Lesson MINI

LESSON MINI

Breaking from Britain

Grade:

3-5

Topic:

Social Studies

Unit:

American History

Overview

In this lesson mini, students examine how British colonial policies affected daily American life and sparked resistance. Through analysis of primary sources, students explore diverse colonial perspectives—including those of loyal supporters and fierce opponents of British rule—and investigate the key events and policies that transformed colonial attitudes from acceptance to rebellion. Students will understand both the practical effects of British control and the varied colonial responses that shaped the path to independence.

Ideas for Implementation

Social Studies

Literacy

Library media

Learning centers

Intervention or enrichment

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Key Vocabulary & Definitions

colonization (noun): the process of one country taking control of another area and settling people there

colony (noun): a place or territory controlled and ruled by another country

British loyalist (noun): a person who remained faithful to Great Britain during the American Revolution

patriot (noun): a person who fought for American independence from British rule during the American Revolution

protest (noun): a public way of showing disagreement with something to try to create change

repeal (verb): to cancel or remove a law

revolution (noun): an organized effort by a large group of people to change or replace their government

stamp (noun): a small label that people purchase to pay for mailing a letter or package

tax (noun): money that people and businesses must pay to the government to help fund public services

Authentic Learning Extensions

Authentic learning opportunities for studying how American colonists broke from Britain involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help students understand historical concepts meaningfully. Here are some examples:

Documentary Viewings: Invite students to watch documentaries and/or short video clips of the historical events covered in the lesson mini. This will help students develop a deeper understanding of the material discussed.

Literature Exploration: Encourage students to visit their local libraries and/or bookshops and explore online books about the American Revolution. This will give students the opportunity to read more about the historical events discussed in the lesson mini and support them in making text-to-text connections.

Museum Visit: Visit a history museum that showcases life during colonial times and explains the history of the American Revolution. Consider going to a local museum or taking a virtual tour of another museum. This supports students’ learning as it gives them an opportunity to make text-to-world connections.

Choose Activity

LESSON MINI

Breaking from Britain

Activity

1:

Colonial Times and the Stamp Act

By the end of the activity, students will be able to explain how the Stamp Act influenced the colonists’ rebellion against Britain.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Images of a world map

Images of stamps

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensil

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will learn about the Stamp Act and how this key historical event caused tensions between American colonists and British powers.

Share with students that during colonial times there were loyal supporters (loyalists) and fierce opponents of British rule (patriots). Emphasize that certain British policies negatively affected daily colonial life and eventually led to the American Revolution. One of these policies was the Stamp Act.

Distribute a copy of the Stamp Act article and Mini Glossary graphic organizer to each student. Before students begin reading, prompt them to pay attention to key vocabulary words that appear in the text, such as these:

colonization, colony, loyalist, patriot, protest, repeal, revolution, stamp, tax

Read the article aloud and pause at the end of each section to check for comprehension and identify key vocabulary words. Use think-alouds to model understanding and consider asking the following discussion questions:

What was the American Revolution?

Why did the British government need money?

Why did people think the Stamp Act was unfair?

How did the Stamp Act help bring the colonists together?

What did the colonists want the British Parliament to do?

What was the result?

Model how to use the Mini Glossary graphic organizer with the word protest: write a definition, a word association, and a sentence, and craft a visual representation. Familiarize yourself with the Mini Glossary graphic organizer as needed.

Invite students to skim the article in pairs and highlight five key vocabulary words to complete the Mini Glossary graphic organizer. Remind students that although they are working in pairs, they should each complete their own handout. After some time, reassemble the class and ask for student pairs to share which vocabulary words they chose. Record students’ ideas on the whiteboard.

For review, distribute the Stamp Act T-Chart handout and invite student pairs to explore the perspectives of the British Parliament and the American colonists. Circulate to support student thinking.

Reassemble the class and ask students these questions:

How did this key historical event unify the colonists against British rule?

How did this lead the way for the American Revolution?

What similar situations do we see in our world today?

Differentiation and Variations

Flipped Classroom Reading: Distribute the Stamp Act article to each student before the activity and ask them to read it and answer the comprehension questions in written form. This benefits students’ learning because it prepares them for the discussion topic prior to the activity and leads to a more enriching class discussion.

Written Reflection: Provide students with a large index card and ask them to write a written reflection on how the Stamp Act unified colonists and led to the American Revolution. This benefits students’ learning because it fosters critical thinking and builds writing skills.

Class Debate: Prepare a class debate, and ask students to engage in a discussion of the Stamp Act in which half of the class represents the British Parliament and the other half represents the American colonists. Students can prepare for the debate by reviewing and researching assigned discussion questions. This benefits students’ learning because it fosters critical thinking.

Collaborative Teaching

Parallel Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Parallel Teaching strategy. In this model, the class is divided into two groups, and each teacher delivers the same activity simultaneously to their group. This reduces the student-teacher ratio, allowing for more interaction and individualized attention. With smaller groups, students are more likely to participate actively and receive immediate feedback, which fosters a deeper understanding of the content and promotes a more engaging learning experience. Evidence suggests that small-group instruction leads to increased student engagement and improved academic outcomes.

Breaking from Britain

Activity

2:

The Boston Tea Party

By the end of the activity, students will be able to explain the events that led up to the Boston Tea Party and describe how this ultimately contributed to the American Revolution.

≥40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Images of the Boston Tea Party

Props for the play scene (e.g., tea bags, hats, poster boards)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: Write the following terms and definitions on the board or on chart paper to serve as an anchor chart during the activity (see also step 3):

protest: a public way of showing disagreement with something to try to create change

tax laws: official rules and regulations about how much money people and businesses must pay to the government to help fund public services

British loyalist: a person who remained faithful to Great Britain during the American Revolution

American colonist: a person who lived in an American colony

no taxation without representation: a catchphrase that expresses the belief that people should not have to pay taxes if they don’t have a say in the government that is making the rules about those taxes

Tell students that during today’s activity they will learn about the Boston Tea Party through image exploration, article reading, and a role-play activity.

Begin by explaining to students that taxes are a certain amount of money a government collects from its citizens to pay for things such as public hospitals and roads. Consider adding a modern-day example students can relate to, such as sales tax on toys or candy.

Direct students’ attention to the vocabulary terms written on the board or chart paper. Prompt students to orally use the terms in a sentence.

Explain that the Boston Tea Party was a protest by some American colonists over unfair British tax laws. Mention the date (December 16, 1773) and location (Boston Harbor) to provide context.

Display images of the Boston Tea Party from ImageQuest Jr., Britannica Library, or another royalty-free source. Guide a discussion by asking the following questions:

Who are the people on the boat, and what are they doing?

Why do you think American colonists protested British tax laws?

What time of day did this event occur? Why might that be important?

What are the people wearing? Why might they be dressed this way?

Distribute copies of the Boston Tea Party article and the Boston Tea Party Questions handout. Invite students to work in pairs to read the article and complete the handout. Remind students that although they are working in pairs, they should each complete their own handout.

Reassemble the class and go over the questions together, guiding students to reflect on how American colonists felt at the time.

Divide the class into groups of five or six students. Invite each group to write and present a play scene called The Boston Tea Party.

Instruct students to include American colonists and British loyalists as the characters and Boston Harbor as the setting.

Have students write a short script enacting this protest. Distribute The Boston Tea Party Play Scene handout to support students’ writing process.

Create a prop box checklist for each group (with props such as tea bags, toy boats, hats, costumes, and poster boards with coloring utensils to make signs for the protest).

Reassemble the class and call on each group to present its play scene. Ask audience members to be encouraging and attentive. Invite them to reflect on the similarities and differences of the groups’ scenes.

Wrap up the activity by explaining that after the First Continental Congress the British responded by sending even more troops to control the lives of colonists. Then ask students to reflect on the following questions:

How do you think the American colonists reacted to the additional troops? Do you think it made them calmer or angrier?

Why do you think this event is so widely known and remembered by historians?

Differentiation and Variations

Class Reenactment: Guide students to reenact the Boston Tea Party as a whole class by assigning different class members different roles to act out. Consider providing students with a prewritten script to read aloud. This allows students to role-play the Boston Tea Party in a more guided way and offers students the opportunity to internalize the learnings from the article and work collaboratively.

Extended Script: Ask students to use the Boston Tea Party article as a reference and write a scene that precedes the Boston Tea Party. This gives students the opportunity to reflect on the events that led to the tension of the Boston Tea Party. This benefits students’ learning because it provides them an opportunity to synthesize the information from the article, make inferences, and continue to develop their writing skills.

Mini Play: Rather than having all students work on a Boston Tea Party scene script, assign different groups to write scenes using the following titles, which represent information outlined in the article: Unfair Treatment, The Boston Tea Party, The New Laws, and The First Continental Congress. This benefits students’ learning because it allows them to review the important information presented in the article, fostering engagement and creativity.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Assisting: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Assisting strategy. In this model, one teacher leads the activity while the other circulates, assisting individual students as needed. This ensures that when students encounter difficulties, they receive immediate help in the form of personalized support and answers to their questions. By addressing students’ unique needs and keeping them on track, this approach enhances individual learning experiences and fosters a supportive classroom environment. Studies indicate that immediate feedback and individualized attention can significantly enhance student understanding and retention of material.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces students to the Boston Tea Party. Teacher B writes and defines the key words and phrases on the board.

Image Exploration: Teacher A displays images of the Boston Tea Party while Teacher B leads the discussion prompting students to reflect on what they see.

Article Reading and Extension Activity: Teacher B distributes the Boston Tea Party article and the Boston Tea Party Questions handout. Then Teacher A goes over the questions and invites students to work in pairs to read the article and complete the handout. After an allotted period of time, both teachers regroup the class and go over the questions.

Boston Tea Party Play Scene: Teacher A divides the class into groups of five or six students and instructs them to write and present a play scene called The Boston Tea Party. Teacher B distributes a supporting handout and props (as needed).

Play Scenes: Teacher A calls on student groups to present their play scenes. Teacher B ensures audience members are respectful and provide encouraging feedback.

Activity Wrap-Up: Both teachers wrap up the activity by asking students to reflect on the impact of the Boston Tea Party on American history.

Breaking from Britain

Activity

3:

Intolerable Acts

By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify the four Intolerable Acts and explain why each law was intolerable to the American colonists.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per student)

Images of the First Continental Congress (1774)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will read about the Intolerable Acts passed by the British Parliament, develop arguments protesting these laws, and then role-play the First Continental Congress.

Begin by asking students to share what they know about the conflicts between the American colonists and the British Parliament.

Define the words intolerable (unbearable) and coercive (forceful) on the whiteboard. Challenge students to use these words orally in a sentence.

Distribute copies of the Intolerable Acts article and The Four Intolerable Acts handout to each student. To support comprehension, consider previewing the text features and structure with students before reading.

Read aloud the “Introduction” and “Background” sections of the article for review, and ask students the following questions:

What were the Intolerable Acts?

Why were these acts passed?

What led to the Boston Tea Party protest?

How might these acts have affected daily life in the colonies?

Why do you think the British thought these acts would solve their problems?

Invite students to independently read the section titled “The Acts and Their Effects” and complete The Four Intolerable Acts handout.

Reassemble the class and call on students to share the four Intolerable Acts, scribing students’ responses on the whiteboard. Guide a class discussion by asking the following questions:

What do you think about these acts?

Which act do you think was the most “intolerable,” and why?

How might these acts have affected different groups of colonists?

Display images of the First Continental Congress using ImageQuest Jr., Britannica Library, or another royalty-free resource. Ask students to describe what they see. Use the following questions to guide the discussion:

Who is present?

What does the setting tell us?

What activities are taking place?

Tell students that they will role-play the First Continental Congress, a meeting in which representatives from the 13 colonies met to protest unfair British laws.

Task initiation: Divide the class into 13 groups, each representing a different colony.

Materials: Distribute the First Continental Congress Role-Play handout to each student and one Colony Profile handout per group for students to answer key information.

Research phase: Provide each group/colony with specific search terms and allow digital device access for research (have backup printed materials ready to solve for technology issues).

Planning phase: Give groups time to organize arguments, assign specific roles within groups, and practice their presentations.

Facilitate a whole-class role-play of the First Continental Congress, in which students act as representatives of the colonies, sharing arguments against the Intolerable Acts and in support of breaking from Britain.

Wrap up by asking students to reflect on the following questions:

What are some reasons why American colonists decided to break from Britain?

What challenges did the colonies face in working together?

Differentiation and Variations

Argument Development: As a class, brainstorm arguments on why the Intolerable Acts were seen as unfair. Guide students to reflect on the socioeconomic implications of these laws for American colonists. Then instruct students to role-play the First Continental Congress. This benefits students’ learning because it offers a more scaffolded approach prior to sending students to work in small groups.

Written Reflection: At the end of the activity, invite students to write a reflection on the events that led to American colonists breaking from Britain. This gives students the opportunity to develop text-to-text connections and develop their autonomous writing skills.

Timeline: Invite students to work on a timeline of the events that increased tensions between American colonists and the British Parliament. This benefits students’ learning because it allows them to reflect on how the events that occurred contributed to the American Revolution.

Collaborative Teaching

Breaking from Britain

Activity

4:

Battles of Lexington and Concord

By the end of the activity, students will be able to visually represent the key events of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and explain how these battles ignited the American Revolution.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Colored pencils, markers, or crayons (a few per group)

Poster board (one per group)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will read about the Battles of Concord and Lexington and draw a battle map to represent the key events of the battle.

Begin by defining the word battle as “a fight between two groups, such as the American colonists and the British.” Share with students that the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolution.

Display a map of Massachusetts and images of illustrations of the Battles of Lexington and Concord using ImageQuest, Britannica Library, or another royalty-free resource. Ask students to use a Think-Pair-Share strategy (first ask them to think independently about what they observe, then discuss with a partner, and finally share with the class).

Facilitate a class discussion with the following questions. Consider creating an anchor chart with student responses to reference throughout the activity.

Why was there so much conflict between American colonists and the British government?

How do you think battles were fought in the 1700s?

How did the armies travel?

How do you think armies communicated back then?

Highlight that American colonists did not like the way they were being treated by the British government. They could not have their own government, and they were being taxed unfairly. Connect to students’ experiences by asking, How would you feel if someone made rules for you without letting you have any say?

Divide the class into pairs of students. Distribute copies of the Battles of Lexington and Concord article and Summarization Note-Taking graphic organizer to each pair. Model how to complete the first part of the graphic organizer (what students already know about the topic and what they expect to learn).

Instruct the pairs of students to read the article and summarize the events that took place. Highlight that there are five sections on the graphic organizer, and that each should represent a different paragraph from the article. Tell students to write one key idea per paragraph and two or three supporting details.

Gather the class and write a chronological summary of the events from the Battles of Lexington and Concord on the whiteboard. Have student pairs contribute one event each to create the class timeline.

Provide each pair of students with a poster board and coloring utensils to create a battle map that represents these historical battles. Encourage students to refer to the Battles of Lexington and Concord article and the Summarization Note-Taking graphic organizer.

Instruct students to find another pair and share their battle maps. Encourage students to compare and contrast their work. Consider asking the following questions:

What similarities do you notice?

What different perspectives did each group show?

Display the Lexington and Concord map, explain how to read the map, and go over each of the events outlined on the map. Share that maps can help us understand historical events in a more visual way.

Ask students to refer to their graphic organizers and share what questions they still have about the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Then finish the activity by asking these questions:

Why were the Battles of Lexington and Concord important?

How do you think American and British soldiers felt during this time?

How do you think people living in Lexington and Concord felt during these battles?

Differentiation and Variations

Guided Map: Instead of having students work on a battle map in pairs, provide each student with a sheet of paper and guide a whole-class battle map activity that visually represents the summary of events.

Question Research: Invite students to refer to their Summarization Note-Taking graphic organizers and identify what questions they still have about the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Then provide each student with a digital device in order to research reliable Internet sources and find the answers to their questions. Consider asking students to record the answers to their questions in their notebooks or on their digital devices.

Collaborative Teaching

Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Team Teaching strategy. In this model, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching,” both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly. This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces students to the Battles of Lexington and Concord, defines “battle,” and leads an image exploration and class discussion.

Article Reading and Summary: Teacher B instructs students to work in pairs and distributes the Battles of Lexington and Concord article and the Summarization Note-Taking graphic organizer to each pair. Both teachers circulate and support students as they complete the task.

Chronological Summary: Teacher B gathers the class and writes a chronological summary of the events from the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Battle Map: Teacher A displays the Lexington and Concord map and goes over each of the events outlined on the map. Teacher B provides each pair with a poster board and coloring utensils to create their own battle map representing these historical battles. Afterward, Teacher B instructs pairs to share their work with one another.

Activity Wrap-Up: Both teachers finish the activity by asking the reflection questions.

Breaking from Britain

Activity

5:

The American Revolution

By the end of the activity, students will be able to describe the key events that contributed to the American Revolution and the role of Native Americans and women in the fight for independence.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Colored pencils, markers, or crayons (a few per group)

Devices such as Chromebooks and tablets (one per student)

Large index cards (one per student)

Poster board (one per group)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: Write the following questions on the board (see step 4):

Who fought in the American Revolution?

What caused the American Revolution?

When did the American Revolution take place?

Why is the American Revolution important?

Tell students that during today’s activity they will learn about the American Revolution through a guided reading and group presentation.

Begin by defining the word revolution on the whiteboard as a sudden change of government. Share with students that it happens when a large number of people decide to take power from a government that treats its people unfairly.

Draw on students’ personal experiences to help them understand the concept of revolution. Then create a bubble web around the word revolution, and guide students to share their ideas.

Direct students’ attention to the questions written on the whiteboard. Prompt students to share their responses to the questions. Consider recording student responses on chart paper to revisit at the end of the activity to confirm or correct initial ideas.

Distribute copies of the American Revolution article and the American Revolution handout to each student, and have students read the “Introduction” section and write answers to the “Think About It” questions on the handout.

Display and read the “War Begins” section of the article. Encourage student volunteers to read aloud. Then guide the whole class to summarize the section’s main ideas. Ask the following questions and encourage students to jot down key ideas on their handouts:

Why did the war begin?

What were the minutemen?

What happened in April 1775?

Create a class timeline of events to visually organize the information found in the article. Refer to this timeline and add to it throughout the activity.

Read aloud the following section titles of the article: “Fighting for Independence,” “Final Battles,” “Role of Native Americans,” and “Women in the American Revolution.” Then ask students to predict what each section will be about, and ask them to jot down their ideas on their handouts. Have students turn and talk to share predictions with a partner before writing.

Divide the class into four groups and assign each group one section to read and summarize. Tell students they will share their findings through a digital group presentation.

Instruct students to refer to their American Revolution handout for note-taking, and distribute digital devices for students to use to prepare their presentations.

Encourage students to use visual aids to make their presentations engaging.

Provide each group an allotted time to work on their presentations. Then reassemble the class and call on each group to present in the order that the sections appear in the article.

Encourage audience members to take notes of the key ideas presented, ask questions, and provide encouraging feedback.

Facilitate a class discussion focusing on the main ideas covered in the text. Consider returning to the questions and answers from step 4 to compare what students knew at the beginning of the activity to what they learned.

Wrap up the activity by giving each student a large index card and having them answer the following reflection questions:

What are three facts you learned about the American Revolution?

Which aspect of the American Revolution surprised you the most, and why?

Differentiation and Variations

American Revolution Handout: Provide guiding questions within each section of the handout to help audience members take effective notes and internalize the key ideas presented on each article section. This benefits students’ learning because the guiding questions prepare students for the information that will be shared.

Summary Writing: Encourage students to use their presentation notes to write short summaries of each section, focusing on the main ideas and supporting details. Offer students the option of referring to the American Revolution article. This benefits students’ learning because it allows them to synthesize the information from the presentation and text and craft a summary.

Article Reading: Offer students the opportunity to read and prepare a summary of all four sections and omit the presentation exercise. This gives students the opportunity to focus on developing their independent reading and writing skills.

Collaborative Teaching

IN THE NEWS

Lesson MINI

LESSON MINI

Breaking from Britain

Overview

Choose Activity

LESSON MINI

Activity

1:

Colonial Times and the Stamp Act

By the end of the activity, students will be able to explain how the Stamp Act influenced the colonists’ rebellion against Britain.

>40

Materials

Resources

Activity

2:

The Boston Tea Party

By the end of the activity, students will be able to explain the events that led up to the Boston Tea Party and describe how this ultimately contributed to the American Revolution.

≥40

Materials

Resources

Activity

3:

Intolerable Acts

By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify the four Intolerable Acts and explain why each law was intolerable to the American colonists.

>40

Materials

Resources

Activity

4:

Battles of Lexington and Concord

By the end of the activity, students will be able to visually represent the key events of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and explain how these battles ignited the American Revolution.

>40

Materials

Resources

Activity

5:

The American Revolution

By the end of the activity, students will be able to describe the key events that contributed to the American Revolution and the role of Native Americans and women in the fight for independence.

>40

Materials

Resources

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