The Independence of America

I. Background Knowledge: Students should have background knowledge of early settlement in America and the thirteen colonies.

II. Lesson One Content:  a. From Colonies to Independence: The American Revolution

                                              b. Locate the original thirteen colonies.

III. Materials: Study Guides, butcher paper, overhead projector, timeline instructions, pencils, crayons.

IV. Vocabulary: colony- group of people who leave their homeland to settle in a different land, but they still obey the laws of the land they came from.

V. Procedures/Activities

1. Explain to students that today, they will begin learning about the exciting story of how we became a country called America or The United States of America. Ask them to think back to when they learned about the first people that came to America. Ask them: Where did the people come from who settled in North America? Who remembers what they called the area or place where they settled?

2. Show students a map of the thirteen colonies, the Atlantic Ocean, and Europe that has been traced on the butcher paper. Find an area on the wall to hang this map so that it can be used as a reference.

3. Tell the students that by the 1700's, many people had travelled across the Atlantic Ocean to live in America, and during that time period thirteen different colonies were had been established. Using the map, show them the route taken from England to America. Explain that even though the people were so far away, they still obeyed the laws of England. However, as America grew, they began to feel like a separate country. Many people began to dislike following the rules of England.

4. Write the word "independence" on a piece of chart paper. Ask the students what it means to have independence or "What are some things that you are able to do independently, without ant help?" Accept all answers and write them on chart paper below the word, independence.

5. Explain to the students that as they get older, they are able to do more things, independently. This is how the people in America felt and wanted to have more independence. Tell the students that this is what led to the "American Revolution" or "Revolutionary War". Write these two words on chart paper. Tell students that this chart will continue to hang on the wall while they learn about the Revolutionary War. After each lessson, students will have an opportunity to verbalize what they have learned for the day. This information will be written on the chart for review the next day.

6. Tell students they will be constructing their own timelines using the timeline instructions and dates given. Timelines will be hung on the wall or stored in their desks until requested for use. As a whole class, list what the students have learned in the lesson on the chart labeled American Revolution.

7. Have students color the map according to the key given by the handout. Have them to label the thirteen colonies, the Atlantic Ocean, and England by copying from the large map at the front of the classroom.

VI. Assessment: 1) Students will color the map according to the key given. The students will be evaluated on their timeline.

Lesson 2: What is a newspaper?

I. Begin the class discussion with a brainstorming session. Ask the students "What is a newspaper?" Why do people read them?" "What types of things are written in them?" "Who writes news stories?" Note answers on the board. Explain to students that a news story is written by a reporter. The reporter interviews people and observes events to answer the questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Reporters call this 5 W's + 1H and try to include them in every story.

II. Show sample newspaper clippings. Point out the headline. Ask the children what the headline does? Does it capture their attention? Does it answer the 5 W's + 1 H? Read the first paragraph. How many of the 5 W's + 1H do you know, now? Continue through the article a paragraph at a time until all the 5 W's +1H questions have been answered.

III. Read a short version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, "Bears House Vandalized" to the students to refresh their memory of the story. Pair students. Point out headline. In each pair, one student will act as the reporter and the other as the bear. The reporter should interview the bear to discover the answer to each of the 5 W's + 1H and record the answers in point form. Then the students should switch roles so each has a chance to be the reporter.  Once all the students have their point form answers recorded, have then return to their desks. Ask the students to complete their job as reporters for the class and write the lead to go with the headline. Remind them that the lead should be written in complete sentences with no more than 2 paragraphs.

IV. Materials: Computers lab with internet access , Multimedia software, access to library of images/graphics, hardcopy newspapers, fairy tale book "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", Powerpoint presentation on "The printing Press", digital camara.

V. Teacher will assist students with drafting stories for class newspaper. The class will be divided into 5 groups of 4 students each. Each group will have 2 editors and 2 reporters. Each group will produce two articles to put in the class newspaper.

a. Group 1: Thirteen Colonies

b. Group 2: The Revolutionary War

c. Group 3: Structure of Government

d. Group 4: Maps and their purpose

e. Group 5: The Economy of Early Colonies