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|Title: Revolutionary War Battleground |Author: Nicole S. |State: |

|Grade Span: 3-5 |Subject: Social Studies, History | |

|Assignment Type: Small Group |

|Recommended Time Frame: 5 days |

Summary of Project

This project is based on the idea that “to teach is to learn twice” and challenges students to become “Revolutionary War Historians” as they “teach” their classmates about one important Revolutionary War Battle. In this way, the students will “relive” history and gain a better understanding of the way in which the war was fought, the roles in which important leaders played, and how the colonists were able to eventually defeat the British despite their disadvantages. The students will work in groups of three to complete the project. Each student will be responsible for completing one of three “roles” (Fact Finder, People Expert, and Action Coordinator). The project will conclude with students sharing their exciting, unique presentations with the rest of the class, thereby allowing students to gain knowledge about all of the important battles of the war and not just the one the group was assigned.

Materials and Resources Needed:

|Whole class |Per Group |Per Student |

|Project Instructions |Teacher-made Important Battles packet | |

|Encyclopedias |Teacher-made Revolution packet | |

|Non-fiction resources |Social Studies textbooks | |

|Scoring Rubric | | |

Key Vocabulary

|Independence |Continental Army |Red Coats |

|Green Mountain Boys |Battle of Lexington & Concord |Capture of Fort Ticonderoga |

|Battle of Bunker Hill |Battle of Trenton |Battle of Princeton |

|Battle of Brandywine & Germantown |Battle of Saratoga |Battle of Monmouth |

|Battle of Yorktown | | |

Engaging Questions:

In addition to the various questions which the students will answer according to their specific “roles,” groups will also collaborate to answer the following critical thinking questions:

1. How do you think the American soldiers felt during your battle?

2. How do you think the American leaders felt during your battle?

3. Why was this an important battle of the Revolutionary War?

Implementing the Activity

This project is meant to be given at the end of a unit on the American Revolution. As a result, the students should possess adequate understanding of such topics as King George, “taxation without representation,” the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, the Declaration of Independence, and the meetings of the First and Second Continental Congress.

Day 1: Hand out the Revolutionary War Battleground Instructions and introduce the problem and task to the students.

*Problem: A crazed history lover has just invaded the school and stolen all of the fifth-grade social studies text books! The school cannot afford to buy new ones right now, but the fifth-graders still need to learn about the important battles of the Revolutionary War.

*Task: Your task as Revolutionary War historians will be to present one important battle of the Revolutionary War to our class. You can use your American Revolution student packets, the website links from the class’ website, and other reliable sources to help you complete your task and find the necessary information.

Assign heterogeneous groups with three students each (four if necessary), and assign each group one of the following battles: Battle of Lexington and Concord, Capture of Fort Ticonderoga, Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine and Germantown, Battle of Saratoga, Battle of Monmouth, Battle of Yorktown.

Read the questions pertaining to each of the three “Roles.” Explain that each group member will be responsible for one role. However, students should also work together in helping their group members answer their specific questions. Allow students to choose the roles themselves but explain the following:

• Role #3 (Action Coordinator) requires the some critical thinking and is best for someone who enjoys writing and explaining the order of events.

• Role #2 (People Expert) is good for someone who likes learning about people.

• Role #1 (Fact Finder) is good for someone who likes numbers and facts.

Check for understanding by asking students if they have any questions. Allow students to being research using the following sources:

• Teacher-made “American Revolution: The Birth of a Nation” Student Information Packet (see attached); specifically, pages 50-65 “Important Battles and Events to Remember”

• Internet resources

• Social studies textbooks

• Encyclopedias

• Other reliable non-fiction resources for students to use in research

Days 2-3: Students will continue to conduct research using the teacher-made “American Revolution: The Birth of a Nation” student packet, internet sources, social studies textbooks, encyclopedias, and other reliable non-fiction resources. Students will answer questions and begin planning their presentation to the class. Students will show their written answers to questions for Role #1, Role #2, Role #3, and the Whole Group Questions to the teacher. Teacher must check and approve answers before students can move on to compiling the “SHOW” us and “TELL” us components of their projects. Students will be assigned to continue working on project for homework.

Day 4: Students will finish the “SHOW” us and “TELL” us components of their projects. Students will finish creating their presentations for the class. Any incomplete work will be assigned for homework. Students can rehearse their presentations to prepare for the following day.

Day 5: Students will give their presentations to the class and submit their written materials to the teacher. Students will have the chance to ask each other questions about their specific battle. Students will have the chance to orally compare and contrast the various battles which were fought.

Follow-up: Students’ work will be displayed on a bulletin board entitled “The Revolutionary War Battleground,” thereby allowing students to reflect on their hard work, take pride in their effort, and recall the various battles which they learned about. Also, teachers may choose to take the information gained from students’ presentations to use in a compare/contrast lesson regarding the various battles.

End Result

The students will have done extensive research on one of the most important battles of the Revolutionary War and will have shared their research with the class in a fun and unique presentation. By teaching the battle to other students, they will possess more knowledge and understanding than if they had simply read about the battle from a textbook. Moreover, the students will also have learned about ALL important battles of the war by listening to other students give their presentations.

Rubric

| |Outstanding (4 pts) |Good (3 pts) |Satisfactory (2 pts) |Needs Improvement (1 |Unsatisfactory (0 pts) |

| | | | |pt) | |

|Written |All answers |All answers |One answer is |Two to three |Four or more |

|Answers |are accurate, |are accurate |inaccurate |answers are |answers are |

|for Role #1 |complete, and |and complete. |and/or |inaccurate |inaccurate/ |

| |detailed. | |incomplete. |and/or |incomplete. |

| | | | |incomplete. | |

|Written |All answers |All answers |One answer is |Two to three |Four or more |

|Answers |are accurate, |are accurate |inaccurate |answers are |answers are |

|for Role #2 |complete, and |and complete. |and/or |inaccurate |inaccurate/ |

| |detailed. | |incomplete. |and/or |incomplete. |

| | | | |incomplete. | |

|Written |All answers |All answers |One answer is |Two to three |Four or more |

|Answers |are accurate, |are accurate |inaccurate |answers are |answers are |

|for Role #3 |complete, and |and complete. |and/or |inaccurate |inaccurate/ |

| |detailed. | |incomplete. |and/or |incomplete. |

| | | | |incomplete. | |

|Whole |Answer is |Answer is |Answer could |Answer is |Students did |

|Group |detailed and |complete and |be more |incomplete |not answer |

|Question |expresses a |expresses |detailed but |and fails to |the question. |

|#1 |deep |adequate |expresses |demonstrate | |

| |understanding |understanding |some |an | |

| |of the way |of the way |understanding |understanding | |

| |soldiers may |soldiers may |of the way |of the way | |

| |have felt |have felt |soldiers may |soldiers may | |

| |during this |during this |have felt |have felt | |

| |battle. |battle. |during this |during this | |

| | | |battle. |battle. | |

|Whole |Answer is |Answer is |Answer could |Answer is |Students did |

|Group |detailed and |complete and |be more |incomplete |not answer |

|Question |expresses a |expresses |detailed but |and fails to |the question. |

|#2 |deep |adequate |expresses |demonstrate | |

| |understanding |understanding |some |an | |

| |of the way |of the way |understanding |understanding | |

| |soldiers may |soldiers may |of the way |of the way | |

| |have felt |have felt |soldiers may |soldiers may | |

| |during this |during this |have felt |have felt | |

| |battle. |battle. |during this |during this | |

| | | |battle. |battle. | |

|Whole |Answer is |Answer is |Answer could |Answer is |Students did |

|Group |detailed and |complete and |be more |incomplete |not answer |

|Question |expresses a |expresses |detailed but |and fails to |the question. |

|#3 |deep |adequate |expresses |demonstrate | |

| |understanding |understanding |some |an | |

| |of the way |of the way |understanding |understanding | |

| |soldiers may |soldiers may |of the way |of the way | |

| |have felt |have felt |soldiers may |soldiers may | |

| |during this |during this |have felt |have felt | |

| |battle. |battle. |during this |during this | |

| | | |battle. |battle. | |

|“SHOW |Component is |Component is |Component |Component |Component is |

|US” |creative and |somewhat |could be more |lacks some |incomplete |

|Component |does an |creative and |creative and |important |and/or |

| |excellent job |does an |detailed but |details of the |contains |

| |of “showing” |adequate job |overall does |battle. Some |several |

| |the class how |of “showing” |“show” major |details may be |inaccurate |

| |the battle |the class how |aspects of |inaccurate. |details. |

| |was fought. |the battle |the battle | | |

| |All |was fought. |and contains | | |

| |information is |All |accurate | | |

| |accurate and |information is |information. | | |

| |clearly |accurate. | | | |

| |presented. | | | | |

|“TELL |Component is |Component is |Component |Component |Component is |

|US” |creative and |somewhat |could be more |lacks some |incomplete |

|Component |does an |creative and |creative and |important |and/or |

| |excellent job |does an |detailed but |details of the |contains |

| |of “telling” |adequate job |overall does |battle. Some |several |

| |how the |of “telling” |“tell” major |details may be |inaccurate |

| |battle was |how the |aspects of |inaccurate. |details. |

| |fought. All |battle was |the battle | | |

| |information is |fought. All |and contains | | |

| |accurate and |information is |accurate | | |

| |clearly |accurate. |information. | | |

| |presented. | | | | |

|Teamwork and Overall |Group |Group |Group |Group |Students did |

|Effort |members |members |members |members did |not work |

| |worked |worked |worked |not cooperate |together |

| |together |together |together |or work nicely |nicely and had |

| |nicely and |nicely and |nicely and |together. |several |

| |demonstrated |demonstrated |demonstrated |They |problems |

| |an |a great |an adequate |expressed |completing |

| |outstanding |amount of |amount of |little effort |the project in |

| |amount of |effort in |effort in |in completing |a cooperative |

| |effort in |completing |completing |the project. |manner. They |

| |completing |the project. |the project. | |demonstrated |

| |the project. | | | |little effort |

| | | | | |in the |

| | | | | |completing |

| | | | | |the project. |

|TOTAL POINTS in each | | | | | |

|category: | | | | | |

|TOTAL POINTS out of | | | | | |

|36: | | | | | |

Grades:

• Outstanding (A+) : 36-34

• Good (A - A-) : 33-31

• Satisfactory (B+ - B-) : 29-27

• Needs Improvement (C - C-) :26-24

• Unsatisfactory (D and below) : 23 and below

For Differentiated Instruction

Students will be assigned to heterogeneous groups which will allow higher-achievers to help lower-achievers. Additionally, the three roles are configured so that lower students will be able to successfully answer the more simple questions in Role #1, while more advanced students and better writers can successfully answer the questions for Role #2 and Role #3, some of which involve some critical thinking skills. It is important to explain each role to the students using the following descriptions:

• Role #3 Action Coordinator requires the some critical thinking and is best for someone who enjoys writing and explaining the order of events.

• Role #2 People Expert is good for someone who likes learning about people.

• Role #1 Fact Finder is good for someone who likes numbers and facts.

In this way, the Role of Fact Finder offers students who possess weak writing skills the chance to successfully contribute to the project.

The freedom of choice in this project allows students to use their best talents--whether it be writing, acting, drawing, puppet-making,etc.--in order to “teach” the class about their group’s battle. They will thus be motivated to use their unique talents and creativity to increase their understanding of the Revolutionary War and earn a good grade on the project.

In order to help ESL/ELL students conduct and understand their research, teachers can include a link to an on-line translator, which students may use to transfer difficult portions of English text into their native language. Teachers may also want to place an ESL/ELL student into a group with students who will work well with him or her and help him or her complete the project. Teachers may also wish to encourage ESL/ELL students to choose Role #1 Fact Finder, since this role requires the least amount of writing.

Additional Notes

Instructions, Important Battles Packet and Revolutionary War packet are included as separate documents.

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