Unit 4: The American Revolution

Grade 4
COURSE TITLE: AMERICAN HISTORY
UNIT 4

Unit 4: The American Revolution

(Suggested amount of time to spend on unit: April - June)

FOCUS QUESTIONS

FQ1: What led to the American Revolution? (EQ1,2,3,4)

Include a study of Salutary neglect
Lack of representation
Intolerable acts (coercive acts)
Taxation
Declaration of Independence
Boston Tea Party
Boston Massacre
Olive Branch Petition

S1; PS3 Describe the sources of historical information.

S1; PS4 Identify the main idea in a source of historical information.

S1; PS6 Create timelines which sequence events and peoples, using days, weeks, months, years, decades and centuries.

S4; PS2 Seek historical background when confronted with problems and issues of the past, as well as of today's world and their own lives.

S5; PS4 Identify services provided by national, state and local governments and how we pay for them through taxation.

S14; PS2 Explain that there are different economic systems in the world and that these systems use different means to produce, distribute and exchange goods and services.

S14; PS4 Define a consumer and a producer and their roles in a market system.

S14; PS5 Describe how the price of a good or service in a market is related to how much of it there is and how man people want it.

S5; PS7 Apply the concepts of liberty, tolerance and majority rule and how they relate to individual rights.

S6; PS1 Explain the meaning and important characteristics of citizenship in the United States.

S6; PS3 Establish, explain and apply criteria useful in evaluating rules and laws for solving problems and resolving conflicts between people.

S6; PS5 Exercise political participation by discussion public issues, building consensus and becoming involved in politics.

S13; PS4 Explain why some countries are richer than others.

S14; PS6 Explain that some goods and services are provided by the government.

S14; PS7 Explain that government raises money by taxing and borrowing to pay for the goods and services it provides.

S15; PS1 Describe how voluntary exchange benefits all parties involved in the exchange of goods and services.

S15; PS2 Describe how the exchange of goods and services around the world creates interdependence among people in different places.

S15; PS3 Recognize that money is a generally accepted medium of exchange and that different countries use different currencies.

FQ2: What was the impact of the Revolution on individuals and groups of people ? (EQ1,2,3)

Women
Africans
Families
Communities
Native Americans
Discuss the divisions that resulted in the following groups: Loyalists, Patriot, Neutral, Traitor

S1; PS7 Write short narratives and statements of historical ideas and create other appropriate presentations from investigations of source materials.

S4; PS2 Seek historical background when confronted with problems and issues of the past, as well as of today's world and their own lives.

S7; PS2 Describe the need for a limited government so that people can be treated fairly. S7; PS3 Define and describe government in terms of people and groups who apply and enforce rules and laws.

S7; PS4 Identify protection of individual rights and promotion of the common good.

S7; PS6 Explain that it is important to limit government so that individual rights can be protected.

S15; PS2 Describe ho the exchange of goods and services around the world creates interdependence among people in different places.

FQ3: Why was America victorious? (EQ1,2,3,5)

American Spirit (democratic ideals)
Military strategy
Foreign Assistance
Battles (Lexington/Concord, Valley Forge, Yorktown, Trenton, Saratoga)

S1; PS7 Write short narratives and statements of historical ideas and create other appropriate presentations from investigations of source materials.

S4; PS1 Exhibit curiosity and pose questions about the past when presented with artifacts, record or other evidence of the past.

S4; PS2 Seek historical background when confronted with problems and issues of the past, as well as of today's world and their own lives.

S8; PS2 Describe ways in which communities and nations influence each other.

NOTES TO TEACHER:

Some leaders you may discuss. (George Washington, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, Benedict Arnold) Include in discussions the impact of slavery.

RESOURCES:

Provided resources:

If You Lived in the Time of the American Revolution (Unit 4, FQ1,2)
The Revolutionary War, Researching American History (Unit 4)

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES:

Role play (reenact the Boston Tea Party).
Biography Brown Bag - bag that represents a person, take out objects one at a time that symbolizes something about that person and discuss each item.
Computer lab - create a timeline of events leading to the revolution.
'Rewrite' the Declaration of Independence - highlight the major points through a poem, poster, banner, etc.
Hold a Loyalist vs. Patriot debate
Write a letter to Parliament denouncing the taxation.

ASSESSMENTS:

Essential questions
Focus questions
Performance tasks
Tests/quizzes
Teacher observation

 

Content: Social Studies Grade Level: 4 Date of BOE Adoption: July 17. 2002