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Lesson Title: American Revolution Timeline

 

Teacher: Michael Kreft

Subject: Social Studies

Grade Level: 8th Grade

Lesson Duration: 2.5 weeks

 

 

Curriculum Standards Addressed:

8.2.5       Describe the political and social divergence of South Carolinians and other Anglo-American colonists from England

8.2.6       Examine the causes and course of the American Revolution and the contributions of South Carolinians

 

Process Standards:

 

ID  Formulate historical questions from a variety of sources

IA   Distinguish between past, present, and future

IA   Create time lines

IC  Analyze illustrations in historical stories

 

Big Picture

In 1776, as fighting spread, the colonies issued the Declaration of Independence, which called for separation from Britain.  From New England, the major operations of the war gradually spread to the middle states and the South.  With the help from France and other nations, the Americans defeated the British and won their war for Independence.  (Note:  This lesson follows a lesson on the causes of the American Revolution.)

 

Generalization

Our values, beliefs, and backgrounds tend to shape how we view history and what we choose to study.

 

Focus Question

Who and what is worth studying in history? 

 

Guiding Questions

What criteria do we use to use to determine what people and events are important? 

How do our perspectives influence what we choose to study?

 

Concepts

American Revolution, civil war, values

 

Facts/Content

  1. What was the Olive Branch Petition?
  2. What was the first major battle of the Revolution and why was it important?
  3. How did the British plan to win the war?
  4. What advantages did the British have over the Patriots and what advantages did the Patriots have over the British?
  5. Who was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army? 
  6. What arguments did Thomas Paine offer in favor of independence?
  7. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
  8. What rights does the Declaration of Independence guarantee?
  9. After the Declaration of Independence was issued, enslaved Africans sent petitions to state legislatures asking for freedom.  How might they have used the Declaration of Independence for their demands?
  10. Describe three results of the Battle of Saratoga.
  11. Why was help from France and other nations important to the Americans?
  12. Describe what life was like for soldiers at Valley Forge.
  13. On which side did Native Americans fight?
  14. How did the South replace the North as the major battlefield of the Revolution?
  15. How did women participate in the war effort?  (This will likely be a short answer response.)
  16. Why did many African Americans support the Revolution?
  17. Why did George Washington allow African Americans to serve in the Continental Army?
  18. Who was Francis Marion and what was he famous for?
  19. Why was the battle of Yorktown important?  What happened as a result of the battle?
  20. Describe the major points of the Treaty of Paris of 1783.
  21. Describe three reasons why the Americans were able to defeat the British and win the American Revolution.
  22. In what state were the most battles fought during the American Revolution?
  23. Who sewed the first American flag?

Overview

Through a combination of direct instruction, guided instruction, and open instruction, students will create a timeline to learn about the causes of the American Revolution and the major events, battles, and people involved.  At the beginning of the unit, students will be introduced to the “Big Picture” - an overview of the Revolution.  Each group member will then choose (from a list) three battles, three events, and three people to research.  When they finish, they will return to their support groups and evaluate each topic and determine which are worthy of being included on the timeline.  The timeline will be limited to 12 topics. They will need to justify all of their decisions by providing a rationale for each topic they chose to include on the timeline, as well as for the ones they chose to omit.  This process will allow students to actively discuss and debate the importance of their topics.  It also provides insight as to how historians choose what to include in textbooks and how they choose to omit information.  Perhaps we will extend the activity by having a class debate and then creating a class timeline for the American Revolution.

Rationale

Textbook authors must determine what facts are worthy of including in the textbook.  In doing so, they also choose to eliminate certain information.  What are their criteria for judging history in this way?  Can historians truly be objective in their research?  How do our perspectives influence what we choose to study?  Lecture-based teaching (and learning) often insinuates that there is one “true story” – one way to approach the study of history.  Why not allow students to pursue answers to questions they perceive as meaningful?  This lesson causes students to think creatively and critically to reach informed decisions By creating a timeline, the events, issues, and people become more than bits of unrelated data; they become part of an ongoing story, which students are in fact continuing to write.  Students manage their own learning with guidance from the instructor. 

Rationale for Cooperative Teamwork

Using cooperative teamwork in schools, as research has proven, will better prepare students for the world beyond the classroom.  Spencer Kagan says:

At an accelerating rate we move into a rapidly changing information-based, high technology, and interdependent economy.  Along with the traditional role of providing students with basic skills and information, increasingly schools must produce students capable of higher-level thinking skills, communication skills, and social skills (from Cooperative Learning, 2:1).

Materials

Teacher

·        The Patriot (clips)

·        DVD/VCR

·        LCD monitor for presentations

·        CPS unit

·        Map of 13 colonies

·        Mobile lab with Internet access

Students

·        Poster board/long paper for timeline

·        Scissors

·        Crayons/markers

·        Construction paper

·        Glue

 

Prepare

·        Test

·        Goal Sheet (study guide)

·        Pretest

·        Big Picture question

·        Prepare a ten to fifteen-minute PowerPoint presentation focusing on the Big Picture

·        Presentation notes (PowerPoint)

·        Bookmark web sites

·        Review game - CPS unit

·        Project handouts (data sheets, instructions, team reflections)

·        Prepare enough clips of The Patriot to show each day.

·        Timeline examples

·        Tie in each lesson with My Brother Sam is Dead if the English teacher is teaching it.

 

 

Assessment

Class Work Homework
Projects
Test
Portfolio
q          Do Nows

q          Subheading Specialty

q          Goal Sheet

q          Web Quest
q          Timeline Project

q          Big Picture Questions
q          American Revolution Test
q          Collected at end of unit or 9 weeks

 

Agenda

Day 1:  Pretest and Introduction

  1. Administer pretest on the American Revolution to determine prior knowledge
  2. Show clip from Patriot
  3. PowerPoint (direct instruction)

·        Review French and Indian War and Causes of the American Revolution

·        Present Big Picture – Overview of the American Revolution

 

Day 2:  Goal Sheet

  1. Show clip from Patriot
  2. Introduce Goal Sheet (study guide)
  3. Introduce Timeline Project
  4. Students conduct Internet research and complete “Battles” data sheets (make sure appropriate sites are bookmarked)

Day 3: 

1.      Show clips from the Patriot

  1. Complete “Battles” data sheets
  2. Homework:  Finish “Battles”


Day 4

  1. Patriot clips
  2. Read Valley Forge, pp. 238-239 in American Nation
  3. Primary Document Analysis:

·        Display picture of Valley Forge

·        Students answer corresponding question(s) on Goal Sheet.

  1. Map Activity:  Each group member will label their selected battles on a map of the thirteen colonies.


Day 5

  1. Patriot clips
  2. Complete “People” data sheets
  3. Homework:  Finish “People”


Day 6

  1. Complete “Events” data sheets
  2. Homework:  Finish “Events”


Day 7 

  1. Compare and contrast various examples of timelines (vertical, horizontal timelines, etc.)
  2. Group discussion of timeline – Students complete Evaluation Form indicating what information they will include and what information to exclude, along with supporting reasons for their decisions.

·        Organize:  make a list of all your team’s topics on a sheet of paper.

·        Evaluate:  Rank each item in order of importance and circle the topics you will include on the timeline.

·        Report:  Answer the following questions:

a.      Among what topics did you have difficulty deciding to include/exclude?  Why?

b.      Why are the topics you chose to include more significant than the ones you chose to exclude?  In other words, why are some topics more important than others?

c.      How did your perspective influence your choices?

  1. Students work on timeline


Day 8:

  1. Finish Timeline and question; submit 1.) Timeline, 2.) Answers to questions, 3.) Data sheets
  2. Begin Chapter 7, A2, A3, B1, B2 in American Spirit
  3. Students answer questions at end of each section intro.


Day 9: 

  1. Review Chapter 7, A2, A3, B1, and B2 in American Spirit and review
  2. Homework:  Read 6.5, Goal Sheet


Day 10:  Review Game (CPS unit)


Day 11:  Test

Notes:

 

1.      Create the test before beginning the lesson.

2.      Create the Goal Sheet (study guide questions) after creating the test. 

3.      Give the study guide to students at the beginning of the unit so they know what they are supposed to learn.

4.      If possible, before students begin reading a section in the chapter, give them a summary of that section so they can get a “big picture” of what is happening in that section.  This works especially well for students with low reading abilities.

5.      The Patriot is rated “R,” but generally if you show carefully selected clips that highlight the topics you are discussing, it should not be a problem.  Teachers are advised to speak with the school administrator for permission.

6.      The American Spirit is a book typically used in AP history (grade 11) as a supplement to the American Pageant.  Teachers are encouraged to try using some of it with their middle school students.  I used it with students who have very low reading levels and students with very high reading levels.  Some students needed to be walked through the assignment, which takes patience; however, all of them were capable of completing it with the proper guidance and patience.  They really enjoyed it as well.  I often wonder if we do not set our expectations high enough for our students.