#4279. The American Revolution

History, level: Middle
Posted Fri Dec 5 11:59:03 PST 2008 by Christopher Minter (Christopher Minter ).
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA., United States
Materials Required: History Textbook, Power Point, Chalkboard, Handouts, Pen and Paper.
Activity Time: Three class periods.
Concepts Taught: Understanding the events that lead to the American Revolution.

Lesson Plan Title: The American Revolution
Concept/Topic to Teach: USI.6a The students will demonstrate knowledge of the causes and results of the American Revolution by indentifying the issues of dissatisfaction that led to the American Revolution.
General Goal(s): U.S. History The students will develop an understanding of the major events and the key figures that played a role in the earliest years of American history. The students will learn how an why the original thirteen colonies separated themselves from their mother country England and established themselves as an independent nation state.
Specific Goals Objectives: The students will learn about the political and social factors that caused American colonist to severe their political ties to England and complete the complete the essay questions at the end of the chapter. Key concepts include: a) England's reasons for control b) England's reasons for taxation c) Sources of colonial dissatisfaction
Required Materials: - History Textbook - Power Point - Chalkboard - Handouts - Pen and Paper
Anticipatory Set (lead-in): A power point projection of Paul Revere's famous engraving of the Boston Massacre. - Write on the chalkboard the question "What could make a group of British soldiers fire their weapons into a crowd of unarmed Americans?" - Tell the story of the Boston Massacre and use it as a brief introduction to the subject of the reading exercise. -This is meant to develop curiosity and intrigue in the subject.
Day 1 Step 1: Divide the class into small groups, and distribute a copy of the OPIN exercise to each student. Have the students fill in the blank spaces of the sentences to the best of their ability using their prior knowledge of the subject. Step 2: Instruct each group to decide which students answer represents the answer for the group. If no agreement is made within a given group, allow the individual to make his or her argument individually. Step 3: When all the groups have finished, the class as a whole can discuss their answers. As a rule, insist that the students give evidence in support of their answers. Step 4: Instruct the class to keep the exercise and fill in the blanks with correct answers as they are revealed in the chapter reading. The exercise can be used as notes later. Step 5: Have the class as a group begin reading the chapter. Have individuals take turn reading aloud paragraphs and sections. The teacher also participates by reading aloud sections of importance or difficulty stopping for question and answer periods when key terms for the exercise are covered.
Day 2: Continue the chapter reading stopping for question and answer periods when key terms for the exercise are covered. Use power point to display images that relate to key figures and events as they are covered during the reading.
Day 3 Step 1: Finnish the chapter reading if not finished on day two. Step 2: Review the chapter by discussing the answers to the OPIN exercise.
Plan for Independent Practice: Using pen and paper, have the students individually answer the essay questions found in the textbook at the end of the chapter.
Assessment Based Objectives: Collect and use the results of the essay questions for assessment.
Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): Have the class get back into their original groups and have them compare and discuss their original answers to the final answers of the OPIN exercise.
Adaptations (For Students with Learning Disabilities): Allow these students to use the OPIN exercise as notes when answering the essay questions. Offer one on one assistance while the rest of the class is working on the essay questions.
Extensions (For Gifted Students): Ask these students to write a short essay on some current event that shares some similarities to the subject (i.e. taxes, government, imperialism).
Possible Connections to Other Subjects: Geography and Political Science.