Historical Fiction/Non-Fiction Project
8th Grade Revolutionary War
We will be working in our social studies book clubs to create non-fiction companion books for
our historical fiction English books. Historical fiction books often have companion texts that
explain key historical details to enhance the reader’s experience and understanding. These books
will be bound and presented to the MMS library for future students to use when reading these
historical fiction texts.
Task:
1. You and your group will decide which topic/theme you plan to research. Divide the
subcategories amongst your group members, as each of you will be responsible for
writing your own separate chapter(s).
2. Devise some research questions in order to determine the key information you will need
to know in order to write intelligently on the topic(s).
3. Research using the provided links and books in the classroom. You should be finding the
answer your questions. *Do not forget to take the works consulted information, as
you will be required to make your own works consulted for each chapter you write.
You will need THREE SOURCES per chapter.
4. Create a Google document and title it “HF Companion Book TOPIC period #”. Share it with
your social studies teacher and your group.
5. Write your companion text chapter (see example provided). *Make sure you include at
least two connections that you relate back to your historical fiction text.
6. Work together with your group to help edit/revise. Make a table of contents and a title
page as a group.
Your final project is due: ____________________________________________________________
Essential Questions/Themes for Research
Role of Slavery/Free African Americans during Revolution (Forge, Chains)
 treatment of the slaves (how were they treated compared to the traditional idea of
slavery?)
 contradiction of freedom (how did the contradiction of freedom play out for slaves during
the Revolution?)
 daily life in New York/cities (what are the roles of slaves in the cities?)
 White attitude towards African Americans at the time?
Spying/Espionage
 How did the idea of loyalism vs. patriotism play into espionage?
 Feature section on Culper spy ring
 How did Washington create it? What impact did it have on the war?
 Feature section on Nathan Hale
 How did he become a spy? What did he do? How did his image change after his
 death?
 How were spies viewed by the British/Americans/Loyalists during the war?
Conditions/treatment of the Troops and Prisoners (Forge, Chains, Sophia’s War, Five 4ths
of July)
 What were the conditions of prisons/prison ships affect soldiers?
 How did the lives/attitudes/fighting styles of British vs. Continental soldiers differ?
 How did winter/weather conditions impact the soldiers? (New Jersey, Valley Forge…)
 How did the treatment of African American troops compare to white troops?
 What role did Washington play with respect to the lives of troops?
Treason (Sophia’s War, Five 4ths of July)
 Historical Feature section on Arnold:
 What led to Benedict Arnold’s treason and how did it affect others?
 What was Peggy Shippen’s role in Arnold’s treason?
 In what ways did the Founding Fathers also commit treason?
 How did the treason of the Founding Fathers treason compare to that of Arnold?
Role of Women in the War (Sophia’s War, Chains)
 How did the roles of women change in a wartime setting?
o spies?
o home front vs. battlefield?
 How did the contradiction of freedom/rights play out with women?
 How did individual women play a role in the Revolution?
 How did the life of a woman compare in a loyal v. patriot house?
Role of Children in the War (Forge, Chains, Sophia’s War, Five 4ths of July, Woods Runner)
 What were the typical roles/responsibilities of children during the Revolution?
 How did the idea of patriotism change family dynamics between kids and their
parents/siblings?
 What role did children play on the battlefield/spies?
 How did children/childhood change as a result of the war? (eg: Jackson)
 How was the life of a child similar/different in a loyal v. patriot house?