Novel Unit - Johnny Tremain
Six Weeks in a classroom
Power Point Presentation
Phase III
Ann Alexander
Fall, 2001
Lesson Planning
• Teacher’s role is that of presenter.
Students were given their task and
had to discover a method of
approach. Students had to assume
the responsibility of discerning the
best method of production.
Lesson Planning
• Student roles were varied at different points
in the project. Students were given time
daily after reading portions of novel to work
on activities. Students were paired for some
activities and had to designate jobs and
duties. Students were instructed at
completion of project to list their roles
during project. Students divided
responsibilities fairly without prompting.
Activity One
Map of Boston - 1770s
• Students display their
finished products!
• Students paired in
mapping activity
Activity One
Boston Maps
• Students had the task of first visiting the Boston
virtual website and reading the information there
as well as studying the photos.
• Then, they studied a modern map of the Boston
area making note of the historical landmarks.
• Next, they looked at a map of Boston from 1800.
• Finally, paired students created a map of Boston at
the time of Johnny Tremain.
Activity Two
Paul Revere the Silversmith
Pamphlet Design
• Students are intense in
their research on Paul
Revere, the silversmith, a character
from their current
Literature novel,
Johnny Tremain.
Johnny Tremain Activity II
Create a Pamphlet
• The Student’s task – Read Paul Revere’s biography
– Read about silversmithing
– Tour Paul Revere’s house, the oldest structure
in Boston.
– Find other interests of Paul Revere
– Student and their partner will design and create
a pamphlet advertising products created in Paul
Revere’s workshop.
Students display their finished pamphlets!
Activity Three
Add a stanza - continue the story
“The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”
• Student Task
– Read a factual account of
Paul Revere’s ride.
– Read the history of the Old
North Church.
– Read a poem about William
Dawes.
– Read Henry Wadsworth
Longfellows famous poem
– Final product will be to
write a new stanza to add to
Longfellow’s poem.
Students at work in instructor’s
mini lab classroom.
Click here for copies of
student stanzas
And so he galloped through village and town
To every door to call up the men
So Revere was to run and to ride on ground
It seemed to lookers he was able to fly, then
He would come to a halt, yell and cry
And all the men knew that many would die
To his wife, a kiss on the cheek
And off he would fly, so silent and sleek
So that at their pride, the British might have a peek
As he rode through the night on his great steed,
He looked like lightning, he rode with such speed.
His voice goes house to house, farm to farm,
Ringing, ringing to sound the alarm.
The minutemen rose from their warm beds,
Hoping the noise was all in their heads,
But soon fields would be painted blood red.
While Paul Revere rode through the dark night,
Brave minutemen prepared for a fight.
Activity Four
Displaying Contrasting versions
of an event
• Students had to choose one of many listed people
or events and read information online at each site.
They then had to review the actions of that person
or event in the novel, Johnny Tremain. Their task
was to prepare an oral presentation, a poster with
contrasting pictures, or an essay comparing the
historical person or event to the fictional way it
was presented in the book. Rubrics were given for
each activity.
Student displaying contrasts of a character drawn in pencil on a poster
Activity Five
Writing a Persuasive Essay
Students researching for essay • Students task was to first
read the essay “Sons of
Liberty - Patriots or
Terrorists?”
• Students then had to write
a persuasive essay
agreeing or disagreeing
with the essay.
• Bonus from this activity practice writing for 8th
grade writing TAAS!
Click for student essay example of Activity Five