English

Oral Language 9.2, 10.1

Reading/Literature 9.3, 9.4, 10.3, 11.3

Writing 9.6, 10.7, 11.7, 12.7

Research 9.8, 10.11

History and Social Science

World History and Geography to 1500 a.d. WHI.5, WHI.6, WHI.7, WHI.9, WHI.13

World History and Geography 1500 a.d. to the Present WHII.3, WHII.6, WHII.9, WHII.12, WHII.13

Virginia and U.S. History VUS.5, VUS.6, VUS.7, VUS.8, VUS.10, VUS.12, VUS.13, VUS.14

HS.4: Characteristics of leaders

HS.5: Relationship between leader and follower

HS.6: The role of context in leadership

Pairing World Leaders

Students will learn that different leadership styles are effective in different venues and at different times.

Steps To Complete the Activity

Have students

• Compare and contrast leaders in history (e.g., Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln, Grant and Lee, Alexander the Great and Ghengis Khan, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi).
• Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these pairs in terms of their leadership styles and effectiveness.
• Brainstorm the influence and importance of effective followers in the selection of world leaders.
• Discuss the effect of environment and opportunity in a leader’s rise to power.
• Debate questions about the best style of government from the perspective of these leaders.
• Create a poster, write a paper, conduct an interview with "the leader," or any other activity which reflects the students’ understanding of the character or leader.

Resources

Resources may include student’s texts, the Internet, research materials in the school library and neighborhood libraries.