What lead to the Revolutionary War?

Grade 5

Social Studies

Timeline Revolutionary War

Standard 2 

Students will understand the chronology and significance of key events leading to self-government.

Objective 1

1. Describe how the movement toward revolution culminated in a Declaration of Independence. Explain the role of events that led to declaring independence (e.g., French and Indian War, Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party). 

Objective 2

1. Plot a time line of the key events of the Revolutionary War. 
2. Profile citizens who rose to greatness as leaders.

Ed Tech Standard:  Standard 8 

Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. 

We will discuss what lead up the the Revolutionary War.  I will begin by showing Tiki-Toki and asking questions to the students.   We will do activities over the course of a couple of weeks.  Events that lead up to the Revolutionary War helped shape America. Those events lead to self government.  I want to show them how life was in the colonial time.

Activity #1
In a group students will discuss citizens who rose to greatness as leaders.  The group will choose one  citizen and will write a bibliography.  They can be creative.  The groups will present in class in two weeks time.

Important People in the Revolutionary War

Activity #2
The students will design a paper doll in the clothes of prior to the revolutionary war.  These will be displayed outside the classroom.  I will have books on the revolutionary war so they can get ideas.  I will make one ahead of time so they can see the finished project.

Paper Doll Template

Activity #3
The students will choose one prelude event of the American Revolutionary War.   e.g. French and Indian War, Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, etc.  The students will create a poster telling why the event was important, what the significance of the event and how it led to declare independence.  Students can be and encouraged to be creative.  It can be a newspaper article, poster, poem, story, etc.


Activity #4
What was it like to live in the Colonial Times?  What games did they play?  Did they have electricity?  No, video games.  They have to make up games to play.  We will discuss what kinds of activities and games the children played in the Colonial Times.  

We will make one of the colonial games, the whirligig.  Cut out a 4 inch (10 cm) circle on a piece of stiff cardboard or use a large 2 or 4 hole button. Make two holes in the cardboard approximately 3/8 inch (9 mm) from the center. Thread a piece of string about 2-1/2 feet long through the holes and tie the ends together.  Wind it up and see who can keep it going the longest.

Now it is the students turn.  What fun games can you come up with?  They can either work in groups of two or alone.  The students will come up with a game with common objects. They will present to the class and if possible play the game with the class.  

Games in Colonial Times
Video about colonial toys

Resources

Life During the Revolutionary War  By Bonnie Hinman

Paul Revere Game