New York City Department of Education
Colonial America and The American Revolution
How did the founding of the American colonies lead to a revolution? Use the essential question and sample activities to guide learners through a series of history lessons. Additionally, the packet includes effective strategies to...
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America Established Because of Protest
Young scholars explore events and causes that led to American Revolution and examine popular pro-Patriot renderings and texts of these issues created both at that time and in later years. Students then prepare and deliver oral...
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An Empire in the Balance
Eleventh graders investigate the role of New York state during the American Revolution. In small groups, they research a particular region within colonial America, analyze primary source documents, complete Document Analysis Sheets, and...
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We Are Colony! Settlement Design
Young scholars explore government systems. In this colonial America instructional activity, students consider colonial settlement needs as they design settlements that can sustain themselves and meet the needs of colonists.
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We The People: A History
Students play a game about taxation where they have tax collectors that simulate the feelings and reasons that led to the American Revolution. In this taxation lesson plan, students learn about why the people in the colonies were so...
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Differing Expectations
Students examine the expectations that colonists had for lives prior to the revolution. In this colonial America lesson, students read primary documents that feature the perceptions of white men and minorities during the time period....
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Taxation Without Representation
Eighth graders empathize with how colonists felt when they were taxed without representation. They use a metaphor of students and a school principal to describe the strained relationship that developed between the colonies and Britain.
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Understanding Freedom: Catching "The Spirit of '76"
Sixth graders complete activities about colonial history through an examination of art from the American Revolution period. In this history and art lesson, 6th graders define an iconic image, sing the song 'Yankee Doodle,' and analyze...
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Coming to America: A Look at Colonization in the 1600s
High schoolers analyze the European colonization of America. In this colonial America lesson, students use provided Internet resources to research colonization and representative government. High schoolers use...
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American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins
Students explore daily life and its influences in the late 1700s for two families in different colonies- Delaware and Massachusetts by becoming historical detectives. After gathering information from artifacts to make inferences about...
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ROAD TO REVOLUTION
Students explain how England's Glorious Revolution affected the colonies and investigate how the Great Awakening and Enlightenment affected the colonies. Students determine how the outcome of the French and Indian war affected N. America...
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Three Young Pilgrims
Fifth graders study the story of the voyage of the Mayflower told from the view point of the three Allerton siblings who were on board the ship. The book tells of their voyage across the Atlantic and their first year here on the North...
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Stamp Act: Virtual Representation vs. Actual Representation
Eleventh graders research and discuss the different points of view of colonists in terms of taxation, as well as how these viewpoints helped lead to the revolution.
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Gone to Texas
Fourth graders role play as empresarios attempting to bring colonists to Texas in the 1800's. They create an advertisement that encourages the immigrants to come to Texas.
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Into the Wild: Settling the South Carolina Backcountry
Eighth graders select their own plot of land in the Backcountry to settle in the 1700s in SC. Students first find a point for settlement and sketch out the best route from the Lowcountry to arrive at the point. They...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Understanding the Salem Witch Trials
Students describe some of the important elements of life in Puritan New England. They create a timeline of the events of the Salem Witch Trials. They work in groups to explore the concept of multiple interpretations of history.
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Modern Day Pilgrims
Young scholars examine the similarities and differences between modern day immigrants and pilgrims. They listen to stories, discuss their ancestors' origins, and create a native costume for a paper doll for where their ancestor is from.
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The Right to Remain Resilient
Students examine the Civil Rights Movements in the U.S., both current and historic. In small groups students investigate a specific civil rights group, create an illustrated timeline, noting key events, people, and state and federal laws.
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The United States Constitution
Twelfth graders research how the constitution was formed and the reasons for its implementation. They form a class wide constitution that expresses the steps originally used while forming the original constitution. Students vote and...
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Declare the Causes: The Declaration of Independence
Students study the Declaration of Independence and the process our founding fathers went through to get it written and signed. They analyze other similar historical documents and draft and present their own declarations.
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Divided We Fall
Learners examine the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students write essays for perform plays that feature the importance of the first ten amendments. Learners imagine the United States without 1 of the amendments that...