#2 John Adams

Disney The American Presidents: John Adams Video

THE READING

 was the second President of the United States. He was born in Massachusetts in 1735. He studied law at Harvard and became identified with the movement for independence. During the Revolutionary War he served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles, and helped negotiate the peace treaty with France. He returned from Europe and was elected Vice President under George Washington.

Adams served two terms as Vice President. The White House describes them as being “frustrating experiences for a man of his vigor, intellect, and vanity”. He complained to his wife Abigail about his frustrations with his sense of a lack of power in his position. He said: "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."

When Adams first became President, the war between the French and British was causing great difficulties for the United States. It disrupted trade and shipping to the USA and caused fierce rivalries between Americans loyal to each of the European powers. His decision to send a peace mission to France badly divided American politics and he lost the 1801 election to Thomas Jefferson.

Adams retired from political life and returned to his farm. He will be remembered as being one of the key Founding Fathers of the United States and for the first U.S. politician to start a political dynasty – his son John Quincy became America’s sixth President. Adams died on July 4, 1826. His most memorable words are: "People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity."

GAP FILL

John Adams was the second President of the United States. He was

born in Massachusetts in 1735.  _________________  Harvard  and became identified with the movement for independence. During the Revolutionary War he served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles, and helped negotiate __________________ France. He returned from Europe ___________________ President under George Washington.  

Adams _________________  Vice  President.  The White House describes them as being “frustrating experiences for a man of his vigor, intellect, and vanity”. He complained to his wife Abigail about his frustrations with his _________________ of power in his position. He said: "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most _________________  that  ever  the  invention  of man  contrived  or  his imagination conceived."

When Adams first became President, the war between the French and British was  ____________________  for  the  United  States.  It disrupted trade and shipping to the USA and  _________________between Americans loyal to each of the European powers. His decision _________________ mission to France badly divided American politics and he lost the 1801 election to Thomas Jefferson.

Adams retired _________________ and  returned  to his  farm. He will be remembered as being one of the key Founding Fathers of the United States and for the first U.S.  politician to start _________________ –  his  son  John  Quincy  became  America’s  sixth President. Adams died on July 4, 1826. His most memorable words are: "People and nations are _________________ of adversity.

 CORRECT THE SPELLING

John Adams was the second President of the United States. He was born in Massachusetts in 1735. He studied law at Harvard and became  infddeiiet  with  the  movement  for  independence. During the Revolutionary War he redsve in France and Holland in diplomatic roles, and helped  antoeetgi  the  peace  treaty  with France. He returned from Europe and was elected Vice President under George Washington.

Adams served two terms as Vice President. The White House describes them as being “frustrating experiences for a man of his vigor,  ltienletc, and vanity”. He complained to his wife Abigail about his frustrations with his ssene  of  a  lack  of  power  in  his position. He said: "My country has in its dmiwos contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."

When Adams first became President, the war between the French and British was gusncai great difficulties for the United States. It disrupted trade and shipping to the USA and caused  iefecr rivalries between Americans loyal to each of the European powers. His decision to send a peace mission to France badly vddieid American politics and he lost the 1801 election to Thomas Jefferson.

Adams retired from political life and nrdeetur to his farm. He will be remembered as being one of the key Founding Fathers of the United States and for the first U.S. politician to start a political datynys – his son John Quincy became America’s sixth President. Adams died on July 4, 1826. His most memorable words  are: "People and nations are egorfd in the fires of adversity.

 UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

John Adams  of United the President the was second  States.  He was born in Massachusetts in 1735. He studied law at Harvard and  the with identified became for movement independence. During the Revolutionary War he served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles, and helped negotiate the peace treaty with France. returned He Vice elected was and Europe from President under George Washington.

Adams served two terms as Vice President. The White House being as them describes for experiences frustrating “ a man of his vigor, intellect, and vanity”. He complained to his wife Abigail about  frustrations his lack a of sense his with  of  power  in  his position. He said: "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the  ever that office insignificant most of invention the  man contrived or his imagination conceived."

When Adams first became President, the war between the French and was great for British causing difficulties the United States. It disrupted trade and shipping to the USA and caused fierce Americans loyal to each rivalries between  of  the  European powers. His decision to send a peace mission  to  France  badly divided American lost he and politics to election 1801 the Thomas Jefferson.

Adams and to from life returned retired political his farm. He will one being as remembered be key the of Founding Fathers of the United States and for the first  U.S. politician to start a political dynasty – his son John Quincy became America’s sixth President. Adams died on July 4, 1826. His most memorable words are: "fires the in forged are nations and People of adversity.”

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

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DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. ________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________

6. ________________________________________________________

STUDENT JOHN ADAMS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about  John Adams  in  the  table.  Do  this  in  pairs.  Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1	STUDENT 2	STUDENT 3
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings. More free lessons at

WRITING

Write about John Adams for 10 minutes.  Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about John Adams. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about  John Adams. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4.  JOHN ADAMS POSTER Make a poster about  John Adams. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY JOHN ADAMS LESSON: Make your own English lesson on John Adams. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.

6. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / Stumble Upon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on  John Adams. Share your findings with the class.