• Lessons
    • ELA
    • Social Studies
    • Science
    • Current Events
    • Collections
    • Search Lessons
  • How It Works
    • Product Tour
    • Why Listening
    • Listening Assessment
    • Lexile & Listening
    • English Learners
  • Pricing
  • Support
    • Support Center
    • Blog
    • Webinars
See All Lessons

Image in the public domain

Boston Historic Building Has A Story To Tell

US History I Civil War Slavery WBUR

Many old buildings have stories to tell. One building in downtown Boston, 26 Court Street, played an important role in Boston’s fight to help end slavery. Trials held in this courthouse galvanized the abolitionist movement in Boston during the 1850s. Before and after this building was a courthouse, it served several other purposes that are also part of Boston’s rich history. Listen to learn more about this building’s history, as well as its future.

?L LEXILE AUDIO MEASURE

Tweet Share on Facebook

Want to Listen?

TEACHERS: Access our daily current events podcasts for free!


To access our podcast library for ELA, Social Studies, and Science including all of our Premium features, choose the free Premium Trial (no credit card required!) option when you join.

Already a Member? Login Now

Story Length: 4:51

Listen to the Story:

Listening Comprehension Questions

  • In what ways did Andrew Carnegie’s libraries serve their communities?
  • How did Carnegie benefit from a library when he was growing up?
  • Which personality traits helped propel Carnegie from poverty to riches? Bring specific details from the story to support your ideas.
  • According to Carnegie, what should rich people do with their money and why? Why was Carnegie known as both generous and “brutal”?

Discussion Themes

  • In your opinion, what should really rich people do with their fortunes?
  • What does it take for a person to rise from “rags to riches”?

Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234

Listening Organizers

  • Fact, Question, Response

  • Language Identification Organizer

  • Deeper Meaning Chart

Related Lessons

Social Studies • ELL

Restoration of the African Meeting House and Historical Stories

The African Meeting House is the oldest standing black church in America. The Meeting House recently underwent a $9 million restoration to make it look like it did in 1855. This audio story looks at the re-dedication of a building that helped shape Boston’s and America’s history. Listen to hear more about the floors where Frederick Douglass walked and the place this building has in African American history.

Read More
Social Studies • ELL

Border States in the Civil War

Kentucky was one of four states that were slave states but did not declare secession from the Union during the U.S. Civil War. They are known as "border states." Kentucky began the U.S. Civil War as officially neutral. This public radio story describes Kentucky’s experience as a neutral border state. In the story you hear from descendants of a family whose ancestors fought on both sides of the Civil War, a common experience in border states.

Read More
Social Studies • ELL

Fighting the Fugitive Slave Act

The abolition of slavery in the United States didn’t happen all at once. Vermont was the first state to abolish slavery, in 1777, and most Northern States followed suit. This meant that enslaved people that escaped could come North and rebuild their lives as free men and women. From the Underground Railroad, to even mailing yourself in a box, enslaved people found ways to escape their circumstances and come North. The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act changed all that. Why was this Act approved and what was its result? Listen to learn more about escaping slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

Read More
Social Studies • ELL

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is one of the most important speeches in American history. In it, Lincoln used the dedication of a Union cemetery as an occasion to tie the soldiers’ sacrifice to America’s founding principles. Lincoln spoke for just over two minutes. In just 272 words Lincoln explicitly linked human equality and democracy to the Union war effort. Listen to hear more about the original context of the speech, and hear about Lincoln’s thought process in writing the speech.

Read More

Lexile Audio Measure

The Lexile Audio Measure is an indicator of the complexity of an audio passage. It is based on a scientifically developed scale with a maximum score of 2000L.

How to Use Lexile Audio Measures

Find stories at the right level of complexity for your students, so that they will be challenged without being frustrated. The measures are categorized into low, medium, or high in order to aid teachers in story selection when they do not know students’ Lexile listening levels.

Listening Level Lexile Audio Measures
0L -1250L
1251L -1555L
1556L-2000L
Recommended Lexile Audio Measures by Grade Level

These recommended ranges are for instructional use of Listenwise audio content in combination with supports such as the interactive transcript, etc.

Grade Lexile Audio Measures (Recommended Ranges)
1 215L - 610L
2 490L - 855L
3 725L - 1060L
4 945L - 1250L
5 1045L - 1350L
6 1125L - 1430L
7 1190L - 1500L
8 1250L - 1555L
9 1300L - 1610L
10 1345L - 1655L
11/12 1385L - 1695L
  • listenwise white logo
  • LESSONS
  • ELA
  • Social Studies
  • Science
  • Current Events
  • HOW IT WORKS
  • Product Tour
  • School Solutions
  • English Learners
  • Listening Assessment
  • PRICING
  • ABOUT
  • Why Listening
  • Press
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • RESOURCE LIBRARY
  • Case Studies
  • Webinars
  • Support Center
  • Listen Wise Book
  • WAYS TO FOLLOW
  • Listenwise Blog
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Get our Newsletter
Terms & Privacy
© Copyright 2022 Listenwise. All Rights reserved.
Image Spp signatory rect sm
ACCEPT AND CLOSE

Listenwise uses cookies to provide the best experience possible. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Read our Privacy Policy

Join For Free

Welcome

Sign up for a free account.


I am an Educator
I am a Student

Welcome Back

Let's get you logged in.


I am an Educator
I am a Student