Morgan Freeman: “Picture this…” Introduction to the Declaration of Independence.

Explain to students that they will watch two shorts videos and instruct them to revise or amend their answers to the previous three questions as they watch and learn more. They should tune in for new or more specific information than what they wrote before. Encourage students not to erase their prior answers, but rather to make notes of where they want to add to or revise them. For example, version 1: “This document was written in 1776.”  “This document was written in 1776, which was during the time of the Revolutionary War.”

Play the first video. Benjamin Franklin (PBS | 3:36) – the drafting process of the Declaration of Independence. Then, play the second video, orated by Morgan Freeman, “Introduction, Declaration of Independence” (4:25). After watching both videos, invite two to three students reflect on the changes they made.