Social Studies - 5th Grade
Standard 2 Objective 2
5 class periods of 45 minutes each
Small Groups
After researching the time period around the Revolutionary War, students should understand the how's and why's behind the Revolution.
Enduring Understanding:
Students should have a basic understanding of the differing views that led to the revolution.
Have the students write everything (brain drain) that they know about the Revolutionary War as a pre-assessment.
To do this project, students should have basic research skills and an understanding of how to use, read, and create a timeline.
Students will research and understand the major people and events in the Revolutionary War. They will consider the prevailing thoughts of the time in regard to individual rights.
Create a blank timeline across the front of the room. Split the class into approximately 6 groups. Assign each group a period of time that they are to research.
A suggested break up might be:
Then they will compile their individual information into a group Revolutionary Research worksheet to find the MOST important facts.
Collect the folders each day to check their progress. Students should then put the facts on individual index cards to place on the class timeline. Each group will present their information on the timeline to the class.
Conduct a class discussion using the essential questions to help the students go beyond the facts to some of the how's and why's behind the Revolution.
Read the book Crossing the Delaware by Louise Peacock aloud to give different points of view to the crossing of the Delaware. Have students research a specific event in depth, and then write a small book in the style of the read aloud.
Once the time line has been created and discussed, students will choose the event/person that they feel was the most important element of change in the Revolutionary War to write a half page on. They need to give factual evidence to support their claim. Use the provided rubric to assess their writing.