James Madison University – College of Education
Social Studies Lesson Plan Format
Name: Thomas Pitts
Date: 7/13/2011
Subject/Class: US I
Grade Level: 6
Topic: George Washington’s contributions during the Revolutionary War
NCSS Theme # 5 Individuals, groups and Institutions (Knowledge, Process, Products)
Subthemes: Knowledge # 1: How individuals influence and shape institutions
Processes #3: Analyze the effects of interactions between and amoung individuals,
groups and institutions.
Essential Questions/Big Ideas: How did George Washington contribute to the formation of the United
States? How did George Washington’s contributions impact the development of the United States?
What is the legacy of George Washington?
SOLs/Standards addressed:
Standard 6C
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes and results of the American Revolution by
c) Describing key events and the roles of key individuals in the American Revolution, with emphasis on
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry.
 George Washington: Commander of the Continental Army
Learning Outcomes/Objectives:

Identify and interpret primary and secondary source documents to increase understanding of events and life in
United States history. (USI.1a)

Make connections between the past and the present. (USI.1b)

Sequence events in United States history. (USI.1c)

Interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives. (USI.1d)

Analyze and interpret maps to explain historical events. (USI.1f)
Assessment alignment chart: How will you know they know the objectives listed above?
Objective
Assessment (formative and summative)
U 1: Following the completion of this
lesson, students will be able to
describe the major accomplishments
of George Washington’s life.
Students will be responsible for creating a flip book of
George Washington that reveals his contributions of
Washington. Students will also be responsible for
answering questions in a think/pair/share method that
shows their understanding of how Washington’s
contributions impacted the creation of a new nation.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
U2: Following the completion of this
lesson, students will be able to
discuss how Washington’s
contributions helped to form a new
nation.
Students will create a trifold- labeling and coloring in three
impacts Washington’s contributions had to help make the
United State free.
Background Content Outline:
I.
George Washington
a. Pre-revolution
i. Boyhood
1. Born near Colonial Beach in VA. 1732
2. Slave-owning family
3. Father died when he was 11
4. Brother, Lawrence was most important male figure in young George’s
life
5. Land surveyor in northern Virginia
6. Ownership of land started at young age
7. Through Lawrence, became an acquaintance of VA governor, Robert
Dinwiddie
ii. French and Indian War
1. Background of French and British disagreements
2. Washington sent by Dinwiddie to demand French leave Ohio Valley
3. Washington ambushes the French near Fort Duquesne
4. Washington surrenders at Fort Necessity
5. Saving the British at the Battle of the Monongahela
iii. American Revolution
1. Second Continental Congress- John Adams’ nomination
2. Commander-in-chief, I am not equal to it
3. Boston trickery
a. Henry Knox
b. Dorchester Heights
c. British retreat
4. New York debacle
a. Terrible strategy- divide the army= terrible loll on Long Island
b. Terrible strategy- divide the army= terrible loss at Fort
Washington
c. Crossing the Delaware on Christmas night (victory at Trenton
and Princeton)
d. Move to Guerilla warfare
5. Valley Forge
a. Reorganization of army under Baron Von Steuben
b. Inoculating the army from small pox
6. Yorktown
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
a. French help
b. Cornwallis surrender
7. I have grown blind……Newburgh Conspiracy
8. Surrenders commission
DEAN CHART
Concept word
Unit word =
Revolution
American
D=define
An attempt to
make changes to
a previously
established idea
A person with
patriotic ties to
the United States
E=examples
British
monarchial
system during
the American
Revolutionary
Washington,
Lincoln, Obama?
A=attributes
N=non-examples
Long lasting
dictatorships
People who have
America’s best
interest in mind
when making
decisions
Jefferson Davis,
Benedict Arnold,
slaveholders
Instructional Plan:
What the Teacher Will Do
1) After they analyze the cartoon,
the following questions should be
put up on the board for students
to answer: Which person do you
think is George Washington?
What is he doing? Why do you
think he is doing that? What is
written on the zebra? Who are
the other people in the painting
(general not specific?)
2) Teacher will then discuss the early life
of George Washington
3) Teacher will spur kids on with the
following four scenarios, which lead
through four of Washington’s major
dilemmas during the Revolutionary War.
Students are to work first individually on
these problems as teacher goes around
and briefly assesses quality of effort.
Teacher can spur students on.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
What the Students Will Do
1) Students are to analyze the political cartoon
The Curious Zebra - Alive From America!
Walk in Gem'men and Ladies, Walk in
(Provided below)
2) As students analyze the Political cartoon,
they should write down what they think is
happening in the cartoon.
(Youth Leadership Initiative)
2) In the following student section, students will take
notes in a flip book, taking notes after the teacher has
discussed the section of notes. Notes should be
written in, as well as drawn.
(Tara Woolever’s idea –just not online)
3) Following teacher description of French and
Indian War and appointment of General Washington
to Continental Army, students will be forced into
solving four dilemmas (one at a time):
 Without Gunpowder, how do you, General
Washington, cause the British to retreat from
Boston?
Students once they have finished their ideas will
Following each activity, the teacher
should discuss what really happened
during each scenario and carry out
conversations with students about why
Washington chose that course of action.
This will take students through
Yorktown.
need to pair up and explain their ideas to each other.
All students who are able to come up with a good,
serious plan will receive a point.
 While at New York, you have a smaller army,
how do you, General Washington plan to
defend the city?
Students once they are done will need to judge their
partner’s response. They will rate their partner’s
plan on a scale of 1-10. The best three plans will be
revealed to class. Following Washington’s actual
plan, and before results are given, students will also
rate his plan. Students who read their plan will
receive a point.
 During the winter of 1777, how do you,
General Washington plan on keeping your
army from deserting?
Students will be given a list of three solutions. They
must pick one of the three solutions and tell which
one they would most likely follow. Any person
picking the right answer (and with good explanation)
earns a point. Students can also brainstorm how the
troops would have drilled at Valley Forge, and do
these activities.
 While fighting essentially a guerilla war, how
are you, General Washington, going to win
this war?
Students will be given a map with all the major
battles of the Revolutionary War through Saratoga.
Following their plan, they will need to give a short
statement of how they win the war, and use a push
pen to mark on a classroom map where they believe
they have the advantage, in order to force the British
to surrender. Any student that picks near Yorktown,
and can give a legitimate explanation why will
receive a point.
Following teacher explanation of Yorktown, students
should act out the final battle of the war, based on
teacher lecture and their readings.
Teacher explains next assignment.
4) Students will be responsible for creating a trifold.
On each side of the trifold, students are to label and
draw three accomplishments/ reasons why
Washington was able to help the United States win
the Revolutionary War. Grade should be given for
historical accuracy, not artistic talent.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
Materials Needed for the Lesson:
Political Cartoon, The Curious Zebra - Alive From America! Walk in Gem'men and Ladies, Walk in
Several pieces of loose leaf paper
Map of the thirteen colonies during the Revolutionary War
Coloring pencils
Three options at Valley Forge
Grading rubric for trifold
Bibliography/Resources Used (using APA):
The Curious Zebra - Alive From America! Walk in Gem'men and Ladies, Walk in (July 13, 2011).
American Revolution: British Political Cartoons. Retrieved from
http://www.paperlessarchives.com/american_revolution__british_p.html
Heubeck, Meg. (2011, Content Academy). Youth Leadership Initiative. Class lecture. James
Madison University.
Washington, George. (n.d.) Encyclopedia Britannica online. Retrieved from
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/636381/George-Washington
Woolever, Tara. (2011, Content Academy). Woolever’s World. Class lecture. James Madison
University
Adaption/Differentiation:
ELL/struggling
Struggling students will be able to move around the room and discuss
readers
answers with students, therefore creating confidence in the answers they
eventually decide on.
ADHD
ADHD will be able to move around, to talk to partners and discuss their
answers. They will also be able to leave their seats to do the drills from
Valley Forge.
Gifted
The challenges for the gifted students will become apparent during the
dilemma activity. Their questions will require more in-depth answers.
Also, as the lesson progresses, another possible activity would be for
volunteers to perform the Newburgh speech, with classmates voting on
“Best Performance”
Explanation of Instructional Strategies Used:
I choose to use these strategies for the following reasons:
1) Political cartoon analysis. This is a challenging way for students to start class. It gets their
brains moving toward the days’ theme and gives them a visual representation of Washington
leading the colonies away from the British.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
2) Dilemmas. I like dilemmas because it challenges the students to come up with solutions to real
problems that historical figures faced. They also get to analyze these heroes and realize that
sometimes these heroes did not make the right choice.
3) Flip book notes- this gives students another way to learn the info. They have been challenged
to figure it out, have discussed options with their classmates, have heard the information from
the teacher, and now will write and draw what happened. They have also gotten out of their
seats and acted out some of the dilemmas.
4) Act-out- students who learn on the move will enjoy this, plus this helps break the monotony of
regular classroom seatwork.
5) Trifolds. They see and draw the information one more time. It will be in their heads after
experiencing the information so many ways, so many times.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10