This document provides a lesson plan for teaching about the causes of the American Revolution. It outlines essential questions, curriculum standards, and literacy and content strategies to be used. Students will explore the timeline and key events leading up to the revolution through guided readings, shared readings, document analysis, and activities. They will develop skills in note-taking, organization, critical thinking, and essay writing to help prepare for social studies tests.

1. Literacy in the Content Area Julie Rodriguez

2. The Unit: Causes of the American Revolution Essential Question Why do people rebel? Focus points Location of mother country Timeline (organization of important events) Pros and cons of British “Acts” Justification of British and Colonist actions Intolerable Acts Lexington and Concord

3. Curriculum Standards ELA E1c: Reads and comprehends informational materials. E2a: Produce a report of information. E3b: Participates in group meetings. E4a:Demonstrates a basic understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work. E4b: Analyze and review work to improve its clarity and effectiveness. E5a: Respond to non-fiction using interpretive and critical processes. E5b:Produce work in at least one genre that follows the conventions of that genre. Social Studies Standard 1: History of United States and NY Standard 2: World History Standard 3: Geography Standard 4: Economics Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship and Government

4. The TIEL Wheel Students will use the qualities of character and thinking operations throughout each activity in this unit.

5. How do you Teach the Content? Guided Reading Leveled books with social studies content Group projects to reinforce the content presented in the books and to assess what they have learned Literacy Strategies Predicting Cause and Effect Analyzing vocabulary Genre exploration Making inferences Drawing conclusions Main Idea/Detail Sequencing events Organizing information into graphic organizers Note-taking

6. Teaching the Content… Shared Readings and Read Alouds Use social study read alouds Big books, articles, social studies textbooks, maps, primary documents, songs, pictures, etc… Literacy Strategies Note-taking Main idea/detail Organization of an essay (planning pages) Accountable talk Visualization Cause and effect Use of vocabulary Writing Mechanics (sentence structure, spelling, word usage, etc.)

7. Document Based Questions (D.B.Q.s) Political cartoons Primary documents Paintings Poems and songs Past 5 th grade social studies tests Literacy Strategies Analyzing documents Drawing conclusions Making inferences Context clues (for understanding and vocabulary usage) Organization of an essay (structure and planning) Teaching the Content Allows Students to Meet the Expectations of the N.Y.S. Social Studies Test! An invitation to the Boston Tea Party

8. Activities That can be Incorporated into Literacy Blocks T-charts and maps Organization, accountable talk (geography) Timeline Organizing facts in a narrative Debates Organization of ideas, point of view Persuasive Essays Using facts to persuade someone to adopt your opinion

9. Resources Thematic unit on Causes of the American Revolution (T.A.H. summer project) Guided reading books from Rosen Classroom Primary Source series( Colonial Life and the Revolutionary War in New York) … If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution by: Kay Moore The Founding Era (People, Places, Politics: History in a Box) Gilder Lehrmen Welcome to Felicity’s World 1774 (An American Girl) by: Susan Moore http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/timelines /

10. Teacher Resources (Activity Idea Workbooks) Hands-On History : American Revolution History Comes Alive Teaching Unit : The American Revolution Both published by Scholastic The Colonies Move Toward Independence Milliken Publishing Company Liberty’s Kids ( CD-Rom)

11. Why is it IMPORTANT ? Students will utilize their note-taking skills, learn how to organize their thinking, and write essays. They will be able to analyze and think critically about the meaning of documents and primary sources. These skills will prepare them for the E.L.A. & Social Studies test. This also encourages “life” writing, reading and discussions skills.

12. Teaching Social Studies IS POSSIBLE!