Unit 4 Making a New Nation: Causes of the Revolution Lesson Plan
Day 1
Word Knowledge:
Homophones
written forms of numbers
irregular plurals
closed compound words
Build Background
Selection Vocabulary
1st Read
Causes of the Revolution
Pg. 2 to 7
Strategies: Predicting,
Asking Questions,
determining main idea and
details 2.3
Inquiry
Day 2
Word Knowledge:
Sentences
Day 3
Daily Oral Language:
Sentence Stems
Day 4
Review Vocabulary:
Word Chat
Day 5
Review Vocabulary:
1st Read
Causes of the Revolution
Pg. 8 to 13
1st Read
Causes of the Revolution
Pg. 14 to 21
1st Read
Causes of the Revolution
Pg. 22 to 30
Lesson Assessment:
Standard – based
benchmark questions for
expository text
Strategies: Predicting,
Asking Questions,
determining main idea
and details 2.3
Strategies: Predicting,
Asking Questions,
determining main idea and
details 2.3
Strategies: Predicting,
Asking Questions,
determining main idea
and details 2.3
Inquiry
Inquiry
Primary Source: Use the
sources in the book and
lesson plan.
Primary Source: Use
the sources in the book
and lesson plan
Primary Source: Read the
point of view of the Boston
Tea Party
Inquiry
Primary Source: Use
the 2 pictures of the Tea
Party. Determine who
painted which picture
Skills: Cause and Effect
&/or Main Idea and
Details
Writing:
Taking Notes and
gathering evidence
Mini lesson: figurative
language (precise
language) 1.5 & 3.5
Skills: Cause and Effect
&/or Main Idea and Details
Writing:
Review Persuasive
Writing Structures and
audience.
Discuss Gathering
Evidence & Taking Notes
From secondary and
primary sources
Writer’s Craft:
Sentence Elaboration and
Expansion 1.2b & 2.4
Writing:
Taking Notes and gathering
evidence
Mini Lesson
Writer’s Craft: Using
embedded transitions with
added elaboration (for
example, in addition, more
importantly, etc.) 1.2b
Read Aloud: Our Nation Read Aloud for this unit.
Skills: Cause and Effect
&/or Main Idea and
Details
Writing:
Taking Notes and
gathering evidence
Revise: Mini Lessons:
Writing in your own
words
Use of synonyms
Combining sentences
Sentence Variety1.6
Inquiry
Relating to Making a
New Nation– What
information did you learn
from primary sources
that the secondary source
did not give?
Writing:
Determine their thesis
(their opinion) and begin
making their flee map
Lesson Plan Details
Green Section: Word Knowledge, Oral Language
rode road
past passed
led lead
knew new
territory (terra)
import/export (puerta)
intolerable
economy
militia
revolution
newspapers
townspeople backfire
meanwhile
The soldier rode past the main road to meet the militia.
The intolerable acts were a cause of the Revolution.
We knew the townspeople would lead the way when they
passed the law.
The new tea in the shoppe was imported from England.
Day 1
About the words
Line 1:
Line 2:
Line 3:
Line 4:
Homophones 1.3
Word Origins 1.2
Derived roots and affixes 1.4
Closed compound words 1.4
Day 2
About the sentences: Read and review sentences.
Day 3
Developing Oral Language: Using the following sentence stems, students complete the sentences.
England needed to raise money after the French and Indian War because…
Parliament repealed the Townshend Acts because….
The Intolerable Acts were enacted because…
During the First Continental Congress…
Day 4
Word Chat with Selection vocabulary
boycott: If it is a boycott, hold up a pretend sign. If it is not a boycott, put your thumb down.
I decided to not buy tea because I don’t think I should have to pay taxes for it.
My mom won’t buy soda because she is trying to lose weight.
I told my friend to stop buying her normal shampoo because the company tests their products on animals.
import: If it is an import, put your hand going toward you. If it is not an import, put your thumb down.
California grown avocados your parents buy from a Santa Ana grocery store
A European vehicle purchased in the United States
American made computers sold to students in France
representative: If it is a representative raise your hand. If it is not a representative, put your thumb down.
The members of the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to discuss what the people in their colony wanted to
do.
I sent my younger sister to ask my mom if I could have a piece of candy.
I asked my mom myself if I could have a cell phone.
Economy: If it is an economy rub your fingers like $. If it is not an economy, put your thumb down.
The state of California depends on the exportation of oranges and avocados.
The country will raise taxes to build and repair bridges.
My purse has a leather wallet with money in it.
Day 1 Building Background and Activating Prior Knowledge:
2.2 Review/Discuss the “Causes of the Revolution.” Read pg. 3 with the students (this is the Big Idea). Talk about
taxes and laws (who creates them and why). You may want to use a circle map.
It may be a good place to begin a time line (see examples in packet)
Clues, Problems, and Wonderings:
2.1 Teach Global contextual clues of Expository Text: Title, Table of Contents (Review to determine how the text is
organized), Chapter Headings, pictures and captions, photos, graphs, charts, labels, glossary and index to assist the
student in comprehending the text.
Linguistic Patterns for clues: I think that this text describes a time of long ago because ____________________.
Linguistic Patterns for wonderings:
I wonder what some of the conflicts were between the Native Americans/colonists/British?
I wonder how taxes had an effect on the colonial economy?
Selection Vocabulary: (Remind students that you can find these word in the glossary) Use the strategy overhead in
the activity packet.
boycott: to stop buying or using something for political reasons
economy: the activities of a country that have to do with money
militia: armies made up of ordinary people who are not paid to be soldiers
protest: object or fight against something
representatives: members of government, usually ones that were chosen by a vote, to act on behalf of others
Map Skills TE 331D: Interpreting Using a Map (Inquiry Journal 97-98)
First Read (4 days) (2nd read will happen as students reread to gather information (Cause & Effect) in order to
explain the causes of the American Revolution, during their writing time. Another option for writing could be
persuasive – I would be a patriot/loyalist because… With this option, the focus with the second read should be Main
Idea and Details. The skill – Drawing Conclusions- will be practiced with the primary sources.)
Focus Question: What were the social, political, and economic causes of the American Revolution? How did the
different people groups involved cooperate and conflict with each other?
Day 1: Pgs. 2-7
Pg. 2-3 Discuss the table of contents and ask questions about it. Why do you think this book is about the Making of a
New Nation?
Pg. 4-5 Have the students locate the countries of origin of the colonists on the map on page 5. Question: I wonder how
the colonists were able to get along with one another when many of their mother countries were in conflict with each
other for many years?
Pg.6 Read the heading “Mother England” and discuss why the colonies may have thought of England as a parental
figure. Question: I wonder what kind of help the colonists may have needed? Why would they need the protection of
the British army?
Pg. 7 Question: I wonder why the Native Americans fought on the side of the French? Why would the colonists want
to move west? Would the Native Americans and the colonists be in conflict over the newly won/controlled territory?
Day 2: Pgs. 8 - 13
Pg. 8 Discuss the concept of Parliament ruling over the colony (making laws etc. in a place far away). Question: Why
would the Stamp Act affect the colonists in such a negative way? I wonder why they would treat the tax collectors so
cruelly…why did they resort to violence…was there something they were trying to prove?
Pg. 9 Read the Taxation without representation side-bar. Discuss why representation was so important to the colonists.
Question: I wonder if the colonists were worried about what England / Parliament would do to them because they
protested the Stamp Act and hurt some of the tax collectors?
Pg.10 Talk about Parliament’s reaction to the colonists’ refusal to pay the taxes of the Stamp Act as well as the details
of the Townshend Acts. Discuss the concept of a boycott. Question: I wonder how a boycott could help the Colonial
economy strengthen?
Pg. 11 Question: If colonial businesses strengthen, and British businesses lose money, how might Parliament react?
Pg. 12-13 Discuss the events of the Boston Massacre and the multiple perspectives of the events. Question: I wonder
why the colonists reacted so strongly to the Boston Massacre? John Adams was a colonist, but he defended the British
soldiers because he believed in justice; he must have been a man with strong moral beliefs.
Day 3: Pg. 14 – 17
Pg. 14-15 Discuss Britain’s continued tax on tea. Question: How do you think the colonists will respond to this tax (the
Tea Act)? Why would the colonists throw the British Tea overboard? I wonder what they were trying to do? How
would this affect British tea sales? How might Britain react to this?
Pg. 16-17 Talk to the students about how closing Boston Harbor cut of trade and affected the economy. Discuss the
Quartering Act (forcing colonists to allow British soldiers to move into their homes) and how this may have felt to the
colonists. Question: I wonder how I would feel having a British soldier living in my home? Why would this have
caused many more colonists to change their minds about speaking out against Britain? This must have meant that there
were many other colonists before this event who had not spoken out against Britain? Were there still colonists who
agreed with Britain’s taxes and laws even after the Quartering Act and Intolerable Acts?
Day 4: Pgs. 18-23
Pg. 18 Discuss the purpose of the First Continental Congress. Question: I wonder why it would have been important
for the colonies to meet and be united?
Pg. 19 Talk about the Declaration of Rights and Grievances and what it may have entailed. Question: I wonder why
the king refused to read it? How/why did the colonists think that a fight was coming? What is the difference between a
militia and an army?
Pg. 20 Question: What was the significance of the Battle of Lexington? What were the British soldiers trying to do?
Pg. 21 Discuss the purpose of the Second Continental Congress. Question: Why was it important to form the
Continental Army? I wonder why some colonists still wanted to be part of England? Why did they think they still
needed Britain?
Pg. 22 Discuss the influence of Thomas Paine and his political ideas. Question: What was written in the declaration of
Independence? Did this automatically make the colonists free from England? How might King George respond to the
document?
Workshop Activities:
Use a double bubble map to compare the multiple perspectives of the Boston Massacre. Choose an appropriate frame
of reference (British view, Patriot view
Use a brace map or tree map to show the parts (and details) of the Declaration of Independence.
Practice Fluency Passages
Primary Source Fluency Activities: Early America
Pg. 42 – 82 Review and choose appropriate selections for your class
Reader’s Theater
Patriots in Boston From Building Fluency Through Reader’s Theater Kit
See Activity Packet for other Reader’s Theater options
Blue Section
Figurative Language Voc. and Spelling Skills pg. 86, plus added activity page
TE 331H: Writer’s Craft – Elaboration of Sentences. (Pg. 112-113 in Comprehension & Lang. Arts Skills Booklet)
Vocabulary Activity Page on Synonyms and Antonyms using Persuasive Words (in Act. Pkt.)
Persuasive Writing Ideas:
Choose a side:
1. Stamp Act: Fair or unfair
2. Boston Massacre: Whose perspective do you believe?
3. Boston Tea Party: Was it Wrong or Right?
4. What are your feelings about the Intolerable Acts? OR What are your feelings about the Townshend
Acts?
So… are you a Loyalist or Patriot?
Steps to a Persuasive Essay or Report
Event
Gather Evidence:
Throughout the week, gather evidence on the causes.
Resources are the book & primary sources
Take notes on the different events that brought on
the revolution. Note taking paper in packet.
Become an historian. Draw your own conclusion about
the event
Opinion
Determine Your Argument
Are you for the Loyalist or the Patriots? Make a decision
Write your opinion in the introduction on a Flee map.
Add Your Reasons for Your Opinion
These reasons can be the events / causes
That were studied.
Opinion
Reason
Add examples to explain the reasons
Students will give evidence as to why
Their reasons are valid.
examples
Reason
examples
Reason
examples
Review persuasive frames
Add transitions by deciding where
they belong in the map. There may
more places to add transitions than
just at the beginning of a new paragraph.
Opinion
Reason
examples
Reason
examples
Add a Conclusion
Students will restate their opinion
Use the words for summing up from the
summary and paraphrasing words sheet.
Reason
examples
Conclusion
Oral Rehearse the map
Using the persuasive forms, student should practice saying the map.
Take it off the Map
Finally take the words off the map. Work with students on creating complete sentences. Students
should continue to use persuasive words and phrases within the report.
Revise and Edit
Use the writer’s workbook pg. 64 and 65 to assist students in revision and editing.