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Revolutionary War Unit Plan: 5th Grade
Revolutionary War Unit Plan: 5th Grade
Table of Contents
Stage I:
Unit Overview & Rationale - 2
Considering the Learners - 2
Considering the Content - 4
Behavioral Objectives - 6
Stage II:
Informal Assessments - 7
Paper & Pencil Test - 8
Performance Assessment
Overview, Rationale, Instructions - 9
Rubric - 10
Stage III:
Unit Calendar & Lesson Catalog - 14
Hooking Lesson - 16
Academic Vocabulary Activity - 18
Literacy Lesson - 22
Concept Formation Lesson - 28
Instructional Resources - 30
Stage IV:
Reflection - 31
Unit Rationale
Understanding the roles played by different groups during the American Revolution gives
a multifaceted view of the causes and effects of the event. It is important for students to
understand as democratic citizens that the American Revolution was an issue that was
controversial to many and involved differing opinions across the colonies and Europe;
with the current division of our political system in America students must learn to accept
and understand multiple viewpoints and positions. This unit aligns with the Michigan
content standards for social studies as well as the C3 Framework in introducing students to
varying roles in the revolution and reinforcing democratic values such as patriotism and
empathy.
Revolution. They may find some concepts difficult to understand, such as the effects of
boycotts. For english language learners and those with special needs, this unit can be
adapted to include simplified terms and definitions as well as partner and group work
sessions.
Students can connect this unit to life beyond school through the analysis of social roles and
stereotypes in todays world; understanding and appreciating the ways civil rights and
womens rights have helped shape our modern society and the freedoms that people have
gained since the revolution. Students can also use the lessons in this unit as encouragement
for responsible political involvement and free expression of ideas and opinions. To engage
student learning, I would employ the use of interesting artifacts and sources, dramatic and
creative activities, writing, and in-class discussion.
Important Facts:
The American Revolution was preceded by the French and Indian war,
where France lost to Britain.
Many Native Americans chose to fight on the side of the British.
France fought for American independence from the British.
Many colonists protested British rule through boycotts of imported goods.
Women were not allowed to vote or petition the government during the
time of the revolution.
Some colonial women worked for the American army as nurses,
seamstresses and cooks.
Some children worked as spies during the revolution.
Slaves were offered freedom for fighting for the British army.
Behavioral Objectives
Students will be able to:
Michigan GLCE Standards:
Describe the role of the French and Indian War in the American Revolution, how
British policy toward the American colonies changed between 1763 and 1775,
and how people of the colonies felt about the new policies. (5 U3.1.1)
Compare the roles of women, African Americans, Native Americans, and the
French government in terms of the outcome of the war. (5 U3.2.3)
Describe the significance of the Treaty of Paris. (5 U3.2.4)
Using an event from the Revolutionary era, explain how British and colonial
views on representative government differed. (5 U3.1.3 )
Identify a problem for people in the colonies, identify different choices for
addressing the problem with possible consequences, and describe the course of
action taken. (5 U3.1.8 )
Describe some causes of the American Revolution. (5 U3.1.2)
Use a hypothetical event from the Revolution to explain views on authority (5
-U3.1.3)
C3 Social Studies Standards
Explain why individuals and groups during the same historical period had
differing perspectives. (D2.His.4.3-5.)
Explain connections among historical contexts and peoples perspectives at the
time. (D2.His.5.3-5.)
Identify core civic virtues and democratic principles that guide government, society,
and communities. (D2.Civ.8.3-5.)
Compare information from different historical sources about the past.
(D2.His.10.3-5.)
Use evidence to develop a claim about the past. (D2.His.16.3-5.)
Common Core Standards
Explain the relationships between two or more events, ideas, individuals, or
concepts in a historical text based on information in the text.
(CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3)
Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same
topic. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.9)
Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, recognizing important
similarities and differences in each point of view.
(CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.6)
Write explanatory documents examining the American Revolution and clearly
conveying information and ideas. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2)
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Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported
by key details; summarize the text. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2)
4. What made many Native Americans side with the British in the revolution?
Native Americans did not want the colonists to move into more of their
territory.
6. Why did the French and Indian war have an effect on the American
Revolution?
France wanted to get revenge on Britain for their loss in the war.
Performance Assessment
Overview:
This assessment contains a variety of matching, short answer, multiple choice, and true
false questions.
Objectives:
C3 Social Studies Standards
Explain why individuals and groups during the same historical period had
differing perspectives. (D2.His.4.3-5.)
Explain connections among historical contexts and peoples perspectives at the
time. (D2.His.5.3-5.)
Identify core civic virtues and democratic principles that guide government, society,
and communities. (D2.Civ.8.3-5.)
Michigan GLCE Standards:
Describe the role of the French and Indian War in the American Revolution, how
British policy toward the American colonies changed between 1763 and 1775,
and how people of the colonies felt about the new policies. (5 U3.1.1)
Compare the roles of women, African Americans, Native Americans, and the
French government in terms of the outcome of the war. (5 U3.2.3)
Common Core State Standards:
Write explanatory documents examining the American Revolution and clearly
conveying information and ideas. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2)
Instructions:
Student instructions are written within the assessment. The teacher should go over the
directions with students after passing out the test. Allow students 45 minutes to complete
the assessment. If students have questions, they may raise their hands for help.
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Name:
Matching: Write the letter of the definition in the blank next to the matching word.
1. Boycott _A_
2. Blockade _D_
3. Disguise _C_
4. Proclamation _B_
5. Quarter _E_
A. To refuse to buy, use, or participate in something as a form of protest.
B. The act of saying something in a public, official, or definite way; an official statement or
announcement made by a person in power or by a government.
C. To change the usual appearance, sound, taste, etc., of someone or something so that
people will not recognize that person or thing.
D. An act of war in which one country uses. ships to stop people or supplies from entering or
leaving another country.
E. To provide someone with a place to stay for a usually short period of time; to provide
living quarters for someone.
Multiple Choice: Circle the correct answer.
6. Who issued a proclamation inviting slaves to join the British army in exchange for their
freedom?
a. Colonel Tye
b. Lord Dunmore
c. George Washington
d. Joseph Brant
7. Which group was allowed the right to vote in this time period?
a. Women
b. Slaves
c. Native Americans
d. White men
8. The French helped the American army win the war because:
a. The king of France was good friends with Ben Franklin
b. The treaty of Paris forced France to defend the colonies
c. They wanted to weaken Britain
d. The French were promised land from the colonies
9. During the war, Native Americans:
a. Stayed out of the action
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13. Who was Joseph Brant and why was he an important figure in the revolution?
True/False: Write true or false below the question. If the answer is false, explain why.
14. The Native Americans were the winners of the French and Indian war.
False, the British won the French and Indian War
15. Some slave owners feared going away to war because their slaves would run away.
True
16. Many families followed the union army from battle to battle.
True
17. Native Americans fought with the British Army because they were promised gold and riches.
False, Native Americans fought with the British to protect their lands
18. Some children acted as spies for the American army.
True
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Hooking Lesson
Length of lesson: 30 minutes
Title of lesson: Lunch Wars
Compelling Question: How is a war won without soldiers or politicians?
Overview:
Students will be divided into four groups representing Native Americans, slaves, the French, and
colonial women and children. They will be presented with a hypothetical situation in which the
lunch staff is imposing a new lunch tax: the first bite of every lunch sold. Students must decide,
given their differing situations, which side to take and what to do about the tax.
Objectives:
Students will identify a problem, identify different choices for addressing the problem with
possible consequences, and describe the course of action taken. (5 U3.1.8 )
Use a hypothetical event to explain views on authority (5-U3.1.3)
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:
Students will need some prior knowledge on the French and Indian war, slavery, and life in
colonial times. They will also need an understanding of what taxes are. Students may have the
conception that they are powerless to the rule of adults in the school and must follow them no
matter what.
Materials/Evidence/Sources:
Whiteboard and dry-erase markers
Assessment:
This lesson will not include a formal assessment. Student understanding will be informally
assessed through questions throughout the activity.
Instructional Sequence:
1. Divide the class into four groups. Explain that we will be looking at a hypothetical
situation in which the lunch staff at the school has instituted a new lunch tax that will
affect each group in a different way. In this situation, students should imagine that they
each normally purchase hot lunch every day. Write a brief overview of each groups
situation on the board. (10 minutes)
a. Group One: The lunch staff will take a big bite of your lunch every day.
b. Group Two: The lunch staff will not take a bite of your lunch, but a week ago,
they took over your locker and stole some of your lunch money.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
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c. Group Three: The lunch staff will not ask for a bite of your lunch, but now other
hungry students want a bite. The lunch staff will not let them eat your lunch, but
without the lunch staff it is fair game and all of your lunch may be eaten up.
d. Group Four: The other students keep eating all of your lunch because they are so
hungry. The lunch staff promises that if you let them take a small bite out of your
lunch, other students wont eat it and you can go to recess early.
Explain to the class that there is a group of students who are working with the principal to
create their own lunch program and kick the lunch staff out of the school. Tell the
students that unfortunately, only fourth graders are allowed to participate. (5 minutes)
a. The fourth graders want a say in how big a bite is taken out of our lunches and
what items will be on the menu. The only problem is, they havent designed a
menu before, so it may have some imperfections.
Ask the students to discuss in their groups and write down a few ideas as to what they
would do about the situation. Write some questions on the board to prompt discussion (10
minutes)
a. Would you simply allow the tax to continue as it is?
b. Would you help the fourth graders? If so, how?
c. Would you be on the side of the lunch staff? Why?
As students are discussing, walk around the room to answer questions and listen to
student responses. As the discussion dies down, ask for volunteers to explain how they
would respond and why, given the rules of their group. (5 minutes)
a. Students will likely respond differently according to their group- Groups one and
two will likely side with the fourth graders while groups three and four may go
with the lunch staff.
As we can see, even if we cant directly fight for something we can still do things to
influence how it turns out. Explain that we will now be beginning a new social studies
unit focused on the roles of people that influenced the revolution even though they may
not have been directly involved.
Step 3: Ask students to go back over the text and give examples on how the words were used in
context. Briefly discuss their results.
Step 4: Go over definitions again and ask questions for volunteer answers
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Why did the women in the chapter disguise themselves? When is another time someone might
wear a disguise?
Why was Lydia Mintern Post unhappy about quartering soldiers in her home? How would you
feel if you were forced to quarter someone in your own house?
What did the British blockade do? What would happen if someone put a blockade on the
schools supplies, like paper, pencils, crayons?
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Name:
Vocabulary Learning Worksheet
Squabble, Blockade, Disguise
1. Write the best fit in each blank from todays vocabulary words.
a. Nick and his brother had an argument over whose turn it
was to set the table. When the time came, Jake was
nowhere to be found, but there was a mysterious person in a
mask sitting at the un-set table. Nick lifted the mask to
discover Jake was in ________. Jake then ran down the
hall and set up a ________ of toys and pillows so that Nick
could not get into the room. Jake said he would let Nick in,
but only if Nick ________ him and let him stay there for
the night.
b. The relationship between the British and Americans was
made worse by the British ________ that prevented
supplies from coming in to America. In the war, some women
entered the army in _________ so they could fight for the
revolution. Many women were angry that they were made to
________ soldiers that were strangers.
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b. Blockade
Britain raises taxes on sugar
c. Quarter
Keshas sister sleeps in her room Kesha gives her sister $.25
3. Which comment matches which vocabulary word?
a. The women of the revolution knew they could not fight if
people knew of their true identities. _________
b. The British tried to make it harder for the Americans to
get the supplies they needed to win the war. _________
Colonial women were not happy that they had to keep soldiers in their
homes without a say. ________
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Literacy Lesson
Length of lesson: One hour (approximate)
Title of Lesson: Women in Revolution
Overview: This lesson will begin a unit on the American Revolution by discussing womens
roles in the turmoil preceding the revolution. Students will use sources to interpret information
about some of the causes of the revolution. We will begin with a class discussion to assess
students prior knowledge of the conflict and move into analyzing the poem Patriotic Poesy
from 1768 and A Revolutionary Broadside as well as singing a Revolutionary War song.
Lesson adapted from http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/pdf/WomenRev_LOne.pdf
Objectives:
Students can describe some causes of the American Revolution. (5 U3.1.2)
Students can describe the roles of women in the time preceding the American Revolution. (5
U3.2.3)
Students can determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by
key details; summarize the text. (R1.5.2)
Students can analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities
and differences in the point of view they represent. (R1.5.6)
Students can integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak
about the subject knowledgeably. (R1.5.9)
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding: Students will need some
background to understand this lesson- knowledge of the concepts of taxes, boycotts, and colonies
Students may have questions as to why some colonists chose the side of the British.
Students may have trouble understanding the language of this era in documents.
Materials/Evidence/Sources:
Patriotic Poesy handouts and overhead slide or projector image
Modern version of Patriotic Poesy overhead slide or projector image
A Revolutionary Broadside handouts and overhead slide or projector image
To the Ladies song handout
Assessment: Students will be asked to create their own song, poem, or poster directed at colonial
women and encouraging patriotism during the revolution.
Instructional Sequence:
1. Briefly discuss the reasons for the American Revolution. (10 mins)
a. Colonists thought of themselves as English and felt they were entitled to decide
their own taxes. After a war with the French lost the English a lot of money,
England left many of their soldiers in the colonies. The colonists were expected to
feed and house the British soldiers as well as pay higher taxes to England, which
they disagreed with. They thought they should set their own taxes since they
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retrieved from:http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/pdf/WomenRev_LOne.pdf
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To the Ladies
1769
In the year 1768, the people of Boston resolved that they would not import any tea, glass, paper, or
other commodities commonly brought from Great Britain, until the act imposing duties upon all such
articles should be repealed. This poetical appeal to the ladies of the country, to lend a "helping hand"
for the furtherance of that resolution, appeared in the Boston News Letter, anonymously.
TO OUR LADIES.
YOUNG ladies in town, and those that live round,
Let a friend at this season advise you;
Since money's so scarce, and times growing worse,
Strange things may soon hap and surprise you.
First, then, throw aside your topknots of pride;
Wear none but your own country linen;
of economy boast, let your pride be the most
To show clothes of your own make and spinning.
What if homespun they say is not quite so gay
As brocades, yet be not in a passion,
For when once it is known this is much worn in town,
One and all will cry out - 'Tis the fashion!
And, as one, all agree, that you'll not married be
To such as will wear London factory,
But at first sight refuse, tell 'em such you will choose
As encourage our own manufactory.
No more ribbons wear, nor in rich silks appear;
Love your country much better than fine things
Begin without passion, 'twill soon be the fashion
To grace your smooth locks with a twine string,
Throw aside your Bohea, and your Green Hyson tea,
And all things with a new-fashion duty;
Procure a good store of the choice Labrador,
For there'll soon be enough here to suit you.
These do without fear, and to all you'll appear,
Fair, charming, true, lovely and clever;
Though the times remain darkish, young men may be sparkish,
And love you much stronger than ever.
Then make yourselves easy, for no one will tease ye,
Nor tax you, if chancing to sneer,
At the sense-ridden tools, who think us all fools;
But they'll find the reverse far and near
http://www.americanrevolution.org/war_songs/warsongs9.php
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1. Play two to three rounds of Simon Says, no more than three minutes per round. Begin
with the teacher as the leader and allow students to volunteer for subsequent rounds.
During the games, students should stand in place beside their desks. If the leader makes a
command without saying Simon says first, those students who follow the command
will be asked to sit down. (10 mins)
2. Write Simon Says on the board. Ask for student input on how they felt during the
activity- what they liked or didnt like, how it felt to have to sit down, etc. (5 mins)
3. Start music and ask students to stand again. Explain that students are allowed to dance
any way they like during the song and move about the room. (5 mins)
4. When the song ends, ask students to find their seats again. Next to the Simon Says list,
write Dancing. Ask students for their opinions on dancing and how it made them feel.
(5 mins)
5. Ask students to look at both lists and think about similarities and differences between
Simon Says and dancing. Using suggestions, create a venn diagram out of student
responses. Ask students to copy the diagram onto a piece of paper. (10 mins)
a. Class discussion: How do these activities relate to freedom? What do you think
freedom means? Which activity represented freedom?
6. Explain that we will be creating a classroom definition of the word freedom. Take student
suggestions- direct ideas toward critical attributes: (5 mins)
a. Being free, able to do what you want to do
b. Not being under the control of others
c. Being able to go where you want to go
7. Using projector, go to http://learnersdictionary.com/definition/freedom (5 mins)
a. Compare and contrast classroom definition with learners dictionary. Add to/make
changes to classroom definition on the board if necessary.
b. Ask students to copy classroom definition into notebook.
8. Informal Assessment: divide students into groups for follow-up questions. Ask that the
groups discuss each question and agree upon an answer according to the classroom
definition of freedom. (10 mins)
a. Were womens lives in the time of the American revolution a good example of
freedom?
b. What has changed since then?
c. Why did many African slaves fight for the British army?
d. In what ways were slaves in America denied freedom?
e. Were the colonists free before the revolution?
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Instructional Resources
Freedom Day Lesson Plan. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2016, from
http://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/FreedomDayLessonES.pdf
Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2016,
from http://learnersdictionary.com/
Pearson, J. (2000). Women of the American Revolution. Retrieved December 14,
2016, from
http://www.learner.org/courses/amerhistory/pdf/WomenRev_LOne.pdf
To the Ladies 1769. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2016, from
http://www.americanrevolution.org/war_songs/warsongs9.php
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Planning this unit has changed my perspective; I had underestimated the work that goes
into creating units and lessons as well as the knowledge that I will be required to have as a
teacher. The amount of revisions and edits I had to make after peer review was much more than
what I expected. Overall, I learned a lot about teaching through this project.
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