MS History Year 1 Unit 3: The American Revolution – Project Based Learning

MS History Year 1 Unit 3 is a Project-Based Learning unit, emphasizing interdisciplinary perspectives through projects and simulations. Scholars will use these creative endeavors to engage with complex and challenging historical themes. This unit demands reading critically, drawing upon evidence to create convincing projects, and expressing arguments creatively both in projects and in writing. In this resource, you will find outlines for Lesson 5 and Lesson 10, the unit’s two project-based lessons. Please find the full unit on the Success Academy Education Institute.

After two seminars studying the purpose of Colonial Propaganda, students will engage in a project-based learning experience to create their own propaganda and answer the central question: “Why should colonists support the movement for independence?”

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand the arguments advanced by supporters and detractors of American independence and create colonial political cartoons illustrating these arguments.

Preparation

• To complete this project, before class you must:
  • Print the Lesson 5 Political Cartoon Template in the Unit 3 Workbook on white, light brown, or light-gray construction paper for each scholar.
  • Gather colored pencils and fine-tip Sharpies or permanent markers to make the cartoons, and organize these materials in a place accessible to scholars for easy use during project work.
  • Ensure all scholars have the Lesson 5 Political Cartoon Planning Guide in the Unit 3 Workbook accessible.

Do Now - 5 minutes

• Scholars complete the Unit 3 Lesson 5 Do Now in the Unit 3 Workbook

Study Mentor Images - 20 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

• Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
• Pose today’s Central Question, and invest scholars in continuing their study of the events that led to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

Examine (10 minutes)

• Show Documents A and C on pages 15 and 17 of the Unit 3 Sourcebook to the class. Highlight features in these authentic examples to provide a model for scholar projects.
• Tell scholars to think about the following question as they examine the images:
• How do these documents attempt to shape popular opinion in colonial America? After examining each cartoon, they should write a main idea next to the title of the source.

Discuss (3 minutes)

• Scholars discuss the following questions in pairs. Insist that scholars answer your
  questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents.
  • What are the main ideas of these images?
  • Why were these images created?
    Give scholars 2 minutes to revise their main idea annotations for the images based on the
    discussion.

Discuss (5 minutes)

• Scholars discuss the question posed before examining the images as well as the following question as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from their homework and the Sourcebook examples.
  • How did Patriots attempt to convince colonists to join their cause?
  • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: To what extent do these cartoons illustrate the ideals of the Revolution?

Planning - 10 minutes

• Explain that scholars will create their own cartoons, based on their knowledge of the causes of the American Revolution.
•  Tell scholars that their cartoons must portray a powerful and compelling idea supported by strong visual evidence, similar to the sample documents.
  • Remind scholars that visual projects, just like written pieces, make arguments, and all arguments require a strong idea with supporting details.
• Scholars may reference Documents A through D on pages 15–18 of the Unit 3 Sourcebook as they work.
• Scholars use the Political Cartoon Planning Guide in the Unit 3 Workbook to plan their cartoons, writing their ideas and planning the details they will use to support them.

Mid-Workshop Teach - 10 minutes

• Share an exemplar plan. Have scholars discuss how the plan illustrates the scholar’s idea with clear and coherent organization.
• Share a non-exemplar plan. Have scholars discuss why the plan lacks an idea and/or clear and coherent organization.
• Ensure that scholars understand how this feedback is transferable to their own work.
• Scholars articulate to partners how they will revise their plans based on what they have learned.

Revise - 10 minutes

• Scholars use the transferable takeaway from the Mid-Workshop Teach to revise their plans.
• Spend 2–3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Ensure all scholars are rereading their plans to ensure they have strong ideas and clear organization.
  • Help scholars to focus on what is most important: ideas and supporting details.
  • Coach scholars on how to implement the feedback you’ve given them

Project Work - 25 minutes

• Scholars create their own cartoons, referring to Documents A through D as they work.
• Actively circulate to reinforce your expectations for strong ideas and persuasive visual evidence in project work and to determine major trends in scholars’ work.
• Spend 2–3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Have each scholar tell you the idea conveyed by his or her cartoon. Can the idea be made stronger? How can the cartoon illustrate the idea more effectively? Is the cartoon interesting and visually compelling?
  • Hold scholars accountable for implementing the feedback you’ve given them.
  • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on conveying why Americans supported the revolutionary movement.

Wrap-up - 10 minutes

Show an exemplary cartoon to the class. Look for work that clearly and compellingly illustrates the perspectives of American Patriots.

Homework

Scholars read the articles “Battles of Lexington and Concord” and “Declaration of Independence” on the History Channel website in preparation for the next lesson.

Toward the end of the unit, students will engage in a project-based learning experience to create a social media post that explores and answers the central question: “Why did the American colonies win the Revolutionary War?”

Historical Background

In the fall of 1781, a combined American force of Colonial and French troops laid siege to the British Army at Yorktown, Virginia. Led by George Washington and French General Comte de Rochambeau, they began their final attack on October 14, capturing two British defenses and leading to the surrender, just days later, of British General Lord Cornwallis and nearly 9,000 troops. Yorktown proved to be the  battle of the American Revolution, and the British began peace negotiations shortly after the American victory.

For more background, read “The Siege of Yorktown” on the History Channel website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 3 Key Term:

• Treaty of Paris

Scholars can explain the factors that led to American victory in the Revolutionary War and
create a social media post celebrating the individuals and events that led to this victory.

Preparation

• To complete this project, before class you must:
  • Create a teacher model of an Instagram Victory Post.
  • Ensure each scholar has the Victory Post Planning Guide in the Unit 3 Workbook accessible.
  • Print one Instagram Victory Post Template from the Unit 3 Workbook on cardstock for each scholar.
  • Gather colored pencils and Sharpies or permanent markers to make project captions and illustrations, and organize these materials in a place accessible to scholars for easy use during project work.

Do Now - 5 minutes

• Scholars complete the Unit 3 Lesson 10 Do Now in the Unit 3 Workbook

Context - 20 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

• Review the Big ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
• Pose today’s Central Question, and invest scholars in examining the significance of a colonial victory in the American Revolution.

Watch (5 minutes)

• Watch the video “Yorktown” from the musical Hamilton available on YouTube.
• Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
  • What was the experience of a soldier fighting in the Battle of Yorktown? Watch (8 minutes)
• Watch the video “Surrender at Yorktown” by PBS available on YouTube.
• Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
  • Why were the Americans victorious at Yorktown?

Discuss (7 minutes)

• Pairs of scholars discuss the questions posed at the beginning of the videos as well as the questions below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your question with claims supported by evidence from the homework and the videos.
  • Which other individuals or events were responsible for American victory in the Revolution? Why?
  • How did nonmilitary factors lead to an American victory in the Revolutionary War?
  • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: Why was it “revolutionary” that a small group of colonists were able to defeat Great Britain, a major empire?

Teacher Model - 10 minutes

• Say: Today you will create an Instagram post celebrating those most responsible for American victory in the war.
• Show scholars your completed Instagram Victory Post Planning Guide.
• Ask scholars: What is the idea I want to convey in my Instagram post? What evidence will I use to prove my idea?
• Show scholars your finished Instagram post, highlighting the image and use of evidence to support the idea of the post.
• Ask scholars: How am I communicating my idea through both the image and the caption?
• Make a connection to previous lessons. Ask: Could my Instagram post be considered propaganda? Why or why not?

Planning - 10 minutes

• Explain that scholars will create their own Instagram victory posts, based on their knowledge of the victory at the Battle of Yorktown.
• Tell scholars that their posts must portray a powerful and compelling idea supported by strong visual evidence.
  • Remind scholars that visual projects, just like written pieces, make arguments, and all arguments require a strong idea with supporting details.
• Tell scholars their Instagram victory posts must contain text within them or feature text as a caption. This text should not restate or describe the Instagram post. It must enhance, clarify, or elaborate on the idea of the cartoon.
• Scholars use the Victory Post Planning Guide in the Unit 3 Workbook to plan their posts, writing their ideas and planning the details they will use to support them.

Mid-Workshop Teach - 10 minutes

• Share an exemplar plan. Have scholars discuss how the plan illustrates the scholar’s idea with clear and coherent organization.
• Share a non-exemplar plan. Have scholars discuss why the plan lacks an idea and/or clear and coherent organization.
• Ensure that scholars understand how this feedback is transferable to their own work.
• Scholars articulate to partners how they will plans based on what they have learned.

Revise - 10 minutes

• Scholars use the transferable takeaway from the Mid Workshop Teach to revise their plans.
• Spend 2–3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Ensure all scholars are rereading their plans to ensure they have strong ideas and clear organization.
  • Help scholars to focus on what is most important: ideas and supporting details.
  • Coach scholars on how to implement the feedback you’ve given them

Project Work - 20 minutes

• Scholars create their Instagram victory post on the Victory Post Template in the Unit 3 Workbook.
• Make sure their image and caption convey an argument, rather than just a statement of facts or a simple display of victory.
• Actively circulate to reinforce your expectations for strong ideas and persuasive visual evidence in project work and to determine major trends in scholars’ work.
• Spend 2–3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
  • Have each scholar tell you the idea conveyed by his or her post. Can the idea be made stronger? How can the cartoon illustrate the idea more effectively? Is the cartoon interesting and visually compelling?
  • Hold scholars accountable for implementing the feedback you’ve given them.
  • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on conveying the impact of the Battle of Yorktown.

Wrap-up - 5 minutes

• Show exemplary projects to the class. Look for work that clearly and compellingly illustrates American victory and conveys why the people and event depicted were responsible for American victory.

Homework

• Scholars read “Who ‘Won’ the War for Independence?” on pages 34–35 of the Unit 3 Sourcebook in preparation for the next lesson.