This unit helps students understand the colonists’ problems with Great Britain and why colonists struggled to gain independence. Students examine the Patriot and Tory viewpoints, the events that led to the Revolutionary War, and famous people of the period.
The trade books for the Primary section of this unit are A Picture Book of George Washington; The Fourth of July Story; In 1776; and Katie’s Trunk. The trade books for the Upper Elementary portion of the unit are Which Way to the Revolution? A Book about Maps; Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?; The American Revolution; and The Secret Soldier. The unit does not include the actual children's literature books.
Classroom activities include comparing and contrasting daily activities of the colonists, identifying modern-day heroes, and writing a children’s declaration of independence. Students also create a surveyor’s map, compile a class cookbook, design enlistment posters, and make musical instruments. Although activities are organized into primary and upper elementary sections, many assignments can be adapted to suit either age group.
World War I: 1914-1925,The New Nation: 1770–1840,Colonial America: 1600-1776,Westward Expansion: 1800-1875,Civil War and Reconstruction: 1860-1877,New World Exploration: Beginning-1600,The Age of Imperialism: 1895-1930,The Vietnam Era: 1955-1975,Using Literature to Teach U. S. History,The American Revolution: 1763-1785,The Great Depression: 1925-1940,Postwar America: 1945-1970,World War II: 1935-1945
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