Intermediate Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Title: Boston Tea Party: Rebellion in Genre:
the Colonies
Informational
Author: Knight, James E.
Publisher: Troll Associates
ISBN: 0-8167-4802-0
Literacy Core Objective: 5th Grade
S7/O2 Apply strategies to comprehend text.
Text Structure:
Narrative
Informational
Level:
T
Enduring Understanding: Purpose for reading
Discontent with English rule led colonists to
rebel. The Boston Tea Party was one such
rebellious event that led to the Revolutionary
th
Social Studies Core Objective: 5 Grade
War and the establishment of a new government
S2/O1 Describe how the movement toward revolution and country. Students will understand how the
culminated in a Declaration of Independence.
Boston Tea Party came about and how it was a
contributing factor leading towards the
American Revolution.
ELL Strategies:
“I Can Statements” - Essential Questions:
 What did the colonists object to that led to the
Show students some tea bags. Explain the importance
souring of British and colonial relations?
of the tea to the British. Show the picture below and
 What does the phrase “taxation without
discuss how party has a different meaning in the term
representation” mean?
“Tea Party”. Answer questions about why the
 How did the colonists respond to British
colonists dressed up and threw the tea in the water.
taxation?
 Why did the men throw the tea in the water?
 Were they right to do this? Why?
Before Reading
Vocabulary: Use the graphic organizer for the vocabulary. Word, Kid friendly definition, and sketch.
You may want to do the vocabulary in sections each day.
oppression (p. 5)
urged (p. 5)
plight (p. 5)
relate (p.5)
repealed (p. 6)
black-market (p. 6)
Parliament (p. 6)
monopoly (p. 6)
boycott (p.7)
livelihood (p. 9)
resign (p. 9)
quartered (p. 9)
fiery (p. 11)
concealing (. 17)
tyranny (p. 11)
sentry (p. 20)
protesting (p. 12) spectators (p. 27)
duty (p. 16)
fife (p. 28)
Activate/Build Prior Knowledge:
 Ask the students to tell you what they think about when they hear the words, "tea party" (i.e. social
event, Alice in Wonderland, Boston Tea Party, Chester Town Tea Party, etc). Show the attached image
of a scene from the Boston Tea Party to stimulate thinking. Explain that manufactured goods from
England were taxed by the King to help pay for the Seven Years War. Remind students that although the
King had ignored them, the colonists were still British and, as citizens, they were still under the
protection and authority of England. The colonist held on to many British traditions and customs, such
as drinking tea. Taxes had been imposed and repealed several times during this period, but the most
hated and dreaded was the tax on tea. The colonists rebelled against the tax with the Boston Tea Party.
Comprehension Strategy:
Summarizing
During Reading
Attend to Comprehension Within, Beyond, & About the text:
Using appropriate Guided reading strategies, students will be reading at their own pace and teachers will
be listening to students read, monitoring, giving feedback, taking anecdotal notes and running records.
Suggested Pacing: The book could most likely be read in one guided reading sitting.
After Reading
Attend to Comprehension Within, Beyond, & About the text:
Have students each write and share a summary of the important ideas and details of the story. Then have
the following discussion with the students.
On page 30, Benjamin Hatcher states at the end of his letter to William Yancy, “I believe that we in
Boston may be watching the beginning of a Revolution.” Discuss the relation of that statement to a
famous quote by John Adams after the first shots at Lexington and Concord were heard, "The Revolution
was effected before the war commenced - the Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people."
Continue with a discussion about how the Boston Tea party was a major event that led to the
Revolutionary War and a new nation and government.
Content Core Integration:(Science, Soc. St., Math, etc.)
Assessment:
Determining whether an Event is Justified
Write an essay arguing why the Boston Tea Party was
or was not justified. Be sure to include the following:
1. Was the cause just?
2. Was there a less violent or inconveniencing
alternative to achieving the aim?
3. Did the protest accomplish the desired result?
You may wish to argue that the Tea Party was
justified because no one should pay taxes unless they
are represented; there were no effective less violent
ways of protesting the tax; and the desired end was
accomplished. Or you may wish to argue that it is
wrong to destroy someone else’s property; there were
less objectionable ways to protest the Tea Act; and the
result of the Tea Party was a more oppressive set of
laws.
Activities:
 To further student's understanding of "taxation
without representation," have the principal
impose a high tax on something in the school
for your class only, without any discussion or
warning.
 Create a cartoon strip depicting what happened
at the Boston Tea Party either on paper or in
the computer lab using Comic Creator from
Read Write Think at the following site:
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic
/index.html
 Create a poster that shows four reasons why we
continue to pay taxes today.
 Imagine you are a Patriot living in Boston in
1774. Design a pamphlet describing the wrongs
imposed on colonists by English taxation.
Include persuasive arguments for the continued
fight against British taxation.
*Not all activities will be done in each lesson. Some lessons may take multiple days to complete.
However, all students should be reading each time you meet.
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