early battles of the american revolutionwardamericanrevolution.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/9/1/... ·...

Lesson Plan #2

Early Battles of the American Revolution

Introduction: Students will be learning about the early battles of the American Revolution. Activities such as role playing, graphing, mapping, and writing will all be implemented to help the students obtain a better understanding of the importance of these events. The time frame goes from Paul Revere’s Ride to the Battle of Saratoga. Objectives: Content/Knowledge:

1. Students will be able to describe the major battles at the beginning of the war and their overall importance to the war as a whole

2. Students will be able to identify key characters from the battles 3. Students will be able to construct an image of a minuteman and understand the

hardships they dealt with on a daily basis

Process/Skills:

1. Students will be able to create diary entries from the perspective of a continental during the war

2. Students will be able to analyze a document and figure out its historical flaws and truths 3. Students will be able to create a graph showing tendencies of military victories vs.

casualties

Values/Dispositions:

1. Students will be able to reflect upon their beliefs and opinions based on their knowledge of the situation to conclude whether or not supporting the American Revolution was a good idea, or a foolish fantasy.

Standards: State – Illinois Learning Standards

1. 16.A.4a Analyze and report historical events to determine cause and-effect relationships.

2. 16.A.3c Identify the differences between historical fact and interpretation. 3. 16.A.5a (US) Analyze historical and contemporary developments using methods of

historical inquiry (pose questions, collect and analyze data, make and support inferences with evidence, report findings).

National – National Council for the Social Studies Standards

1. Time, Continuity, and Change – History

National – National Standards for History

1. Standard 1C Appraise George Washington's military and political leadership in

conducting the Revolutionary War. 2. Standard 1C Compare and explain the different roles and perspectives in the war of men

and women, including white settlers, free and enslaved African Americans, and Native Americans.

3. Standard 1C Explain how the Americans won the war against superior British resources.

Syntax – Procedures (2-Day Lesson) DAY 1:

1. Naturalist and Bodily/Kinesthetic:

a. Teacher Instruction:

i. Students will be informed that class will be conducted outside

ii. Students are to listen to all procedures that are told to them, otherwise class

will be moved back to the classroom. (Must bring notebook and pencil/pen)

iii. Students will be getting a basic idea of what some of the colonial soldiers dealt

with in terms of attire and weathering the conditions.

iv. Students will take off their shoes an wrap the rags they were told to bring to

glass around their feet and secure them. (If people don’t want to use the rags

they will have to go barefoot)

v. Students will then line up behind the teacher two-by-two and MARCH outside to

the outdoor classroom area to the teacher’s cadence

vi. Students are to think about the following themes/questions while marching

1. How would I feel if I had to walk like this in the winter for several miles

at a time while also carrying supplies?

2. Why did the colonists have to use these rags? Why didn’t they just get

more shoes?

3. How difficult was it to stay in step with the teacher’s cadence?

b. Resources:

i. Rags for using as shoes

ii. Rhythmic cadence for marching

iii. Watch to keep track of the time

1.

c. Student Activity:

i. Come into class and take off shoes and secure rags to feet

ii. Listen to the procedures given by the teacher to ensure no problems arise while

having class outside (Bring a notebook and pencil)

iii. Line up two-by-two behind the teacher

iv. March in-step with the teachers cadence to the designated outdoor classroom

area

v. Think about the following themes/questions while marching

1. How would I feel if I had to walk like this in the winter for several miles

at a time while also carrying supplies?

2. Why did the colonists have to use these rags? Why didn’t they just get

more shoes?

3. How difficult was it to stay in step with the teacher’s cadence?

2. Musical/Rhythmic:


i. Have the students sit in a circle

ii. Discuss why the students are wearing rags on their feet and marching to the

area

iii. Give a brief outline of Paul Revere’s ride and the battle of Lexington and

Concord for background information

iv. Give the students the poem of Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth

Longfellow

v. Students are to read the poem silently and fill out the Historical Accuracy

worksheet

vi. Students will then discuss the poem and the worksheet in the circle

vii. After the discussion students will line back up two-by-two and march back to

the classroom with the teachers cadence

b. Resources:

i. Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

ii. Historical Accuracy worksheet

iii. Discussion

c. Student Activity

i. Once outside sit in a circle in the designated area.

ii. Take notes in your notebook while the teacher introduces Paul Revere’s Ride

and background information

iii. Silently read Paul Revere’s Ride and fill out Historical Accuracy worksheet

iv. Once you have read the poem and completed the worksheet a discussion will

begin over the poem and its importance/accuracy

v. Line up again two-by-two and march to the teacher’s cadence back to the

classroom.

3. Interpersonal


i. For homework, tell the students to create a dialogue for a family of four who

have just been informed by Paul Revere that “the regulars are coming.”

ii. Hand out the prompt for the dialogue: Paul Revere has just visited your house

and informed your family that “the regulars are coming.” Write a 3-5 minute

dialogue detailing the reactions the different members of your family have to the

information. Think about the following questions while writing your dialogue.

1. Does your family support the Patriots or Loyalists?

2. Is the father of the family a member of the militia, if so is he suiting up

to go fight?

a) If so, how does this affect the rest of the family?

b) If not, does hearing this news make him want to go fight for the

cause, why or why not?

3. What do the mother and children think about hearing this news?

a) Are they afraid of the regulars (British soldiers)?

b) Are they for or against having their father go fight?

c) How are they going to be affected by the father leaving or not?

i. If he is not leaving, do they believe the down will look

down on him for not helping?

iii. Remind the students to bring a printed copy of their dialogue to class the next

day

b. Resources:

i. Reaction to Paul Revere dialogue prompt


i. Listen to the teacher as they describe your homework for the next class

ii. Read over the prompt for creating a dialogue.

iii. Create dialogue at home, and bring back a printed copy to next day’s class

End Day 1

DAY 2:

1. Logical/Mathematical and Visual/Spatial:


i. Have the students take a seat and introduce them to the power point

presentation on early American Revolutionary battles

ii. Click on the battle area on the map to go to the slide on that event, click bottom

right corner to return to battle map

1. Click on rider in first slide for slide on Paul Revere

2. Click on Concord

3. Click on New York

4. Click on Bunker Hill

5. Click on Boston

6. Click on Long Island

7. Click on Washington’s Retreat

8. Click on Trenton

9. Click on Princeton

10. Click on Saratoga

iii. Hand out “Casualty vs. Victory” worksheet

iv. While giving a seminar using the power point have the students fill out the

worksheet

1. Mark down the number of casualties each side had after each battle,

and keep a running total. Also, mark which side won each battle

v. When the presentation comes to the Crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of

Trenton tell the students to take out their other worksheet titled “George

Washington: Escape Artist”

1. Students will follow the instructions given on the worksheet

a. In red draw a path showing Washington’s movement starting

from the Crossing of the Delaware leading all the way to his

escape to Morristown. In blue draw a path showing Cornwallis’

attempt to catch Washington. Be sure to mark battle sites, and

label the cities that appear on the map.

2. Have the students answer these questions at the bottom of the page

a. Why were these victories important to the colonists moral?

b. How could have Cornwallis caught up to Washington, or was it

an impossible task?

c. Other than these small victories, why did the British retreat

after Washington’s escape to Morristown?

vi. Have the students hold onto the “Escape Artist” worksheet and return to the

“Casualty vs. Victories” worksheet.

vii. Once the “Casualty vs. Victories” work sheet is finished students will create a

line graph showing the increasing number of casualties after each battle.

1. The students will mark a star at each reference point (each new battle)

and mark which side won the battle as well.

2. Have the students look at the relationship between numbers of

casualties vs. number of victories.

viii. Have students answer the following questions

1. How did the colonials keep surviving with so many casualties and

losses?

2. Why did the British not finish off the colonials each time they had the

chance?

3. Is there a relationship between numbers of casualties and number of

victories, and what is it?

b. Resources

i. “American Revolution: Early Battles” power point presentation

ii. “Casualty vs. Victories worksheet

iii. “George Washington: Escape Artist” worksheet


i. Look over the handout given to you before the seminar

ii. During the seminar answer the questions pertaining to casualties and victories

on the worksheet

iii. Take out the “Escape Artist” worksheet when the Crossing of the Delaware is

mentioned during the seminar.

1. Follow the instructions given on the worksheet

a. In red draw a path showing Washington’s movement starting

from the Crossing of the Delaware leading all the way to his

escape to Morristown. In blue draw a path showing Cornwallis’

attempt to catch Washington. Be sure to mark battle sites, and

label the cities that appear on the map.

2. Answer these questions at the bottom of the page

a. Why were these victories important to the colonists moral?

b. How could have Cornwallis caught up to Washington, or was it

an impossible task?

c. Other than these small victories, why did the British retreat

after Washington’s escape to Morristown?

iv. Once finished with the “Casualty vs. Victories” work sheet create a line graph

showing the increasing number of casualties after each battle, and a running

tally of victories for each side.

v. Think about the following questions while you are working

1. How did the colonials keep surviving with so many casualties and

losses?

2. Why did the British not finish off the colonials each time they had the

chance?

3. Is there a relationship between numbers of casualties and number of

victories, and what is it?

2. Intrapersonal:


i. Once the presentation is finished tell the students to take out a piece of paper

to write a reflection.

ii. On the board have the following prompt shown:

1. Based on all the information you have been given so far from the

reasons for fighting this war and the outcomes of the battles leading up

to Saratoga reflect on the following; why would you or why wouldn’t

you support the colonist’s revolutionary campaign. Provide reasons

pertaining to the themes of economy, military, and civics in your

reflection.

b. Resources:

i. Prompt posted at the end of the power point presentation.


i. Take out a piece of blank paper

ii. Read the following prompt projected on the board and write a reflection.

1. Based on all the information you have been given so far from the

reasons for fighting this war and the outcomes of the battles leading up

to Saratoga, reflect on the following; why would you or why wouldn’t

you support the colonist’s revolutionary campaign. Provide reasons

pertaining to the themes of economy, military, and civics in your

reflection.

3. Verbal/Linguistic


i. Tell the students that they will be creating a diary with 5 entries for homework.

ii. Each entry will pertain to an event during Washington’s successful attacks on

the British from Trenton to Princeton

1. Create 5 diary entries (no longer than a page each) from the perspective

of a colonial soldier serving under George Washington. The first entry

will be written just after learning that Washington is having you cross

the Delaware for a surprise attack at Trenton. The second will be a

reflection on the Battle of Trenton the night of the victory. The third

diary will focus on Washington’s sneaky maneuver to move the colonial

troops during the night to attack Princeton. The fourth entry will be

written on the night after the victory at the Battle of Princeton. The final

entry will detail Washington’s maneuver to move the troops up to

Morristown for the winter while avoiding Cornwallis and the British

troops.

iii. Remind the students that the entries should be typed out for legibility and every

entry should contain a proper date and a signature after each entry.

1. Also, remind students to include their actual name on their work if they

create a fake name for the entries

2. Every entry should be written on a separate page, and stapled together

to receive full credit.

b. Resources:

i. Colonial Soldier Diary prompt sheet


i. For homework create 5 diary entries from the perspective of a soldier serving

under George Washington during the successful attacks on Trenton and

Princeton

ii. Follow the following prompt to help write the entries.

1. Create 5 diary entries (no longer than a page each) from the perspective

of a colonial soldier serving under George Washington. The first entry

will be written just after learning that Washington is having you cross

the Delaware for a surprise attack at Trenton. The second will be a

reflection on the Battle of Trenton the night of the victory. The third

diary will focus on Washington’s sneaky maneuver to move the colonial

troops during the night to attack Princeton. The fourth entry will be

written on the night after the victory at the Battle of Princeton. The final

entry will detail Washington’s maneuver to move the troops up to

Morristown for the winter while avoiding Cornwallis and the British

troops.

Paul Revere’s Ride

By: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Listen my children and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,

On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;

Hardly a man is now alive

Who remembers that famous day and year.

He said to his friend, "If the British march

By land or sea from the town to-night,

Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch

Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--

One if by land, and two if by sea;

And I on the opposite shore will be,

Ready to ride and spread the alarm

Through every Middlesex village and farm,

For the country folk to be up and to arm."

Then he said "Good-night!" and with muffled oar

Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,

Just as the moon rose over the bay,

Where swinging wide at her moorings lay

The Somerset, British man-of-war;

A phantom ship, with each mast and spar

Across the moon like a prison bar,

And a huge black hulk, that was magnified

By its own reflection in the tide.

Meanwhile, his friend through alley and street

Wanders and watches, with eager ears,

Till in the silence around him he hears

The muster of men at the barrack door,

The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,

And the measured tread of the grenadiers,

Marching down to their boats on the shore.

Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church,

By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,

To the belfry chamber overhead,

And startled the pigeons from their perch

On the sombre rafters, that round him made

Masses and moving shapes of shade,--

By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,

To the highest window in the wall,

Where he paused to listen and look down

A moment on the roofs of the town

And the moonlight flowing over all.

Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,

In their night encampment on the hill,

Wrapped in silence so deep and still

That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread,

The watchful night-wind, as it went

Creeping along from tent to tent,

And seeming to whisper, "All is well!"

A moment only he feels the spell

Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread

Of the lonely belfry and the dead;

For suddenly all his thoughts are bent

On a shadowy something far away,

Where the river widens to meet the bay,--

A line of black that bends and floats

On the rising tide like a bridge of boats.

Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,

Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride

On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere.

Now he patted his horse's side,

Now he gazed at the landscape far and near,

Then, impetuous, stamped the earth,

And turned and tightened his saddle girth;

But mostly he watched with eager search

The belfry tower of the Old North Church,

As it rose above the graves on the hill,

Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.

And lo! as he looks, on the belfry's height

A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!

He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,

But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight

A second lamp in the belfry burns.

A hurry of hoofs in a village street,

A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,

And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark

Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet;

That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,

The fate of a nation was riding that night;

And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,

Kindled the land into flame with its heat.

He has left the village and mounted the steep,

And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep,

Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides;

And under the alders that skirt its edge,

Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge,

Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.

It was twelve by the village clock

When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.

He heard the crowing of the cock,

And the barking of the farmer's dog,

And felt the damp of the river fog,

That rises after the sun goes down.

It was one by the village clock,

When he galloped into Lexington.

He saw the gilded weathercock

Swim in the moonlight as he passed,

And the meeting-house windows, black and bare,

Gaze at him with a spectral glare,

As if they already stood aghast

At the bloody work they would look upon.

It was two by the village clock,

When he came to the bridge in Concord town.

He heard the bleating of the flock,

And the twitter of birds among the trees,

And felt the breath of the morning breeze

Blowing over the meadow brown.

And one was safe and asleep in his bed

Who at the bridge would be first to fall,

Who that day would be lying dead,

Pierced by a British musket ball.

You know the rest. In the books you have read

How the British Regulars fired and fled,---

How the farmers gave them ball for ball,

>From behind each fence and farmyard wall,

Chasing the redcoats down the lane,

Then crossing the fields to emerge again

Under the trees at the turn of the road,

And only pausing to fire and load.

So through the night rode Paul Revere;

And so through the night went his cry of alarm

To every Middlesex village and farm,---

A cry of defiance, and not of fear,

A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,

And a word that shall echo for evermore!

For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,

Through all our history, to the last,

In the hour of darkness and peril and need,

The people will waken and listen to hear

The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,

And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

Name: ____________________

Date: ____________________

Class: ____________________

Historical Accuracy: Paul Revere’s Ride

It is no secret that one cannot believe everything they read or hear, especially when it pertains

to history. Too many times historical facts are thrown out the window or contorted to make a

story more entertaining or action packed. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride”

is one of the most widely read poems in American history, and is considered to be historically

accurate, for the most part. While reading the poem try and deduce fact from fiction. Try to

find at least 3 pieces of information in the poem that is not historically accurate to Paul Revere’s

ride. Write the line from the poem that is inaccurate and then write what it should actually say.

1) ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2) ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3) ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________

Date: ______________________

Class: _____________________)

The Regulars Are Coming! What Do We Do?

Instructions: Paul Revere has just visited your house and informed your family that “the

regulars are coming.” Write a 3-5 minute dialogue detailing the reactions the different

members of your family have to the information. Think about the following questions while

writing your dialogue.

1) Does your family support the Patriots or Loyalists?

2) Is the father of the family a member of the militia, if so is he suiting up to go fight?

a. If so, how does this affect the rest of the family?

b. If not, does hearing this news make him want to go fight for the cause, why or why not?

3) What do the mother and children think about hearing this news?

a. Are they afraid of the regulars (British soldiers)?

b. Are they for or against having their father go fight?

c. How are they going to be affected by the father leaving or not?

i. If he is not leaving, do they believe the down will look down on him for not

helping?

Get creative with this assignment. Extra Credit will be offered to the writer of the skit who decides to

perform their piece in front of the class.

Name: ____________________

Date: ____________________

Class: ____________________

Casualties vs. Victories

Instructions: During the presentation keep a running total of the number of casualties each

side occurs during the different battles. Also, mark which side one each of the battles discussed.

Once the presentation is over create a line graph showing the increasing casualty rates for both

the British and the Colonists. Mark on the graph the running total of casualties after each

battle. Next to each battles name along the X-Axis write the name of that battles victor.

Battles:

Lexington and Concord:

British Casualties _________ British Victory __________

Colonial Casualties _________ Colonial Victory __________

Fort Ticonderoga



Battle of Bunker Hill



Battle of Trenton



Battle of Princeton



Battle of Saratoga



Draw the graph in the space provided below:

Name: ____________________

Date: ____________________

Class: ____________________

George Washington: Escape Artist

Instructions: Take a quick look at the map below. In red draw a path showing Washington’s

movements starting from the “Crossing of the Delaware” leading all the way to his escape to

Morristown. In blue draw a path showing Cornwallis’ attempt to catch Washington. Be sure to

mark battle sites, and label the cities that appear on the map.

Questions:

1. Why were these victories important to the colonists

moral?__________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2. How could have Cornwallis caught up to Washington, or was it an impossible

task?____________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3. Other than these small victories, why did the British retreat after Washington’s escape

to Morristown?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Diary of a Minuteman

Instructions: Create 5 diary entries (no longer than a page each) from the perspective of a

colonial soldier serving under George Washington. The first entry will be written just after

learning that Washington is having you cross the Delaware for a surprise attack at Trenton. The

second will be a reflection on the Battle of Trenton the night of the victory. The third diary will

focus on Washington’s sneaky maneuver to move the colonial troops during the night to attack

Princeton. The fourth entry will be written on the night after the victory at the Battle of

Princeton. The final entry will detail Washington’s maneuver to move the troops up to

Morristown for the winter while avoiding Cornwallis and the British troops.

Description 1 Point 2 Points 3 Points 4 Points 5 Points

Content

Little to no content is prevalent

Minimal

content given, with no

elaboration

Student understood the

material, but was lacking in

amount of content given

Student has good grasp of content. Was missing a few elements in each event

Student shows master of

content and includes all pertinent

information for each event

Creativity

Little to no creativity

shown

Student added some creativity

but basically only gave facts

Student had a few creative

additions to the entries

Student was creative to an extent but it slightly took

away from the plausibility

Creative and

plausible while being well

written

# of Entries 1 Entry

2 Entries

3 Entries

4 Entries

5 Entries

Format

Student did not follow format

Student only had 1 part of the format

correct

Student had some parts of

the format correct, but

more mistakes than allowable

Only one

mistake in formatting

present

No errors in

formatting the diary entries

Grammar/ Punctuation

Over 5 grammar and punctuation

errors

4-5 grammar or

punctuation errors

2-3 grammar or

punctuation errors

Only 1 grammar or punctuation error present

No grammar or

punctuation errors

Total Score _______ / 25

early battles of the american revolutionwardamericanrevolution.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/9/1/... ·...

Documents