Events Leading to War

Students will identify and be able to describe how specific events that affected colonist and led to the American Revolutionary War.

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION:
Students will receive direct instruction and do independent research, work in cooperative groups to gather and record information to; 1. Make a mini-poster time line of the major events leading to the revolutionary war, 2. Conduct a discussion concerning the “moral dilemma” that the colonists were facing.

Time, Continuity, and Change: use knowledge of facts and concepts drawn from history, along with methods of historical inquiry, to inform decision-making about and action taking on public issues.

Basic research skills
organization skills
basic drawing skills
understanding of the term “moral dilemma”

PROCEDURE WITH TEACHING STRATEGIES:
The teacher introduces the unit using a simulation that illustrates to the students the frustration the colonist felt about British rule and their own lack of power. (The Kings M&M’s is an example of such a simulation. The students are given a set amount of M&M’s and then given tax cards and eventually lose them all our of no choice of their own.)
• Beginning with the proclamation of 1763 students’ research independently or in pairs to trace events, leading up to the outbreak of war.
• The teacher introduces Common Sense by Thomas Pain (available at http:/www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestone/commonsense/index.html) read or summarizes and led a class discussion on how this affected the colonists.
• In cooperative groups of 3 or 4 students share information and together sequence the events in chronologically order. Students choose what event they would like to illustrate (teacher makes sure all events are covered.)
• Directions for the poster: 1.event is clearly labeled at the top of the page (it should be easily read from across the room) 2. Illustrations should clearly depict the event, 3. This will be put together as a time line so the date should be very visible and on the same spot on all the posters.
• Whole class setting posters are shared and then displayed around the room.

MANGE PROCEDURE
• Students receive direct instruction, work independently, work in pairs, and work in cooperative groups. Students make decisions (come to consensus in cooperative groups.) Share Ideas in whole classroom setting.


RESOURCES:
• Text Books
• Non-fiction trade books; Why Don’t You Get A Horse Sam Adams, What Now Paul Revere, and The Great Little Madison, all by Jean Fritz.
• http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/rev-prel.htm
• http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestone/commonsense/index.html

• Students display and discuss “event posters”
• Students write a summary about how their event contributes to the outbreak of the war.
• Class discussion (All students share their views concerning the “moral dilemma” that faced the colonists

Cross-curricular: Language Arts, Social Studies, Art

Access to Internet