Running Head: The American Revolution

Taylor Winchester
December 14, 2016
Grand Valley State University
SST 309-02
The Spark of the American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation!
Grade Five

The American Revolution

Table of Contents for The Spark of the American Revolution Unit Plan
1. Stage 1
a. Enduring Understanding
b. Compelling Questions
c. Concepts, Facts and Skills
d. Behavioral Objectives
2. Stage II
a. Informal Assessments
b. Paper and Pencil Quiz/Test
c. Performance Assessment: Overview, Rationale and Objectives
d. Performance Assessment: Directions to Teacher and Student Manual
e. Alignment With Stage 1
3. Stage III
a. Calendar and Catalog
b. Lesson 1
c. Lesson 2
d. Lesson 3
e. Academic Vocabulary Activity
f. Alignment with Stages 1 and II
4. Stage IV: Revise, Polish, Reflect
a. Rationale and Overview
b. Considering the Learners
c. Organization and Presentation
d. Citations
e. Reflection

Unit Overview

The American Revolution

Welcome learners! We are ready to begin our classroom journey by learning about the American
Revolution. Throughout this unit we will be touching on the series of events that took place
during this revolution that consisted of hardships and accomplishments. These are the events that
gave America its freedom and independence. My fifth grade students will be learning through
interactive lessons that emphasize the importance of vocabulary, literacy, citizenship, real world
skills/experiences and context.
Unit Rationale
During the American Revolution, the Colonists felt like they were being taken advantage of
because Great Britain imposed taxes on them to get them to pay for the war and for the presence
of soldiers in the colonies. The colonists were fighting against unfair taxes, but also felt like they
had no voice in their government and felt persecuted religiously. They fought for the right to vote
and for limited government. This unit relates to citizenship because the Colonists desire to have
political rights and religious freedom and will not stop until they receive it. The Declaration of
Independence gives Americans the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Understanding this unit content will benefit students because not only will it help them learn
about the history leading up to the American Revolution, but they can see that the American
Revolution has transformed us into the privileged Americans that we are today. The key terms
listed below are crucial events that took place before and after the Revolution and define us who
we are today. Students should try to visualize this historical timeline to see how we have gained
citizenship over time.
The overall grade curriculum is related to the fifth grade standards because fifth graders will be
learning about U.S history and discussing the American Revolution at this time. At this age
level, students are learning more complex words and definitions, reading textbooks, using critical
thinking, and obtaining more information.
Considering the Learners
When taking these fifth grade learners into consideration, we must adjust the curriculum so that
it fits their appropriate age group and so that there is limited complex terms. History itself is a
broad subject, thus the teachers must break down the lesson in a way that is understandable,
interactive and appealing to all students. Students at this age cannot sit for long periods of time
and need to be up and moving around. Since fifth graders will be learning about the American
Revolution, it might be fun to watch movies, reenact the war by having a dodgeball tournament
while holding shields, performing skits, playing jeopardy, etc. I think the hardest concepts for my
students to learn might be the different wars and historical timelines. Students should not have to
be tested on dates that they are not going to remember and instead act out the wars and events to
help them with visualization.

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Enduring Understanding/Big Idea:

Many people think that the American Revolution was caused by no taxation without
representation, but it was much more complex. The Colonists desire to have rights, religious
freedom and a voice led to a revolution and the creation of a unique democratic government.
Compelling Question:
How has the American
Revolution shaped our
society today?

Supporting Questions:
Would fellow Americans feel that they have a sense of
pride and citizenship today if the American Revolution
never existed?
How did the American Revolution end?
What was the overall purpose of the Declaration of
Independence?

Behavioral Objectives:
Students will be able to (say I CAN):
Understand the sequence of events that took place before and after the following events:
The Stamp Act, The Boston Massacre, The Intolerable Act, and the Boston Tea Party. (5
U3.1.2)
Utilize the Declaration of Independence and understand why the separation from the
Colonists and Great Britain occurred. (5 U3.1.5)
Identify a problem confronting people in the colonies, identify alternative choices for
addressing the problem with possible consequences, and describe the course of action
taken. (5 U3.1.8)
Describe the overall significance of Valley Forge, Battle of Saratoga, and Battle of
Yorktown in the American Revolution. (5 U3.2.2)
Compare and contrast historical events from the past to todays current events.
(D2.His.2.3-5)
Explain why individuals and groups during the same historical period differed in their
perspectives. (D2.His.4.3-5)
Describe how peoples perspectives shaped the historical sources they created.
(D2.His.6.3-5)
Explain probable causes and effects of events and developments. (D2.His.14.3-5)
Analyze the purpose of why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3)
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis in relation to topics or texts using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1)
Key Concepts:
Important Knowledge:
Important Skills:
-French and Indian War: The
-No taxation without
-Identifying the importance of
war began with conflict over
representation led to a chain
compelling questions and
land that was claimed by
of events.
supporting questions
both Native Americans, who
-The American Revolution
-Reading parallel timelines of
were supported by the French, was between Great Britain and events

The American Revolution

and the English.
-Boston Tea Party: The British
taxed the Sons of Liberty for
tea and postage so the Sons of
Liberty rebelled by dumping
all of the British tea into the
Boston Harbor.
-Treaty of Paris: This treaty
created boundaries between
the British Empire and the
new evolving country to the
U.S.
-Purposes of government:
Unity, justice, domestic
tranquility, defense, promotion
of the general welfare of the
citizens and securing liberty
for all.
-Intolerable Acts: Multiple
British acts passed after the
Boston Tea Party to punish the
American colonies for the
rebellious behavior in the
Boston Tea Party.
-Individual rights: The
liberties of each individual to
pursue life and goals without
interference from other
individuals or the government.
-Natural rights: Life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.
-Valley Forge: The military
camp in southeastern
Pennsylvania approximately
20 miles northwest of
Philadelphia where the
American Continental Army
spent the winter of 177778
during the American
Revolutionary War.
-Boston Massacre: In an
uproar of the Quartering Act,
British soldiers gathered in the
Boston Commons, where they

5
the American Colonists.
-Thirteen original colonies
ended up rebelling and
eventually became the first
thirteen states.
-The colonists fought for
religious freedom and a right
to vote.
-Britain overtaxed the
American colonists and a war
broke out.

-Analyzing cause and effects

-Utilizing geographic
comprehension
-Making connections and
comparisons

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Description of Informal Assessments:
Weekly journals that reflect
played instruments
and
students understanding
of the
becamecurrent
bothersome
to the
content
being taught.
American
residents. In a have students
List-group-label:
miscommunication,
weapons
brainstorm, group
together the
were fired
resulting
in
5
dead
similarities and label each
Americans
and 7 wounded.
category.
One minute essays that pertain to
-Declaration
ofor
Independence:
current
future knowledge.
A statement
adopted
by the
Chalk/talk: what
ideas/questions
Second come
Continental
Congress
to mind?
stating that the thirteen
Entrance and exit tickets: these
original colonies regarded
help the teacher have a better
themselves as thirteen newly
grasp on which students are
independent sovereign states.
comprehending the lesson and
Happened on July 4, 1776.
which students need extra
assistance.

Overview and Rationale for Paper and

Pencil Quiz/Test (see attached test/quiz):
Overview:
My fifth graders will be tested on their
overall knowledge of the events that took
place before and after the American
Revolution through a brief multiple choice
quiz.
Rationale:
This quiz provides real world facts of the
American Revolution and the people who
fought in it. This information relates to
citizenship because it demonstrates how
the Americans fought and eventually won
their freedom. Our society as a whole has
changed for the better because of this.

Performance Assessment Overview, Rationale, and Objectives (see attachments

for directions to teacher, student directions, and handout):
Overview:
My students will be asked to reflect on their background knowledge of the Battle of
Yorktown and reenact this battle through a dodgeball tournament. Before the students
leave, we will have a class discussion on their experience with this activity and each
student will fill out an exit slip.
Rationale:
Debriefing about this battle and reenacting it as a whole really motivates students to
learn by being interactive and hands-on. It is not an everyday occurrence where
students get to play dodgeball in class. This class will be expected to fill out their exit
slips to the best of their ability explaining what they individually learned and how this
battle impacted our society as a whole.

Objectives:

Describe the overall significance of Valley Forge, Battle of Saratoga, and Battle
of Yorktown in the American Revolution. (5 U3.2.2)
Describe how peoples perspectives shaped the historical sources they created.
(D2.His.6.3-5)
Compare and contrast historical events from the past to todays current events.
(D2.His.2.3-5)

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American Revolution Quiz

1. Which event occurred first that led up to the American Revolution?
a. The Boston Tea Party
b. The French and Indian War
c. The Stamp Act
d. The Treaty of Paris
2. True or False: The British and the Colonists won the French and Indian War.
a. True
b. False
3. Why did the Colonists feel that they had no voice in vote or religious freedom in their
government?
a. The British implemented taxes to the Colonists because they were in debt
b. The British were treating the Colonists unfairly and were in power
c. The British kept denying the Colonists right to vote
d. All of the above
4. True or False: The Stamp Act occurred after the Boston Massacre.
a. True
b. False (Before the Boston Massacre)
5. How did the American Colonists act when the British taxed them for tea and postage
stamps?
a. They thought it was reasonable, so they paid the taxes
b. One of the Colonists killed a British soldier
c. The Colonists dumped all of the tea into the Boston Harbor

The American Revolution

d. None of the above

6. What were the Intolerable Acts and when did they take place?
a. A treaty between the American Colonists and the British. (Occurred before the
Boston Tea Party)
b. A series of events that took place after the Boston Tea Party that involved the
British punishing the Colonists for their rebellious behavior
c. A war that broke out between the American Colonists and the British. (Occurred
after the Boston Tea Party)
d. None of the above
7. True or False: The British and the American Colonists were allies throughout the entire
American Revolution.
a. True
b. False
8. True or False: Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and the
United States of America was born with 13 states. The Declaration of Independence was
designed to show other foreign nations why they wanted to separate themselves from
Great Britain.
a. True
b. False
9. How did the American Revolution end?
a. American Colonists surrendered, Britain won
b. Britain surrendered, American Colonists won
c. The American Colonists and Britain signed a treaty and became BFFs
d. None of the above
10. How has the American Revolution shaped our society today?
a. Americans now have religious freedom
b. Americans have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
c. Americans have the right to vote
d. The American Revolution did not shape our society today
e. Only a, b, and c are correct.

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Performance Assessment
Your Name(s): Taylor Winchester
Title of lesson: Surrender at Yorktown
Length of lesson: Approx. 40 minutes.
Objectives:
Describe the overall significance of Valley Forge, Battle of Saratoga, and Battle of
Yorktown in the American Revolution. (5 U3.2.2)
Describe how peoples perspectives shaped the historical sources they created.
(D2.His.6.3-5)
Compare and contrast historical events from the past to todays current events.
(D2.His.2.3-5)
Overview:
The purpose of this lesson was to create general background knowledge of the Battle of
Yorktown and understand its impact on our society today. Students will be assessed through class
discussion, video, a reenactment of this battle (dodgeball tournament) and an exit slip.
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:

Students may not remember every detail of the Battle of Yorktown.

o To resolve this issue, I will show a brief video clip of this battle to create further
background knowledge.
Students may not fully comprehend why this battle was so significant.
o To fix this issue, I will have my students reenact the Battle of Yorktown to see
who won the battle.

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10

Materials/Evidence/Sources:
Costumes
Dodgeballs
A white flag
Pencils
Paper
Exit slip
Assessment:
Students will be assessed through background knowledge, class discussion, video, a reenactment
and an exit slip.
Instructional Sequence:
1. I will first ask my students what they know about the Battle of Yorktown and will write
their ideas on the white board. (5 minutes)
2. Next, I will show a short clip of the history of this battle. (5 minutes)
3. After showing this video I will explain to my students that we are performing a
reenactment of this battle to further expand on this topic. (2 minutes)
4. Next, I will assign each student a role to play in the reenactment and pass out props. (5
minutes)
5. The class will then perform this reenactment through a dodgeball tournament (British vs.
American Colonists). (15 minutes)
6. I will ask the class to return to their seats and we will have a class discussion on
everyones thoughts of this activity. (3 minutes)
7. Finally, I will ask my students to fill out an exit slip that will test their knowledge on
what they learned through this activity, and how it impacted our society as a whole today.
(5 minutes)

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11

Exit Slip
1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did reenacting this battle help you better understand what actually
happened during this event?
3. How did the outcome of this battle shape our society as
a whole today?

References
R. (2015, October 25). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhGGlDP6LOU

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12

The Spark of the American Revolution Unit Calendar

Day 1
Hooking
Lesson:
Introduce Unit
Plan and
Compelling
Question

Day 2
Concept
Formation
Lesson: The
Boston Tea
Party

Day 6
Concept
Formation
Lesson: Protest

Day 7
Performance
Assessment:
The
Battle of
Yorktown

Introduce
Performance
Assessment

Day 3
Day 4
Learning about
Teaching with
the Declaration
Texts Lesson:
of Independence The Boston Tea
Party
Academic Vocab
Activity
Day 8
Review of the
reenactment of
the Battle of
Yorktown
(Performance
Assessment)

Day 9
Review
vocabulary
learned from
previous
lessons.

Day 5
Events of the
American
Revolution
Paper/Pencil
Test 6 MC and
4 T/F
Day 10
Have a final
discussion as to
why the
American
Revolution has
shaped our
society today
(Compelling
Question)

Daily Lessons Abstract

Day 1: Hooking Lesson: Enduring Understanding and Compelling
Question
In this lesson students will complete a one minute essay explaining why the Battle of
Yorktown changed the U.S.A today. This type of assessment gives the instructor a better
understanding as to which students are struggling with this unit and those that are grasping the
concept. By completing this assessment, the class as a whole will be able to understand the
deeper meaning as to why the Americans wanted to permanently separate themselves from the
British by creating the Declaration of Independence. Students will also be tested on their
knowledge of a compelling question for this new unit. It is my job as the instructor to ensure that
all students are comprehending the compelling question of this unit and relating it to real life
events today.
**The elaborated lesson plan follows**
Day 2: Concept Formation: Protest
During this lesson, students are expected to conceptualize the word
protest. A reenactment of the Boston Tea Party will help student create
deeper understanding of real life events and their impact on us as a whole.
To conclude this lesson, my students will fill out a ballot slip and an exit slip
to assess their knowledge from the lesson while giving me feedback on how
the lesson went. While my students are reenacting this event in history, I will
be paying close attention to each students facial expressions to see if they

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13

are excited, confused, delighted, discouraged or bored with this activity.

Looking at facial expressions conveys my students mood and overall
comprehension of the lesson.
**The elaborated lesson plan follows**
Day 3: Teaching with Texts Lesson: The Boston Tea Party
For this lesson I will provide three different primary sources: video,
political cartoons and music. Students will be able to assess their knowledge
through these sources while challenging their overall thinking. There is an
exit slip that must be filled out before the end of class. It is my job as an
instructor to ensure that my students are comprehending what primary and
secondary sources are and that there is multiple different ways to learn
about a subject through these different sources.

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14

What It Means To Be An American Hooking Lesson

Your Name: Taylor Winchester
Length of lesson: Approx. 50 minutes
Compelling Question: How has the American Revolution shaped our society today?
Overview:
This lesson will begin by giving a brief background on the American Revolution and how it
ended (the Battle of Yorktown). Next, the students will analyze a video with multiple pictures
projected on the overhead screen of the Battle of Yorktown. The students will then be asked to
utilize their knowledge by writing down on a scrap piece of paper why this battle in
particular changed the U.S.A today. The students will then each receive a copy of the
Declaration of Independence and will then be asked to quietly skim over it and share
with the class what they read and the overall purpose. For the next class
activity, students will be asked to draw the American flag on their construction paper, color
it in, and will then write ten words on their flag that describes what it means to be an American
(Ex: freedom, life, liberty). Next, the students will perform a gallery walk of their classmates
works of art to see everyones different perspectives on our nations values. To wrap up this
lesson the class will pair up and be giving the compelling question, How has the American
Revolution shaped our society today? The students will have time to write their answers down
and share with the class their response. This activity will act as a transition into our new unit of
the American Revolution.
Objectives:
Utilize the Declaration of Independence and understand why the separation from the
Colonists and Great Britain occurred. (5 U3.1.5)
Describe the overall significance of Valley Forge, Battle of Saratoga, and Battle of
Yorktown in the American Revolution. (5 U3.2.2)
Explain why individuals and groups during the same historical period differed in their
perspectives. (D2.His.4.3-5)
Analyze the purpose of why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3)
Anticipated Student Conceptions or Challenges to Understanding:
Students may not remember the chain of events that occurred before or after the
American Revolution.

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15

o To address this issue, show the students a basic timeline of events during this time
frame.
Students may not comprehend what the Declaration of Independence is or its overall
purpose.
o To fix this misconception, break down the overall purpose of the Declaration of
Independence and share how we the people use it in todays society.

Materials/Evidence/Resources:
Materials:
o Copies of the Declaration of Independence
o Scrap paper
o Pencils
o White construction paper
o Colored pencils
o Markers
Assessment:
The informal assessment of this lesson will include a one minute essay explaining why the Battle
of Yorktown changed the U.S.A today. This type of assessment gives the instructor a better
understanding as to which students are struggling with this unit and those that are grasping the
concept. By completing this assessment, the class as a whole will be able to understand the
deeper meaning as to why the Americans wanted to permanently separate themselves from the
British by creating the Declaration of Independence. Students will also be tested on their
knowledge of a compelling question for this new unit.
Instructional Sequence:
1. Give a brief background on the American Revolution and how it ended (the Battle of
Yorktown). (3 minutes)
2. Next, the students will analyze a video of images projected on the overhead screen of the
Battle of Yorktown. The students will then have write down on a scrap piece of paper
why this battle in particular changed the U.S.A today. At this time, the teacher will walk
around the room to collect these one minute essays. (7 minutes)
3. The students will then each receive a copy of the Declaration of Independence and will
then be asked to quietly skim over it. A few students will be selected to share what they
read and what they believe is the overall purpose of this life-changing document. The
teacher will then reveal the actual purpose is of the Declaration of Independence. (10
minutes)
4. For the last activity, the students will each receive a piece of white construction paper,
colored pencils, and markers. Based on the copy of the Declaration of Independence in
front of them, the class will be asked to draw the American flag on their construction
paper, color it in, and must write ten words on their flag that best describes what it means
to be an American. (20 minutes)
5. Next, the students will stand up and move around the room as they glance at their
classmates work of art to see everyones different perspectives on our nations values. (3
minutes)

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16

6. Finally, I will have my students pair up and answer my compelling question of this new
unit: How has the American Revolution shaped our society today? I will ask one person
from each group to write down their answer on a piece of paper and I will then call on
each group and ask them to share their answers with the class. I will then end the class
discussion by reintroducing the new unit we will be transitioning to: The American
Revolution. (15 minutes)
References
Bush, L. V. (1970). 5th Grade American Flags. Retrieved from
http://greenbayartroom.blogspot.com/2013/04/5th-grade-american-flags.html
(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://americainclass.org/sources/makingrevolution/rebellion/text8/decindep.pdf
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhGGlDP6LOU

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17

Concept Formation Lesson Plan

Your Name(s): Taylor Winchester
Title of lesson: A Powerful Protest
Length of lesson: One class period
Objectives:

Students will be able to define and utilize the word protest. (CCSS.ELALITERACY.CCRA.W.1)
Students will be able to recognize conflict and know how to come up with appropriate
solutions. (5 - U3.1.8)
Students will be able to describe why certain people or groups may or may not get along.
(D2.His.4.3-5)
Students will be able to comprehend why certain individuals, events and ideas interact
over time. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3)

Overview: Students will be conceptualizing the word protest and applying it

by reenacting the Boston Tea Party. There will be examples and nonexamples
given of this concept that should benefit the students overall understanding.
To assess each students knowledge from this lesson, they will be given
ballots and exit slips as well as participate in a class discussion.
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:

Students may not remember every detail of the Boston Tea Party or
remember the two main parties involved (the Sons of Liberty vs. the
British).
o To resolve this issue, I will give a brief background of the
American Revolution and how it is related to the Boston Tea
Party.

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18

Students may not fully comprehend the word protest.

o To help emphasize the significance of this word, I will present
examples and non-examples of the Boston Tea Party since it was
a nonviolent protest. I will also explain to my students that
protests can be peaceful or violent.

Materials/Evidence/Sources:
Costumes
Blue tarp to place on ground to look like water
Ships made out of cardboard
Bean bags (tea bags)
Boxes (boxes of tea)
Ballot slips
Bin to put the ballot slips in
Exit slips
Images of the Boston Tea Party
Images of protest signs
Video clip of the events leading up to the Boston Tea Party
Assessment: I am first planning on defining the word protest to the class
with a brief history of the American Revolution and its relevance to the
Boston Tea Party. I plan on integrating three critical attributes: refusing to
obey laws, attempting to induce change, and nonviolent acts. To go more in
depth, the Sons of Liberty refused to pay the tea taxes that the British
enforced on them. Thus, the Sons of Liberty pulled a rebellious stunt by
disguising themselves as Native Americans and dumped all of the British tea
into the Boston Harbor. This was their way of trying to induce change (no
taxation without representation) and served as a nonviolent protest. No one
was harmed, however the British were outraged and plotted their revenge
(The Intolerable Acts). Next, I will provide examples of protest and ask my
students to give their own examples of the word as well while I write them on
the white board. After the class reenacts the Boston Tea Party with the props
provided, I will have everyone return to their seats and I will open a class
discussion about their experience reenacting a major historical event. Then, I
will pass out ballot slips that say Who was harsher: the British for enforcing
unfair taxes or the Sons of Liberty for their acts of protest? Please circle your
answer. The British or the Sons of Liberty. Students will turn in their ballots
into a bin and I will announce the results. Lastly, I will assess students
knowledge with an informal assessment: an exit slip. Each student must
answer the following questions on their exit slips: 1. Do you feel confident
about the word, protest? Please circle one yes or no. 2. What did you learn
from todays lesson? 3. Was reenacting the Boston Tea Party beneficial for

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19

you? Explain why or why not. This small assessment gives the teacher a
clearer understanding as to how the lesson went and if the students were
able to take home the big message.
Instructional Sequence:
1. I will start this deductive concept formation lesson by defining the word
protest and then state its relevance to the American Revolution and the
Boston Tea Party. (5 minutes)
2. Next, I will explain the three critical attributes related to the Boston Tea
Party to the class (refusing to obey laws, attempting to induce change, and
nonviolent acts). (5 minutes)
3. Provide examples of the word protest (image of protest signs and angry
people and an image of the Boston Tea Party) on the projector screen. Then
present a nonexample (a video clip of the Intolerable Acts). (15 minutes)
4. Have the students raise their hands and list their own examples of the
word protest while I write them on the white board.
Review examples on the white board. (5 minutes)
5. Next, I will apply my students knowledge of this concept by having them
reenact the Boston Tea Party.
I will assign the different roles (The British vs. the Sons of
Liberty). (15-20 minutes).
6. Once the reenactment is complete I will have the students return to their
seats and will begin an open discussion about their experience. (5 minutes)
7. Afterward, I will pass out the ballot slips to each student. (15 minutes)
The students will then place their ballot in the bin in front of the
room.
I will announce the results to the class.
Mini discussion about results.
7. Lastly, each student will fill out an exit slip that is assessing their current
knowledge about protest and the Boston Tea Party. (5 minutes)

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Picture of the Boston Tea Party (Example)

20

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Picture of protest signs (example)

21

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22

Video of historical timeline of the Intolerable Acts (nonexample):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deU_9QzH5sQ

Ballot Slip

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23

Who was harsher: the British for enforcing unfair

taxes or the Sons of Liberty for their acts of
protest? Please circle your answer.
A. The British
B. The Sons of Liberty

Exit Slip

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24

Name:_________________
Exit Slip
1. Do you feel confident about the word, protest? Please circle
one. Yes or No
2. What did you learn from todays lesson?
3. Was reenacting the Boston Tea Party beneficial for you?
Explain why or why not.

References
R. (2014, September 18). History Brief: The Intolerable Acts. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deU_9QzH5sQ

Working with Texts Lesson Plan Format

Your Name(s): Taylor Winchester
Length of lesson: Approx. 45 minutes

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25

Title of lesson: Understanding the Boston Tea Party

Overview: Students will be refreshing their memories about the Boston Tea
Party through class discussions, video, political cartoons and music. The
purpose of this lesson is for the class to develop a deeper understanding
about why the Boston Tea Party occurred and who was involved.

Objectives:
Students will be able to conceptualize what took place before and after the Boston Tea
Party and know who was involved. (MI Standard: Understand the sequence of events
that took place before and after the following events: The Stamp Act, The Boston
Massacre, The Intolerable Act, and the Boston Tea Party. (5 U3.1.2)
Students will be able to describe why certain people or groups may or
may not get along. (C3 Framework: Explain why individuals and
groups during the same historical period differed in their perspectives.
(D2.His.4.3-5))
Students will be able to comprehend why certain individuals, events
and ideas intermix over time. (CCSS: Analyze how and why
individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a
text. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3))
Anticipated student conceptions or challenges to understanding:

Students may not remember every detail of the Boston Tea Party or
remember the two main parties involved (the Sons of Liberty and the
British).
o To resolve this issue, I will play a video that summarizes the
historical events that made up the American Revolution and led
up to the Boston Tea Party.
Students may have difficulty differentiating the characters in the
political cartoons.
o To fix this, I will give a brief explanation of the uniforms and
costumes that each party wore and how they both established
their nicknames (the Red Coats and the Sons of Liberty).

Materials/Evidence/Sources:
Boston Tea Party packet that contains a: notes section, song analysis worksheet, political
cartoons with a corresponding sheet of questions, and a reflection section
Pencil
Dump It Off- Boston Tea Party Song

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Historical timeline video of the American Revolution

Assessment: Students will be assessing their understanding by reflecting

on what they already know about the Boston Tea Party and what they
learned through video, music and political cartoons. There will be an exit slip
in the back of their packets that they must fill out before the end of class.
Instructional Sequence:
1. First, I will pass out the Boston Tea Party packets to each student and go over each page.
(3 minutes)
2. Next, I will ask the class to flip to the first page in their packets and write down what they
already know about the Boston Tea Party. (5 minutes)
3. We will have a brief discussion by having a few students share what he/she wrote down.
(5 minutes)
4. I will then play a historical timeline video of the American Revolution that touches on
events that led up to the Boston Tea Party. (3 minutes)
5. Next, I will ask the students to flip to the next two pages in their packets that displays the
three different political cartoons. I will have the students individually analyze the
cartoons for a few minutes while answering the corresponding questions on the following
page. Then the students will meet in groups of four to discuss their thoughts (I will assign
everyone a number). Finally, I will call on one member of each group to ask what each
student observed. (10 minutes)
6. Then I will transition into a song about the Boston Tea Party specifically that depicts the
Sons of Libertys perspective of the event. (2 minutes)
7. The students will then fill out the song analysis worksheet in their packets that asks
general information about the song itself. (5 minutes).
8. We will open another brief discussion about some of the answers the students selected on
this worksheet and why they were chosen. (5 minutes)
9. Lastly, students will fill out their reflection page in their packets on what they learned
about the Boston Tea Party (their exit tickets) and will then tear it out of their packets and
hand them in. (5 minutes)

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References
Boston Tea Party Cartoons and Comics. (2016). Retrieved from
https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/b/boston_tea_party.asp

Leddy, B. (2015, April 20). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c7bswVxuKs

(n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.archives.gov/files/education/lessons/worksheets/sound_recording_analysis_work
sheet.pdf

(2013, November 5). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=tfnrdWYmZus&feature=youtu.be be/tfnrdWYmZus

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Academic Vocabulary Terms from Chapter 23 Freedom Fighters (Hakim, p. 110-115)

Colonies: A country or section of land that falls under full or partial political control of another
country.
The Revolutionary War: The American war of independence between the British and the
American Colonists.
Surrender: To give up a fight or battle.
Slavery: To own a person as legal property and force them to obey their owner.
Traitor: Someone who betrays another person(s).
The Redcoats: The British army.
Gunners: A member of the armed forces who operates or specializes in guns.
Regiment: A permanent unit of an army.

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Outline for Academic Vocabulary Activity:

1. Give each student a copy of the teachers outline of the day.
2. Introduce new unit, The American Revolution.
3. Without having students previously read this chapter, the instructor will briefly give a
summary of chapter 23 Freedom Fighter in Hakim (p. 110-115) and discuss how it is
related to the compelling question, How has the American Revolution shaped our
society today?
o Summary:
I chose this chapter because of the date, setting and series of events that
are related to my compelling question. It touches on how one of
Philadelphias most inspiring citizens, James Forten, owned a sail making
business and employed both African Americans and Caucasian folks.
These slaves knew their place and did not think equality would ever be
achievable; it seemed bizarre to them. In this chapter it states an old idea:
all men are created equal. Now, there is a new idea, all people have
equal rights. The Declaration of Independence eventually gave the slaves
and the U.S citizens their dignity and freedom back. This was not the
norm back then to have an abundance of freedom, but fortunately, equality
has finally been reached.
4. Introduce vocabulary terms to students while emphasizing the importance of association.
5. Teach vocabulary activity to students:
o Demonstrate activity
o Activity Instructions (Beck, p. 15):
Each student will receive the same deck of 8 cards all labeled with the
vocabulary words I chose from chapter 23 in Hakim. The students should
already be familiarized with these words at this point. The object of this
activity is to have each student examine their cards and determine which
words they can pile/group together. (For example, the words victory and

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the American Colonists would go hand-in-hand and thus, be a match.)

Each player must have at least two cards in each pile. This type of activity
demonstrates association with words and vocabulary. Students must be

familiar with words in order to put them into context.

Have students begin activity.
Review everyones associations/matches they made with their playing

cards.
6. End with an open discussion that reflects on the activity. This creates feedback and
understanding for the teacher.
References
Beck, Isabel L., Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan. Bringing Words to Life:
Robust Vocabulary Instruction. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford, 2013. Print.
Hakim, J. (1999). A History of US (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Taylor Winchester
Sarah Tate
SST 309-02
December 14, 2016
Academic Vocabulary Reflection
After carefully reading and analyzing the recommendations of Beck et al., I decided to
choose the most interactive activity that I could find. On page 15 of Bringing Words to Life, I
found a word association activity. This activity emphasized the importance of making strong

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31

connections with words in order to retain their meaning. Each student had 12 index cards that
had the same vocabulary words on them that I chose from Hakim. The object of the game was
for the students to examine the words and make connections in order to match two or more
words together. (Example: A student might put The Redcoats and Surrender together as one
of their matches). The students would then explain to me and their classmates why they chose to
pair certain words together. Afterward, I asked the students to play the game once more, but this
time they had to avoid pairing the same words together as last time.
I specifically chose twelve terms from Hakim chapter 23 because it tied in with my
compelling question How has the American Revolution shaped our society today? and 12
terms were needed for my activity. This chapter pertained to the time that the American
Revolution took place and how slaves were treated so poorly and that they were not used to any
form of freedom until the Declaration of Independence was established.
Overall, I thought my activity went well and my students felt engaged and seemed to
enjoy learning the words that I chose. After my activity was completed, I asked my students for
their feedback on how I taught the lesson and asked them what they learned from it. They were
very positive and did not have constructive criticism to offer. However, they felt educated after
my activity and said they had a blast learning in an interactive way. Due to their specific
feedback, I will continue to use interactive lessons and maybe teach at a slower pace

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Taylor Winchester
Sarah Tate
SST 309-02
December 14, 2016
Unit Plan Reflection
Before creating this unit plan, I knew very little information about the American
Revolution. I was very familiar with the Boston Tea Party, but that was the only event I had
previous background knowledge on. In order to succeed in this class, I had to force myself to
read historical timelines and full descriptions of each event that took place in the American
Revolution so that I would be knowledgeable in each area of content. Without this knowledge, it
would have been extremely difficult to create lesson plans, let alone a unit plan. Receiving my
peers feedback on my lessons benefitted me tremendously in allowing me to revise my work and
improve my overall progress as a future educator. I made sure I applied each classmate and
instructors feedback to all of my revised lessons to consider their input and concern for my
overall performance.
After completing such a complex unit plan, I have developed an even stronger
appreciation for social studies teachers and their continuous efforts in their lessons. I now know
how long and tedious it can be to construct a unit filled with repetitive content and intricate
detail. It was not an easy task to say the least, however, it definitely allowed me to see teaching
through an entire new perspective. One of the challenges I faced was putting off some lessons
and assignments for my unit plan until the last minute. I realized this the hard way that it takes
hours to prepare your lesson topic, content, assessment, and procedure to create a solid piece of
work that relates to your main idea. I will need to set several goals to ensure my future unit plans
will be created in a timely manner. Whether that means breaking up the content into several days

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and piecing it together bit-by-bit, but planning ahead is key. Another main challenge I faced was
determining whether or not I was creating my lesson plans with the correct content and format.
Until I took this course, I did not know that there was more than one type of unit plan that you
can create (hooking, vocabulary, literacy, performance assessment and concept formation).
Knowing this fact is extremely useful when you are required to adapt your lesson in various
ways. I definitely plan on using my unit plan as a reference for all future lesson plans and unit
plans and having my unit plan as a resource on my Weebly.
Furthermore, I would have to say that I am most proud of my concept formation lesson
because that is one of my favorite lessons that I created and I received an excellent grade on it.
Finishing this class with an entire unit plan and teacher website completed is such an
accomplishment in itself. I am very pleased that GVSU has a course for us, education majors that
prepares us for our future.