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Roosevelt

Speech programmed to Dynavox

My name is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I spent a great deal of my life sitting in a wheelchair. I was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York, to James and Sara Roosevelt. I was their only child. Until I was 14, I studied under governesses and private tutors. I graduated from Harvard University and Columbia Law School. I liked being a good student.
I married my distant cousin, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1905. We had six children that I enjoyed playing with. We called them "the chicks."
When I was 39, I fell into the water while sailing. I contracted polio and within three days, I could not walk unaided.
I was the first U.S. president to be elected four times. I changed many things during that time. I am famous for having said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." On April 12, l945, at age 63, I died of a cerebral hemorrhage. The last words I wrote that day were, "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today."
I hope that you remember me as the president who served four terms in office.

 

Sacagawea

Hau! My name is Sacagawea. I was the Shoshone Indian woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their journey to the Pacific Ocean. I helped them find food, water, shelter, and other needs out in the wilderness.
I joined the expedition in 1804 with my husband and child. My husband's name was Toussaint Charbonneau. He was a French-Canadian trader. Jean Baptiste was the name of my young son. Before I married Toussaint, I was in slavery to the Hidatsa Indian tribe. They had captured me, as they were an enemy of our tribe.
Lewis and Clark hired Toussaint and me as guides and interpreters on their journey to explore the Louisiana Purchase. They needed someone to guide them on their journey as they made their way along the unfamiliar land. They also needed interpreters to speak for them when they met other people along the way. A monument in my honor was erected in Bismarck, North Dakota. This year, the U.S. government issued a gold dollar coin with my picture on it. (The gold coin was displayed at this time.)
I hope that you remember me, Sacagawea, as the Shoshone Indian woman who helped guide Lewis and Clark on their expedition.

© 2000 by Education World®. Permission is granted to teachers to reproduce this skill page for classroom use.