Rebecca Lash

MAT 300-03

Topic: American Revolution and declaration of independence

Title: Becoming a separate country
Author: Rebecca Lash
Grade: 5th
Integrated Disciplines: Music and Social Studies
State or National Benchmarks: 5-U3.1.3, 5-U3.1.5, 5-U3.1.6, 5-U3.1.7
Objective: Students will be able to identify the causes of the American Revolution, and explain
the basic rights given to Americans with the Declaration of Independence by completing a short
quiz listing these elements.
Assessment: Students will be given a short quiz that will have them list the causes of the
American Revolution and rights given to Americans by the Declaration of Independence.
Materials: Youtube videos (3), poster board (1 for each group), markers, colored pencils, pens,
copy of wording of Declaration of Independence.
Procedures:
Anticipatory Set: Today we will be learning about the American Revolution. Do you
know anything about the revolution? (Let students answer) Please take out a piece of paper and
make two columns on it. Label one column things youve heard about and label the other column
things youd like to learn more about. While watching this short video, please fill out those two
columns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcDxSICplPE stop video at 3:15.
Vocabulary: Declaration of Independence: The proclamation made by the second
Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which asserted the freedom and independence of the 13
colonies from Britain.
Continental Congress: the body of delegates who spoke and acted collectively for the people of
the colony-states that later became the United States.
Preamble: an introductory statement
Stamp act: an act granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the British
colonies and plantations in America, toward further defraying the expenses of defending,
protecting and securing the same.
Quarter law: required those in the colonies to provide food, supplies, and housing to British
troops stationed in the British colonies in the United States after the French and Indian War.
Boston tea party: a raid on three British ships in Boston harbor December 16, 1773 in which
Boston colonists, disguised as Indians, threw the contents of several hundred chests of tea into
the harbor as a protest against British taxes on tea and against the monopoly granted the East
India Company.

Rebecca Lash
MAT 300-03

Instruction: Have a class discussion about what was written on the students papers from
the anticipatory set, write topics on the board in columns like students wrote on paper. Have a
class discussion about the causes of the revolution: taxes without representation, Indians, Stamp
act, quarter law, Boston tea party. I chose these topics to discuss because they are main ideas and
at fifth grade, other topics may be harder to understand. I would have these discussions lead up
to the Declaration of Independence. On to guided practice 1.
Guided Practice Activities: 1 This video is about the Declaration of Independence. With this
lesson I will have students watch and listen to the video. Ask students to find at least the three
main, unalienable rights (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness). After the video is done we will learn
more in depth about the declaration: who wrote it, who collaborated to write it, when was it
written, why was it written, etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shwNBBJj15M stop video at
3:00
2. Divide the class into colonies. Have each colony write their own Declaration of Independence.
They must include a preamble, a body which includes reasons of showing respect to the
opinions of mankind and how we would do that in our classroom. This should also include the
rights of the students and teacher in class. Finally, include a conclusion. Students will each have
a copy of the words of the Declaration of Independence to look at as a guide while writing their
own. When the assignment is finished, each group with share their declaration. We will also
write a classroom declaration using what students included in theirs.
Closure: By now you should have a good understanding of the big events leading up the
American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. If you would please put everything
away except for a pencil. We will be taking a short quiz on what we have learned. (See attached
assessment) After everyone is finished with the quiz: I would like to close out this lesson with
one more short video clip. This is a video from the prospective of King George III who was the
King of England when the colonies split from Britain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=L6fOi_1fu80&list=UUET3_UuMO_ZMnvIv7QEQNAA&feature=iv&src_vid=shwNBBJj15
M&annotation_id=annotation_1363997519 stop video at 2:45

Rebecca Lash
MAT 300-03

American Revolution and Declaration of Independence

Please list the five factors that led the colonies to revolt against Britain and begin the American
Revolution.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Please list the three unalienable rights given to all American citizens by the Declaration of
Independence.
1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________