Description
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This Declaration of Independence (Causes of the American Revolution) unit will bring history to life! Students adopt a colonist identity and experience the events leading to the Declaration of Independence. Even better, I’ve made it as easy as possible to implement by including 18 detailed lesson plans.
Why I created this unit
1. I believe that social studies should be exciting and interactive!
2. Teachers deserve excellent social studies resources (Can someone please tell our school districts?)
3. Planning complete units is tedious and time-consuming (um… I won’t even tell you how long it took me to create this). I want to save teachers precious time so they can focus on doing what they love—teaching!
What people are saying about this unit:
“Omg this product is AWESOME! I will use this forever. The students were sooooo engaged. They loved acting everything out. Thank you!” —Lapa’s Little Learners
“This unit is fun and engaging! A great way to get my 8th graders ( who are so dramatic anyway) actively involved. Thank you thank you!” —MS Magic
“These historical units get me excited about teaching. They are wonderful! I appreciate the pacing guides and the thorough instructions with what students will be doing and what the teacher needs to do before and during the lessons. I am using them for my 5th graders to either supplement chapters or replace some all together. These units provide students the opportunity to experience history rather than just read about it. I couldn’t ask for a better resource. Thank you!” —Kasey H.
“My favorite resource of all time, I adore the simulations as do the students!” —Danielle D.
Declaration of Independence Unit Table of Contents
Week 1
- Day 1: Choose Your Destiny—activity where students adopt a colonial identity that will last throughout the unit (they love this part!). They receive a colonial name, job and salary, and a political faction to belong to (patriot, loyalist, or neutralist)
- Day 2: Patriots vs. Loyalists—sorting cards with Patriot, Neutralist, and Loyalist arguments, booklet, & primary source worksheet
- Day 3: Stamp Act Simulation & Prepare for the Stamp Act Congress—In order to feel the stress of taxation without representation, students take part in simulated classroom taxes. Students are required to put an “official stamp” on all of their assignments in order for them to be graded.
- Day 4: Stamp Act Congress—simulated congress, article about what really happened, & reflection
- Day 5: Townshend Acts Simulation & Boston Massacre Lesson—classroom tax simulation, analyze eyewitness accounts of the Boston Massacre and explain each speaker’s point of view
Week 2
- Day 6: Tea Act Simulation & The Boston Tea Party—classroom tax simulation, informative article, draw a political cartoon of the Boston Tea Party
- Day 7: Intolerable Acts Simulation & Lesson—classroom tax simulation, task cards about the Intolerable Acts, & student worksheet
- Day 8: Prepare for the First Continental Congress—learn about proposals and come up with speeches for the congress
- Day 9: First Continental Congress—simulated congress, article about what really happened, & reflection
- Day 10: Lexington, Concord, & Thomas Paine—article & student worksheets about Lexington and Concord, translating quotes from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
Week 3
- Day 11: Prepare for the Second Continental Congress—learn about proposals and come up with speeches for the congress
- Day 12: Second Continental Congress—simulated congress, article about what really happened, & reflection
- Day 13: Analyze the Declaration of Independence—compare the Declaration to a break-up letter & organize it into sections
- Day 14: Key Ideas in the Declaration of Independence—task cards & student worksheets
- Day 15: Write Your Own Declaration of Independence—use the Declaration as a model text for a writing piece
Help For The Teacher
- Table of contents (also available in the preview)
- Suggested pacing guide
- 15 lesson plans
- Answer Keys (Of course!)
- Editable end-of-unit test and study guide
- Easy printing file with all student worksheets and articles
Are you still not sure? Sample a lesson!
Try a FREE Declaration of Independence Lesson!
- In this lesson, students learn about 8 key events leading to the Declaration of Independence by reading task cards around the room and answering prompts on a timeline.
How can this unit be for grades 5th-8th?
The Declaration of Independence Unit articles are written at a 7th-8th grade reading level. If you teach one of those grades, your students will be able to complete the activities more or less independently. If you teach 5th or 6th grade, I recommend reading and analyzing the articles with your students. They will do great! Check out the reviews to see how teachers at your grade level have successfully used and loved this unit.
Where can I find more history units?
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All rights reserved by the author.
Total Pages 145 pages
Answer Key Included
Teaching Duration 3 Weeks
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