Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Menu
email:  password: 

Forgot your password?

 

THE BRITISH ARE COMING!
Using Literature to Bring the American Revolution to Life

Introduction | Background Knowledge | Activities | Extensions | Standards

Revolutionary Troops

Introduction

April 18, 1775. Lexington, Massachusetts. On that night, the "shot heard round the world" rang out, lighting the fuse of revolution. July 4, 1776. The thirteen colonies, united as the Continental Congress, declared independence from England, and the United States of America was born. For eight long years, the Sons of Liberty and the Patriots went to war with the strongest army in the world. They fought for freedom and then won.

Back to Top

statue

Background Knowledge

The American Revolutionary War was the culmination of years of conflict between England and its American colonies. Beginning with the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 and ending with the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, the Colonies fought for freedom from England. For many students, history is nothing more than dates, battles, and names. Literature can bring history to life for students. Historical fiction can help students connect with people who lived during a particular period. Poetry can evoke emotion and transport students into a different time and place. Nonfiction will provide information about the dates, battles, and generals, and encourage students to draw conclusions about the people involved and their emotions as the world around them turned upside down.

Back to Top

cannon

ACTIVITIES

Selective List of Picture Books

  • Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters (ISBN 9780525478720) - A young boy named Ethan delivers messages on the eve of the Boston Tea Party. As he travels around town, he speaks to the citizens of Boston. Each person that Ethan meets gives a different perspective of England's taxes.
  • Let It Begin Here!: Lexington & Concord: First Battles of the American Revolution By Dennis Brindell Fradin (ISBN 9780802797117) - This book brings the reader to Lexington and Concord and the first shots of the Revolutionary War. It begins when Paul Revere is dispatched to tell Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British are coming, and then goes on to Concord to warn the Minutemen there. It concludes with the British retreat from Boston, which occurred almost 24 hours later.
    • Students can practice elapsed time with Judy clocks or paper plate clocks. For a technology option, use this online Time Duration Calculator.
    • Students can organize their thoughts and sequence events by creating timelines. They can use a paper-and-pencil approach or an online timeline creator, such as Sutori (TeachersFirst Review) for a technology option.
  • Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette by Selene Castrovilla (ISBN 9781590788806) - General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette collaborated to win the Revolutionary War and help the United States of America win freedom from England. Throughout the process, they became good friends. The story is interspersed with French phrases and quotes from Lafayette.
  • The Scarlet Stocking Spy by Trinka Hakes Noble (ISBN 9781585362301) - The Revolutionary War effort extended well beyond the front lines. Seemingly innocent and uninvolved citizens supported the troops by passing messages. Maddie Rose used her stockings on her clothesline to pass the positions and movements of ships in the harbor to her brother. He would come surrounded by darkness to see the code and pass the information on.
    • This book lends itself well to STEM activities.
    • A Teacher's Guide is available that links to writing and other activities to support and extend the book.
  • They Called Her Molly Pitcher by Anne Rockwell (ISBN 9780553112535) - Molly Hays followed her husband into war. She lived with him at camp and tried to make his life easier. During the summer Battle of Monmouth, she ran around the battlefield with a pitcher of water, helping to keep the soldiers cool and hydrated. When General Charles Lee ordered a retreat, many men chose to fight on. Molly joined her husband and helped him fire the cannon. General Washington learned of her bravery and promoted her to the rank of sergeant in the Continental Army.
    • Students can read more about Molly Pitcher here.
  • Redcoats and Petticoats by Katherine Kirkpatrick (ISBN 9781718089211) - Thomas missed his father. He had been taken away by the British and he was told to take care of his mother. His mother kept sending him out to fish and to look for a boat. These fishing trips took him past a British camp. As his mother hung out the laundry, he shared what he saw each day.
    • Read more about the Culper Spy Ring here and more about women who spied in the Revolutionary War here.
    • The Library of Congress offers a Unlock the Box activity that teaches the use of the Culpeper Code. Make it a technology option by putting the activity into Google Slides (TeachersFirst review).
  • John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith (ISBN 9780786848935) - The Fab Four of the American Revolution, John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin, were influential Founding Fathers and Sons of Liberty.
    • This book lends itself to writing. Students can write a skit that incorporates each of the famous Americans. They can perform their original writing for their classmates or create a video using tools like Animatron (TeachersFirst review).
  • George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Two Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer (ISBN 9781426300424) - George Washington and King George III are familiar names to scholars of the Revolutionary War. One is hailed as a hero, while the other is reviled as the villain. This book examines the two Georges and the Revolutionary War from both perspectives. It will encourage students to see the War from both sides.
    • Create a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast George Washington and George III. Use paper and pencil for a non-technology option, or use the Canva Venn Diagram Creator (TeacherFirst Review)
    • Explore the perspectives of Patriots and Loyalists in Uncovering Loyalties from iCivics.
    • Use Project Zero Thinking Routines (TeachersFirst review) that promote perspective-taking to encourage students to explore each point of view.
  • Katie's Trunk by Ann Turner (ISBN 9780689810541) - Katie lives in a Loyalist family during the Revolutionary War. She does not understand why her neighbors are turning on her family. When a band of Patriots raids her house, Katie hides in her trunk, hoping nobody finds her. This is a great book to start a discussion about the opposing sides of the war.
    • A follow-up activity could be a "What Would You Do?" activity. Students would be given a scenario or create one themselves, then describe how they would escape. This written assignment could also include a drawing to illustrate their solution using Imagine Forest (TeachersFirst Review).

Selective List of Chapter Books

  • I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis (ISBN 9780545919739) - The 15th book in the popular I Survived Series, this book brings readers into Nathaniel Fox's America. At 11 years old, he finds himself in the middle of a Revolutionary War battle. He lives with his uncle, who makes him work until he is exhausted. He runs away from home and runs into a battle in New York City.
    • Extend the book with a Virtual Field Trip! Author Lauren Tarshis leads a 25-minute virtual field trip to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Teachers can download a classroom kit, which includes vocabulary and discussion questions.
  • Chains series (Chains (ISBN 9781416905868), Forge (ISBN 9781416961451), and Ashes (ISBN 9781416961475) by Laurie Halse Anderson - This trilogy follows Isabel, an enslaved African-American, during the Revolutionary War. The amazing story is interspersed with historical facts and events that will captivate readers.
    • Students can identify a historical event in the books and research it more thoroughly. They can present their findings in traditional non-technology formats, such as posters or written reports. For a technology approach, students can also curate resources about the historical event that they chose using Wakelet (TeachersFirst Review).
    • Laurie Halse Anderson provides several teachers' guides and resources to use with the Chains series.

Selective List of Virtual Field Trips

TeachersFirst Curated Resources

Back to Top

Colonial Hat

EXTENSIONS

  1. Bring in Primary Sources
    • Students can learn a great deal from primary sources. The Library of Congress has a number of resources on the Revolutionary War, including paintings and speeches. Students can use the Primary Source Analysis Tool in their exploration.
    • Read through the resources curated through The Washington Papers.
    • Explore the Digital Declaration of Independence (TeachersFirst review) to help students understand this document through the site's interactive features.
    • In addition to a virtual tour and many other features, George Washington's Mount Vernon (TeachersFirst review) offers several primary source collections, including educational resources with background information, fun facts, and inquiry questions.
  2. How Can We Change History
    • Invite your students to imagine what would happen if history took a different turn. What if George Washington had not crossed the Delaware? What if General Lee had not retreated at the Battle of Monmouth? What if France had not come to the Chesapeake Bay? Students can present an alternative outcome to historical events. Would the American Colonies still have won their freedom from England? What would current life be like if America were still a British colony? Have students create new timelines using Genially Timeline Templates (TeachersFirst review) to show their "new" version of history.
  3. Creative and Performance Ideas
    • Use podcasting tools to create a "Voices of the Revolution" podcast series. Have students research a figure from the American Revolution (Patriot, Loyalist, homeowner, slave, etc.) and write a short monologue or interview discussing a significant event during the war. Visit the TeachersFirst Podcast Creators Special Topics Page to find resources for both new and experienced podcast creators.
    • Have students create a Revolutionary War Ballad or Protest Song set to a familiar tune. Topics can include celebrating a Patriot victory, protesting British taxes, or mourning the loss of a loved one.
  4. Mapping the American Revolution
    • Use Google My Maps (TeachersFirst review) or Odyssey (TeachersFirst review) to tell the story of the American Revolution by creating interactive maps. Create maps that tell the story of prominent figures, battle locations, or the route of key events that include links to videos, articles, or students' projects.

Back to Top

Liberty Bell

CORRELATION TO STANDARDS

  • AASL National School Library Standards
    • Inquire Shared Foundation, Think Domain - Learners display curiosity and initiative by:
      • 1. Formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic.
      • 2. Recalling prior and background knowledge as context for new meaning.
    • Inquire Shared Foundation, Share Domain - Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes:
      • 1. Interacting with content presented by others.
      • 2. Providing constructive feedback.
      • 3. Acting on feedback to improve.
      • 4. Sharing products with an authentic audience.
    • Include Shared Foundation, Share Domain - Learners exhibit empathy with and tolerance for diverse ideas by:
      • 1. Engaging in informed conversation and active debate.
      • 2. Contributing to discussions in which multiple viewpoints on a topic are expressed.
    • Include Shared Foundation, Grow Domain - Learners demonstrate empathy and equity in knowledge building within the global learning community by:
      • 1. Seeking interactions with a range of learners.
    • Engage Shared Foundation, Think Domain: Learners follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information by:
      • 1. Responsibly applying information, technology, and media to learning.
      • 2. Understanding the ethical use of information, technology, and media.
    • Engage Shared Foundation, Create Domain: Learners use valid information and reasoned conclusions to make ethical decisions in the creation of knowledge by:
      • 1. Ethically using and reproducing others' work.
      • 2. Acknowledging authorship and demonstrating respect for the intellectual property of others.
      • 3. Including elements in personal-knowledge products that allow others to credit content appropriately.
    • Engage Shared Foundation, Grow Domain: Learners engage with information to extend personal learning by:
      • 1. Personalizing their use of information and information technologies.
      • 2. Reflecting on the process of ethical generation of knowledge.
      • 3. Inspiring others to engage in safe, responsible, ethical, and legal information behaviors.
    • Collaborate Shared Foundation, Think Domain - Learners identify collaborative opportunities by:
      • 1. Demonstrating their desire to broaden and deepen understandings.
      • 2. Developing new understandings through engagement in a learning group.
      • 3. Deciding to solve problems informed by group interaction.
    • Collaborate Shared Foundation, Create Domain - Learners participate in personal, social, and intellectual networks by:
      • 1. Using a variety of communication tools and resources.
      • 2. Establishing connections with other learners to build on their own prior knowledge and create new knowledge.
    • Collaborate Shared Foundation, Grow Domain - Learners actively participate with others in learning situations by:
      • 2. Recognizing learning as a social responsibility.
    • Explore Shared Foundation, Think Domain - Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by:
      • 1. Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and writing and creating for a variety of purposes.
    • Explore Shared Foundation, Create Domain - Learners construct new knowledge by:
      • 1. Problem solving through cycles of design, implementation, and reflection.
    • Explore Shared Foundation, Share Domain - Learners engage with the learning community by:
      • 3. Collaboratively identifying innovative solutions to a challenge or problem.
    • Explore Shared Foundation, Grow Domain - Learners develop through experience and reflection by:
      • 1. Iteratively responding to challenges.
      • 2. Recognizing capabilities and skills that can be developed, improved, and expanded.
      • 3. Open-mindedly accepting feedback for positive and constructive growth.
  • ISTE Standards for Students
    • Empowered Learner 1.1
      • 1.1.b. Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.
      • 1.1.c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
    • Digital Citizen 1.2
      • 1.2.c. Demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.
    • Knowledge Constructor 1.3
      • 1.3.d. Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories, and pursuing answers and solutions.
    • Innovative Designer 1.4
      • 1.4.d. Students exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance, and the capacity to work with open-ended problems.
    • Global Collaborator 1.7 '
      • 1.7.c. Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.
      '

Back to Top

Back to Help I Lost My Library/Media Specialist