Day 1

Essential Question(s) of the Unit: What was life like for the colonists
before/during/after the Revolutionary War? How did the Revolutionary War
progress/unfold?

Guiding Question(s) for the Lesson: What was life like in the colonies before the
War? What is something you want to learn more about in this unit?

Standards
- 5.H.1.3 Analyze the impact of major conflicts, battles and wars on the
development of our nation through Reconstruction
- 5.C&G.1.1 Explain how ideas of various governments influenced the
development of the United States government
- 5.H.1.2 - Summarize the political, economic and social aspects of colonial life in
the thirteen colonies

Objectives: Students will have a meaningful understanding of what life was like for
the colonists before the start of the Revolutionary War and have a surface
understanding of the progression of the Revolutionary War.

Resources

- https://www.historyisfun.org/pdf/colonial-life/Colonial_Life.pdf
- https://www.historyisfun.org/pdf/colonial-
life/What_was_daily_life_like_graphic_organizer.pdf

Lesson Development: This lesson will begin with a brief introduction about how we will be
covering the Revolutionary War. Probe students about prior knowledge they might have on the
topic by starting a KWL chart.
Transition into the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlUiSBXQHCw .
After watching this video, ask if there are any burning questions or things that caught their
interest and that they would like to learn more about (add to W section of chart). After going
over these considerations, have students read designated sections of the article Colonial Life.
Model filling out an aspect of the graphic organizer before having students complete it in pairs.
Conclude the lesson with a class discussion of the most interesting facts that they found and what
aspects of these things might come into play once the War has started.
Day 2

Essential Question(s) of the Unit: What was life like for the colonists
before/during/after the Revolutionary War? How did the Revolutionary War
progress/unfold?

Guiding Question(s) for the Lesson: What is King Georges message to the
colonists through this song? What do you think the colonists would say
back to him and why?

Standards:
- 5.H.2 - Understand the role of prominent figures in shaping the United States.
- 5.H.1.2 - Summarize the political, economic and social aspects of colonial life in
the thirteen colonies.

Objectives: Students will be able to articulate the increasing frustration felt by the
colonists with the British rule and express these emotions in the form of a song.

Resources:
- Youll Be Back - Song written and produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, performed
by Jonathan Groff, from the musical Hamilton
- Graphic Organizers adapted from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/curriculum/socialstudies/scos/organizers/ss-
apparts.pdf
- What Was the Boston Tea Party by Kathleen Krull
- Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: American Revolution by Mary Pope Osborne
and Natalie Pope Boyce

Lesson Development: Start by playing Youll Be Back from the musical Hamilton. Give some
general background information about the Musical, what character is singing, and the context.
Fill out graphic organizer as a class pertaining to King George. On this organizer students will
list information about to context such as: who, when & where, prior knowledge, audience, main
idea/message, what can we learn from this? Take this time to define words from the song
students may not know. Explain to students that we are going to write a response to King George
from the perspective of the colonists by creating a song to sing back to him. To help us do that
we are going to fill out the same graphic organizer but with the information from the colonists
perspective. After students spend time working on the graphic organizer individually, they will
work in teacher made groups to write a song together that is a response to King George. Students
can refer to books in the class to use as resources and check their information as they work. They
will turn in one set of lyrics per group and perform their song as a group for the class. After each
group performs, someone from the class to give that group a compliment about their song. The
lesson will be concluded by students determining which groups song was the most factual and
engaging.
Day 3

Essential Question(s) of the Unit: What was life like for the colonists
before/during/after the Revolutionary War? What were the implications on America
as a country?

Guiding Question(s) for the Lesson: What were the colonists frustrations? How did
the Loyalists differ from the Patriots? How were the actions of the British Parliament
and King George specifically affecting the colonists?

Standards:

- 5.H.1.2 - Summarize the political, economic and social aspects of colonial life in
the thirteen colonies.

Objectives: Students will be able to express the historical perspective of the colonists
(whether they chose to be a Loyalist or a Patriot) and write an argumentative piece
to King George.

Lesson Development: For this lesson, students will extend the concepts from the prior lessons
into a more concrete context. Instead of a song, students will write an argumentative piece from
the perspective of a colonists, either a Loyalist or a Patriot. The letter will be addressed to King
George either defending him or protesting against him. Students will be required to use facts that
they learned about colonial life and how the War was affecting the colonists whether they were
fighting or not. Students will need to fully embody the perspective of the colonist and
convincingly make an argument for their position. Students will write final version of the letter
on construction paper that resembles parchment. To conclude the lesson, students will share their
letters with the class and answer questions about the colonists perspective.
Day 4

Essential Question(s) of the Unit: What was life like for the colonists
before/during/after the Revolutionary War? What were the implications on America
as a country?

Guiding Question(s) for the Lesson: How do these events fit in with each other How
did the Declaration of Independence shape the United States? Why is it important that
the colonists stood up and fought for what they believed in? How did the British
government influence how the colonists established their new American government?

Standards:

- 5.H.1 Analyze the chronology of key events in the United States.

- 5.H.1.3 Analyze the impact of major conflicts, battles and wars on the development of our
nation through Reconstruction.

- 5.C&G.1.1 Explain how ideas of various governments influenced the development of the United
States government

- 5.C&G.1.3 Analyze historical documents that shaped the foundation of the United States
government.

- 5.C&G.2.4 Explain why civic participation is important in the United States.

Objectives: Students will have a deep understanding of what and how key events of
the Revolutionary War unfolded. Students will be able to apply this knowledge to a
broader view of how it affected American development and government as well as
how the actions of the colonists relate to current events.

Resources:
- Revolutionary War Lesson Events pdf (bottom of webpage)
- http://historylists.org/events/10-key-events-of-the-american-revolution.html
- https://www.education.com/lesson-plan/a-living-timeline-the-american-
revolution/

Lesson Development: Refer to Detailed Lesson Plan For the conclusion of the lesson,
ensure that you highlight how the actions of the colonists relates to current events. What would
have happened if the colonists did not stand up for what they believed in? Can you think of any
modern examples of people standing up for what they believe in and changes that have happened
because of it?
Day 5

Essential Question(s) of the Unit: What was life like for the colonists
before/during/after the Revolutionary War? What were the implications on America
as a country?

Guiding Question(s) for the Lesson: What have you learned in this unit? What are the
most pivotal moments of the War? Which ones did you find most interesting?

Standards:

- 5.H.1.3 Analyze the impact of major conflicts, battles and wars on the development
of our nation through Reconstruction
- 5.C&G.1.3 Analyze historical documents that shaped the foundation of the United
States government
- 5.C&G.1.1 Explain how ideas of various governments influenced the development
of the United States government
- 5.H.1.2 - Summarize the political, economic and social aspects of colonial life in the
thirteen colonies

Objectives:

Resources:
- DiscoveryEd board builder:
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/public:session/login?next=https%3A%2F%2
Fapp%2Ediscoveryeducation%2Ecom%2Fbuilders
- http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle.html
- http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presen
tations/timeline/amrev/amrev.html
- http://guides.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/c.php?g=288395&p=1922272

Lesson Development: As a concluding lesson for the unit, divide students into groups of 2 or 3.
Have students create a DiscoveryEd board that demonstrates 5 events in the war that they think
were important. 3 of the 5 events must include a fun/interesting fact. Model for students how to
create a board and how to include various resources and insert pictures, videos, and text. Create
an example event that includes a fun fact so students will know what you expect. This activity
may spill over into another day, but once students have completed their boards, have each group
pick 3-4 events to present to the class.