeology; and medicine.He practiced crop rotation and soil conservation a century before these became standard practice, and he invented a plow superior to any other in existence. He influenced architecture throughout America, and he was constantly producing devices for making the tasks of ordinary life easier to perform.

Regarding Young people as the hope of

the future

Jefferson’s idea and behavior had exerted huge influence on the people at that time and even the present generation.

Of all Jefferson's many talents, one is central. He was above all a good and tireless writer. His complete works, now being published for the first time, will fill more than fifty volumes. His talent as an author was soon discovered,and when the time came to write the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia in 1776, the task of writing it was his. Millions have thrilled to his words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. . . "

When Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of American independence, he left his countrymen a rich legacy of ideas and examples. American education owes a great debt to Thomas Jefferson, who believed that only a nation of educated people could remain free.

While Reading Activities

(Lines 1~2) Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the

United States, may be less famous than George

Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but……

Question: Why is Jefferson less famous than

Washington and Lincoln?

Washington is well-known for his leadership in the

American Independence War. Lincoln is well-known for

his role in abolishing slavery in the United States.

(Lines 14~16) Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation is important.Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of personal investigation?Advantages: to get first-hand material, not to have to rely on false information or situations which have changed, ability to ask and answer your own questions.Disadvantages: limitations in time and ability to travel, lack of money, no expertise on the subject.

While Reading Activities

(Lines 22~24) Yet, in a day when few noble persons even spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of……

Question: Why didn’t noble persons speak to those of humble origins except to five an order?

The noble persons thought they were superior and looked down upon the people of humble origins and regarded talking with those people as degrading. But sometimes they had to, because they had to order those people to do things for them.

While Reading Activities

(Lines 30~32) “Neither believe nor reject anything,” he wrote to his nephew, “because any other person has rejected or believed it……

Question: How do you understand “Neither believe nor reject anything because any other person has rejected or believed it.”?

Never believe or reject anything only because any other person has rejected or believed it. Don’t accept blindly other people’s likes or dislikes. One must have independent thought.

While Reading Activities

(Lines 42~43) He expressed his philosophy in letters to a friend……

Question: What do you understand his philosophy?

It is difficult to satisfy both sides. It is natural that there are two sides to every question.

While Reading Activities

(Lines 46~47) “No society,” he said, “can make a perpetual constitution, or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs to the living generation.”

Question: Why can not a society make a perpetual constitution, or a perpetual law?

Society changes and people’s ideas change, too. What’s good today is not necessarily good tomorrow.

While Reading Activities

(Lines 63~65) Millions have thrilled to his words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”

Question: What is the significance of “all men are created equal…”?

No one should be denied the rights that he is entitled to and no one should be discriminated against because no person is, at base, really inferior to any other.

While Reading Activities

1.source; origin “source” involves the metaphorical

comparison to the fountainhead of a river. “origin” suggests a remote beginning in time

or place, its Latin etymology meaning “to rise”. e.g. 1).We’ll have to find a new source of

income. 2).A newspaper gets news from many

sources. 3).The origin of the custom is unknown. 4).Ancient Greece is called the origin of

Western Civilization.

2.appoint; name “appoint” indicates that the selection is made

by someone officially charged with this duty. “name” is less formal and tells little about the

chooser or the method of choice involved. e.g. 1).The president appointed a new cabinet

member. 2 ） .I heard that the committee would appoint

him director of the China studies program. 3).He was appointed to a university chair. 4).When will they name a successor? 5).He was named captain of the team.

3.go out of one’s way to do something: make a special effort or exert oneself more than usual to do something.

e.g. 1 ） .Jane went out of her way to be nice to the newcomer.

2).He is so selfish that he never goes out of his way to help others.

4.neither… nor…4.neither… nor… e.g. 1).The table is neither nice nor solid.e.g. 1).The table is neither nice nor solid. 2).Neither he nor you are a student.2).Neither he nor you are a student.

5. It is/was…that (who)… e.g. 1).I t is because English is useful that

we study it hard. 2). It is advanced world levels that we

should catch up with and surpass. 6.act on: act according to6.act on: act according to e.g. 1).You would not have made such a mistake.g. 1).You would not have made such a mistake if you had acted on his advice.e if you had acted on his advice. 2).Acting on his advice ,I went there by plane.2).Acting on his advice ,I went there by plane.

7. leave behind: abandon; fail to take or bring.

e.g. 1 ） .Oh dear! I’ve left the umbrella behind.

2 ） .Can you lend me a pen? I have left mine behind.

8. in existence e.g.1 ） . That kind of system is no longer in

existence. 2 ） .This is the longest bridge in existence.

9. above all: most important of all9. above all: most important of all e.g. 1e.g. 1 ）） .Children need many things , but .Children need many things , but above all they need attention.above all they need attention. 22 ）） .Be polite, above all, to old people..Be polite, above all, to old people.

10.discover; invent; create To discover is to find or find out something

that is already in existence but was not known about, such as a place or a fact.

To invent is to make something that had no previous existence, such as a machine or a method, through the use of the imagination or through experiment.

To create often means to bring something new into existence out of old things or to produce a character or a role in a play through the imaginative process.

A. New words and old words

Old words or expressions New words or expressions

announcement declaration

freedom independence

get obtain

done in person personal

examination investigation

put in a position of responsibility appoint

small, narrow boat canoe

documents papers

at the place of action on the spot

low in position humble

source origin

displease dissatisfy

scare threaten

refuse reject

mistake error

not true false

opinion judgment

feel doubtful prefer

like better the latter

the second of two the latter

disagree conflict

without question unquestioning

having the same opinion agreement

unfavorable remarks criticism

point of view philosophy

result effect

feel angry or bitter at resent

now the present

tie chain

never-ending perpetual

say, comment remark

very bad evil

science or practice of farming agriculture

study of ancient human life archaeology

protecting conservation

good or better superior

the state of existing existence

have an effect on influence

art and science of building architecture

continuously constantly

do, carry out perform

special natural ability talent

means device

chief, main, most important central

one complete book volume

have a very exciting feeling thrill

clear self-evident

the same equal

the yearly return of a special date anniversary

abandon leave behind

heritage legacy

 B. Chinese and English phrases

Chinese English

有趣 be of interest

某人的遗训 lessons from somebody

至少 at least

独立宣言 Declaration of Independence

现代青年 modern youth

获得知识 obtain knowledge

来源很广 from many sources

亲自做调查 personal investigation

被任命为 be appointed to

调查 to find out

州议会大厦 the state capitol

研究文件 study papers

有关这一问题 on the subject

做现场调查 make on-the-spot investigations

向… .. 学习 learn from

论出身 by birth

论所受的教育 by education

属于 belong to

社会阶层 social class

出身卑微 of humble origin

发号施令 give an order

想尽办 go out of one’s way

烧饭锅 cooking pot

自己作判断 judge for oneself

接受别人的意见 accept other people’s opinions

不经认真考虑 without careful thought

判断真理和谬误 judge truth and error

一切真实和虚伪的东西 everything true and false

做出正确的判断 form a correct judgment

完全信任 be safely trusted

毫不犹豫 not hesitate a moment

相互冲突的思想 conflicting ideas

力量的源泉 source of strength

绝对的一致 unquestioning agreement

保持活力 keep alive

批评的对象 the object of criticism

反驳 answer the critics

付诸行动 act on

表达观点 express one’s philosophy

站在一面 take one side

坚决地 with decision

对某人的行动不满 resent one’s actions

被束缚于 be chained to

无用的习俗 customs which have lost their usefulness

活着的一代 the living generation

基于 be based on

同时代的人 men of one’s age

擅长 be an expert in…

农作物轮作 crop rotation

土壤保持 soil conservation

普遍作法 standard practice

优于 superior to

现有的 in existence

日常生活中的工作 the tasks of ordinary life

The end