The American Revolution

Literature:
1.

Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes

a. Forbes, E. (1994). Johnny Tremain. Prince Frederick, MD: Recorded Books. April
Morning, Howard Fast
b. This historical fiction novel takes place in Boston during the American Revolution. The
main character, Johnny Tremain , encounters many historical figures known from the
American Revolution time such as Paul Revere and Sam Adams. This novel also has
details about the events, news, and battles of the war as it came to Johnny Tremains
home front. Using this novel teaches a lot about the American Revolution as it would
have been seen through the eyes of a boy living in that time.

2. 1776, David McCullough

a. McCullough, D. (2005). 1776. Simon & Schuster.
b. 1776 tells the story of General George Washingtons soldiers in the time that the
American Revolution was occurring in America. The accounts in this book are more
personal and relatable for middle school students. The illustrations and primary sources
included are engaging and educational for students of all ages to see accounts and
illustrations from the times of the American Revolution.
3. If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution, Kay Moore
a. Moore, K. (1997). If you Lived at the Time of the American Revolution. New York:
Scholastic.
b. This book explains the events of the American Revolution and answers questions that
students and other readers may have about the revolution. It looks at how people lived
their daily lives and discusses the differences between Patriots and Loyalists. It answers
common questions such as what started the revolution, what would have changed in your
life, and who was on which side. This book is an easy way to understand life during the
revolution and can be helpful for all ages of students when discussing the American
Revolution.
4. George vs. George The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides, Rosalyn Schanzer
a. Schanzer, R. (2004). George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from both
sides. Washington, DC: National Geographic.
b. This childrens book describes the lives of both George Washington and King George III,
leaders during the American Revolution. It gives details of their personal lives and
compares and contrasts the rulers. The book goes on to show both sides of the war itself
including how the different countries were run and what soldiers/ fighters made up each
army. It also shows the major battles that occurred, why they occurred, and who won or
lost. The information, illustrations, and added quotes from historical figures of that time

Comment [C1]: Standard 4.3, integrate

interdisciplinary teaching. This unit resource list is
compiled for a social studies content area. I,
however, also incorporated many components of
language arts into it such as the literature and
poems.
Comment [C2]: Standard 3.5, know/use
extensive range of literature is shown here with
multiple different genres and types of literature.
While some included are childrens literature, there
are also

all come together to create an appealing book that is easy to understand and informative.
5. Independent Dames, Laurie Halse Anderson
a. Anderson, L. (2008). Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and
Girls of the American Revolution. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young
Readers.
b. While the rulers and major figures of the American Revolution are male, the females,
their efforts, and influence cannot be left out. This book, with its humorous illustrations
and dialogue, tells about the heroic women and their part in the war. During the time of
war, women were nurses opening their homes as hospitals, American spies listening in on
injured soldiers plans, they cooked and cleaned for the soldiers when they went with
them to camps. There are also stories of the women who took over family farms and
businesses when the men were away, which changed the ideals of workplaces forever.
Every page also includes mini-biographies of some of the women heroes of the
revolution.
6. Paul Reveres Ride, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
a. Longfellow, H. (1990). Paul Revere's ride. New York: Dutton Children's Books.
b. This poem about Paul Reveres ride is a fun and rather catchy way of learning about
Reveres ride through history. The rhyming can help students to better remember the
dates and the events of the ride while also getting them into some poetry content.

Websites:
1. Timeline of the Revolutionary War
a. Revolutionary War Timeline. (1999, January 1). Retrieved August 29, 2014.
b. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/revwartimeline.htm
c. Timelines are always helpful for students to see the flow of the war, the time of the
battles, and connections between things such as the acts and the battles. This website and
timeline also allow students to click on links to find out more information about battles,
acts and events during and leading up to the war.
2.

George Washingtons influence

a. The Revolutionary War. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014.
b. http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-revolutionary-war/
c. This website deals directly with George Washington and his involvement in the
American Revolutionary War. It includes facts about him as a leader, links to all of the
battles he led, and famous photos such as the Crossing of the Delaware. This is an
excellent resource to see what George Washington was like as a general.

3.

Acts Flashcards
a. "Acts" in Revolutionary War times. (2010, January 1). Retrieved August 29, 2014.
b. http://quizlet.com/4102667/acts-in-revolutionary-war-times-flash-cards/

Comment [C3]: By including literature and

poems as well as websites, web games, field trips,
and speakers, I am using standard 3.6, know
print/non-print media & tech.

c. The American Revolution included many different acts which all focused on many
different things and changes. This website lists all of the acts and their definitions as
flashcards for students to study and quiz themselves on and it is a great way to keep the
acts straight.
4. Declaration of Independence
a. Declaration of Independence. History.com. (2009, January 1). Retrieved September 20,
2014.
b. http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/declaration-of-independence
c. This website tells all about the history and making of the Declaration of Independence. It
includes videos with facts and interviews telling the history of the declaration as well as
what went into making it. Since the declaration is such an important document which
came about because of the revolution, it is important for students to learn its importance.

Web Game:
1. PBS The Road to Revolution
a. LIBERTY! The Road to Revolution. PBS. (2004, January 1). Retrieved August 29, 2014.
b. http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road.html
c. This web game tests students knowledge of the facts of the American Revolution. When
they answer a multiple choice question correctly, they get to move further in the game.
With correct answers, students follow the path of the American Revolutionary war
starting from Boston and ending in Washington D.C. This is a great way to test their
knowledge or review for a test.

Field Trips
1. The Paul Revere House
a. http://www.paulreverehouse.org/
b. This fieldtrip can be real or virtual. It tours the house of Paul Revere, an American
silversmith and patriot. This kind of field trip helps students see not only what homes
were like during the time of the revolution, but it also helps students connect with the
historical figures who lived there.
2.

Independence Hall
a. http://www.visitphilly.com/history/philadelphia/independence-hall/
b. Independence Hall is the birthplace of both the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution. By showing this to students and allowing them to read and see the history of
the hall, they can understand and connect to the events they have learned about the
American Revolution. This historical tour also includes a tour of the courtroom and the
West Wing where the documents are displayed.

3.

Virtual Boston Tea Party

a. http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/virtual-tours
b. This site includes 20 minute performances of the Boston Massacre trial, Ladies of the

American Revolution, anecdotes from the Boston Tea Party, and the Stamp Act
Riots. These are a very engaging way to teach these topics to students.
Primary Documents
1.

Comment [C4]: Introducing students to primary

documents is an excellent way to foster critical
thinking, standard 2.4. These can be used in many
ways during teaching In order to get students
thinking about the time of events as well as the
actions of the events themselves, requiring them to
think critically.

a. http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/freedom-trail/boston-massacre.shtml
b. This primary document is of an illustration of the Boston Massacre of March 5, 1770.
When students hear about the incident, it is beneficial to also show this document for
them to analyze and interpret.

Comment [C5]: Some of the primary documents

included are pieces of artwork representing an
event of the time. Including art in students analysis
of a topic is beneficial to their understanding and
also connects to standard 2.6, demonstrate role of
arts/humanities in learning.

2.
a. http://www.metmuseum.org/metmedia/kids-zone/art-trek/george-washington-crossingthe-delaware
b. This primary document is a painting depicting Washingtons Crossing of the Delaware.
This is a very famous picture which portrays Washington as the leader he was. This
picture can be shown when the crossing is discussed in class.

3.
a. http://www.loc.gov/resource/g3710.ar071601/
b. This primary source is a map of the middle British colonies in America at the time of the
American Revolution. This is a good source to bring up while talking about wars or
settlements so that the students can really see where things took place, why certain cities
were more important or more populated, and what America looked like at that time.

4.
a. http://www.apstudent.com/ushistory/docs1751/joindie.htm
b. This primary source is a commonly seen source when the American Revolution is taught.
It is a cartoon making a point about the importance of colony unity. Sources like these are
also important for classrooms to interpret and discuss what they stand for and how they
relate to the revolution.

Video
1. School House Rock Shot Heard Round the World
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ikO6LMxF4&list=PLmR3qudEXu67wpGoHQppibhE1re4Tzwc
b. School House Rock does a great job at making topics come to life. In their video about
the American Revolution, they go through the American Revolutionary War and
mention the important events, such as the shot heard around the world and France and
Spains influence. This is a nice break from the textbooks while still educating students.

Guest Speakers
1.

Mary Jane Taylor:

a. Director of Learning and Engagement, Museum of the American Revolution,
mjtaylor@amrevmuseum.org
b. Mary Jane Taylor is the Director of earning and Engagement at the Museum of the
American Revolution. She would be a valuable resource to come and speak to students
about artifacts in the museum and about information from the Revolutionary War itself.

2.

Roger Cooper:
a. George Washington reenactor, An American Colonial Experience Theatre Organization,
crogercooper@gmail.com
b. A reenactor is a very fun way for kids to learn. A George Washington reenactor such as
Roger Cooper can come and talk to kids about his life, his presidence, and about his
experiences in the war.