George Washington's Farewell Address - excerpt with reading fluency activities

President Washington’s Farewell Address

President Washington published his Farewell Address on September 19th, 1796 in the American Daily Advertiser. He did so to decline a 3rd term as president prior to the upcoming election. Both James Monroe and Alexander Hamilton helped him compose this statement. It is as timely and important now as it was then. It reminds us of our responsibilities to each other and calls on us to abide by our Constitution.

I hope the following activities will help you open excerpt’s meanings to your students. I’ve included vocabulary, directed reading and reciprocal teaching activities as well as critical thinking and writing opportunities. The excerpted text of the Address has a Flesch-Kincaid reading level of 12th grade. However, it is brief and the activities should ease your students’ interaction with it.

I intended this first excerpt to be introductory in nature and therefore accessible to students unaccustomed to late 18th Century prose. Subsequent excerpts will deal with the substantial content of Washington’s remarks. Please look for them here on TPT. They’ll follow this format and I’ll post them as I finish them.