This eighth grade technology unit is
designed to conform to the six social
studies strands from the Ohio
Department of Education’s
Competency-Based Model. The study
of world and national history is
essential for students to gain
perspectives on today’s happenings.
GOAL
•Our overall goal is to utilize all six
social studies strands in teaching a
unit on the American Revolution.
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to…
•Identify significant historical developments preceding and during the American
Revolution and explain their importance.
•Discuss the impact of the Native Americans siding with the British during the
American Revolution.
•Using mapping skills, locate significant battle sites of the American Revolution.
•Explain the economic factors motivating the independence movement of the British
colonies in North America.
•Discuss the political reasons the American colonists decided to become independent
from England and explain the idea of the right of self-government as represented in
the Declaration of Independence.
•Identify how the colonist formulated the fundamental principles of American
democracy
American Heritage
•A Revolutionary Web Quest
http://norary.thinkquest.org11685/HomeMain.htm
•American Revolution & Colonial America
http://www.sau29.k12.nn.usnorary/Middle/American_Revolution.htm
•The History Place: American Revolution
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revoltuion/
ACTIVITIES
American Heritage
•
•
•
Have students re-enact the
battles of Lexington &
Concord
Design a web diagram that
relates to topics on the
Revolutionary War using both
pictures and words
Construct a classroom bulletin
board of events that lead up
to the American Revolutionary
War (Boston Tea Party)
•
•
Have students read the poem
about the ride of Paul Revere
and write in their journals how
they would have reacted if in
his position.
Have students develop a timeline that that covers the
Revolutionary War.
People in Societies
•The Philadelphia Campaign 1777
http://www.ushistory.org/march/index.html
•A Journey Towards Freedom
http://library.thinkquest.org/10966
•Bibliographies of the War of American Independence
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/revbib/revwar.htm
ACTIVITIES
People In Societies
•
•
Have students develop a web
diagram of the coordinated
activities of the British & the
Native Americans
Using past lecture
information, have the
students write in their
journals stating whether or
not they would have sided with
the British, assuming that
they were Native Americans
•
•
•
Have students choose either a
British or Native American
leader and write a two page
paper discussing their
importance in the Revolutionary
War.
Using the two page paper on an
important Revolutionary figure,
have the students present an
oral report in front of the class.
Have the class select one of the
tribes that sided with the
British during the war, and write
a letter to current tribal
leadership inquiring as to their
position on their ancestors
actions.
World Interactions
•The American Revolution
http://revolution.h-net.msu.edu/intro.html
•Encarta Encyclopedia:American Revolution
http://encarta.msn.com/index
•Liberty! The American Revolution
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty
ACTIVITIES
World Interactions
•
•
•
Construct a classroom bulletin
board diagramming important
troop movements during the
war.
Have students write an essay
discussing the impact of the
natural barriers on the war
(mountains, rivers…)
Have students re-enact
General Washington’s crossing
of the Delaware River.
•
•
Using a map from the
Revolutionary War, have
students plot important battle
sites
Have students research what
normal winter weather is at
Valley Forge and discuss the
complications that this type
of climate could cause for
soldiers at war.
Decision Making & Resources
•The American Revolution Home Page
http://www.dell.homestead.com/revwar/files/index.htm
•The History Channel.Com
http://www.historychannel.com
•Monticello.org
http://www.monticello.org/resoources/people/quiz1.html
ACTIVITIES
Decision Making & Resources
•
•
•
Have students re-enact the
Boston Tea Party
Have the students create a
web diagram concerning the
economic factors that caused
the colonies to seek
independence.
Have the students create a
newspaper as if they were
living during the time of the
revolution, and discuss the
economic hardships that the
British inflicted upon them.
•
•
Have the students identify
the products produced
profitably by the colonies
Have the students discuss in
their journals how they would
have dealt with the economic
hardships caused by the
British taxations.
Democratic Processes
•Library of Congress
http://lcweb.loc.gov
•GovSpot.com
http://govspot.com
•White House-presidents
http://www.whitehouse.gov/wh/glimpse/presidents/html/presidents.html
ACTIVITIES
Democratic Processes
•
•
•
Have students write letters to
the 1775 newspaper
advocating their independence
for the colonies
Have students examine the
Declaration of Independence
and write a two page essay
discussing its ramifications
Have students select a
member who was present at
Independence Hall (Ben
Franklin etc…) and have them
re-enact the signing of the
Declaration of Independence
•
•
Have the students watch the
video “1776” and have a
classroom discussion about
their views and thoughts on
the movie
Have the students go on a
virtual tour of Independence
Hall and write in their journals
discussing the experience
Citizenship Rights & Responsibility
•Mississippi State University – History
http://msstate.edu/Archives/History/USA/Afro-Amer/text.html
•The Constitution of the United States
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/curry/class/Museums/Teacher_Guide/S
ocial_Studies/The.Constitution.html
•Geo World History
http://www.geohistory.com/geoworld/default/asp
ACTIVITIES
Citizenship Rights & Responsibilities
•
•
•
Have the students create a
classroom bulletin displaying
key sections of the Articles
of Confederation
Have the students create a
web diagram of what American
democracy means to them
Have the students write a
paper comparing and
contrasting the Articles of
Confederation and the U.S.
Constitution
•
•
Separate the students into
slave states versus non-slave
states and have them voice
their concerns over the
proposed U.S. Constitution
Have the students develop
their own developing county in
which, they must develop a
name, a flag, and a chart to
record events on for the “New
U.S.”
We hope that by the conclusion of
this technology unit consisting of the
six strands of social studies, that our
students will not only have a better
understanding of the many concepts
that the American Revolutionary War
involves, but that this unit will have
sparked an interest in our students to
continue learning about the American
Revolution in the future as well!!!
The
End!!