National Park Service
Making Choices
What factors go into a decision to enter a war? Use a collection of primary source documents and images to prompt a discussion about the American Revolution and the reasons for entering a war against Britain.
Curated OER
Brutal British
Young scholars read and predict the outcome of a story set during the Civil War, then map the story. To prepare for the activity, students determine why it is important to look at historical events from all angles by using primary and...
Curated OER
George Washington - A Graphic Novel
Students write and illustrate their own graphic novels. In this George Washington lesson, students collaborate to research Washington's life as surveyor, his involvement in the French and Indian War as well as the American Revolution,...
Curated OER
American Revolution: A European Battle
Students create a timeline of events during the Revolutionary War and conduct research of historical figures. They construct acrostics or diamantes of the figures' names. They evaluate the involvement of Europeans in the war.
Curated OER
Patriots and Loyalists
Fifth graders take a clear stance on the Revolutionary way by choosing the side of the patriot or loyalist. They compare and contrast the positions of both the loyalists and the patriots using a graphic organizer. Using the information...
Curated OER
The American Revolution
Students study the American Revolution using Google Earth and United Streaming online resources. In this American Revolution lesson, students complete a KWL chart with information they know about the American Revolution. Students then...
Curated OER
Political Ramifications of the American Revolution
Students, in groups, research a topic from the Revolutionary War. They present their research to the class as a review and the instructor summarizes important information. They take a test on the presented topics.
Curated OER
What Makes a General?
Students explore the duties of commander-in-chief. In this George Washington lesson, students research Revolutionary War military leaders and examine the relationships they had with George Washington.
Curated OER
Taxed Tempers Toss Tea To Tides
Engage learners in persuasive writing, research, and creative thinking. They research the series of events that led to the Boston Tea Party and create brochures that include propaganda intended to rally Patriot support or dissuade...
Curated OER
Bossy Britain Upsets Colonists
Students examine the causes of dissatisfaction that led to the American Revolution. Then they make a Flap Vocabulary Book and glue on a map of the thirteen colonies and make a title page called "Road to War in it." Students also...
Curated OER
Consequences of Individual Choices
High schoolers simulate a Revolutionary War draft. In this American Revolution lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to advocate for the Patriots or the Tories. High schoolers examine selected primary...
Curated OER
Political and Cultural Road to the American Revolution
Learners examine the Declaration of Independence. For this Revolutionary War lesson, students use primary sources to analyze how the creation of the Declaration of Independence lead to the development of the United States as an...
Curated OER
Taking Up Arms and the Challenge of Slavery in the Revolutionary Era
Students examine a series of documents which discuss the contradiction in the Americans' rhetoric about slavery. They act as members of designated Committees of Correspondence in the five different colonies, communicating their...
Curated OER
The Crusades
Students investigate the series of religious wars known as the Crusades. In this Crusades instructional activity, students research Christian and Muslim beliefs and create posters that compare the two. Students discuss the causes of the...
Curated OER
Remember the Alamo
Eighth graders comprehend how the siege of the Alamo and the Texas revolution laid the groundwork for the United States-Mexican War. They discuss how westward expansion led to Texas Independence. Students complete the "Remeber the...
Curated OER
Revolution! Freedom for All?
Twelfth graders examine the causes of freedom by revolutionary patriots. In this Civics and Economics lesson, 12th graders analyze primary sources. Students work cooperatively to write a freedom declaration for their group.
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
Tea Overboard
While less well known than the event in Boston, the Yorktown Tea Party was equally decisive in turning community sentiment against Great Britain. To gain an understanding of why the colonists objected to the Tea Act, young historians...
Curated OER
Causes of the American Revolution
Students access websites for background information and learn how to interpret political cartoons. They incorporate higher-order thinking skills to determine if the information presented in the cartoons is accurate, what the colonists...
Curated OER
Turning Points in the American Revolution
Fifth graders examine the causes and effects of the American Revolution. In groups, they make a portfolio page and write a response to the Proclamation of 1763. They also make a timeline of the events of the Boston Massacre and answer...
Curated OER
Corridos About the Mexican Revolution
Students explore the meaning behind Mexican corridos. In this Mexican Revolution lesson, students discover details about the war and its leaders as they read, analyze, and write their own corridos.
Curated OER
Turning Points of the American Revolution
Students identify the major events of the American Revolution. Using the internet, they research the Patriot cause and complete a chart discovering the strengths and weaknesses of each side. They also analyze the contributions of...
Curated OER
Battle of Lexington and Concord
Eleventh graders study the causes of the American Revolution. For this American History lesson, 11th graders read a story "Guns for General Washington. Students read and discuss statements about war.
Curated OER
Samuel's Choice - Social Studies Using Children's Literature
Fifth graders read a book about independence, freedom, and slavery. Students create a story map of the book. They research the causes of the Civil War. Students write a newspaper article from the point of view of an American colonist.
Curated OER
The Road to the American Revolution
Fifth graders explore the causes of the American Revolution. In this American Revolution lesson, 5th graders examine the people, places, and events that led to the outbreak of war in the colonies.