Benjamin Franklin and the Common Good

In this lesson, students will explore Benjamin Franklin’s roles as scientist, inventor, printer, business owner, civil servant, and philanthropist. As a well-known Enlightenment philosopher, Franklin embodied the concept of the Common Good and applied this to his life and livelihood.

Through the lesson activities and discussion, students will:

• Examine Benjamin Franklin’s social, economic, technological, and political ideas through primary sources and film clips
• Define the Common Good and connect the works of Franklin and other Enlightenment thinkers to their lives in the present day
• Identify and consider the perspectives/opinions different groups may have towards historical and current day efforts to affect the Common Good

Lesson activities include a graphic organizer, interactive digital tools, media literacy analysis, and discussion questions.