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Resources available through Reporting the Revolutionary War are best integrated into an existing unit on the topic. For example, the lesson plan Evaluating Civil Disobedience provides students with the opportunity to explore reactions to the Stamp Act and develop a Parliamentary Resolution. In addition to using the premade lesson plans available on the site, both teachers and students can use the mini-archive, videos, and articles as a reference to increase their own content knowledge of the Revolutionary War. Finally, while they're not required to use the materials on the site, it is recommended that teachers purchase the book, as the lesson plans highlight chapters that are aligned with the content covered in the various activities.
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Reporting the Revolutionary War is the companion website for a book of the same title. Along with information about the book, the site includes a link to an Education page containing a mini-archive, lesson plans, videos, and articles. The mini-archive has a timeline of images and links to early newspapers. Four lesson plans submitted by a high-school teacher are also provided. All four lessons give detailed instructions for implementing a variety of educational activities that incorporate early newspaper articles about the Revolutionary War. In addition, lessons are aligned to the Common Core standards for Literacy in History and Social Studies, grades 9-10. Videos are provided through a YouTube channel, and articles come primarily from the author’s site, RagLinen.
The educational resources that accompany the book, Reporting the Revolutionary War, can be useful on their own. As teachers make the shift to the Common Core, it's always helpful to come across more ways to align curriculum to the new standards. The lesson plans can be used as is, while also serving as models for different ways of using primary sources in the classroom. For example, in the Town Hall Meeting lesson plan, students read an excerpt from the Pennsylvania Gazette and then take on the role of someone living in Colonial America as they prepare for a town hall meeting about issues raised in the Gazette article. Lessons can be modified to address additional standards and assignments can be used while studying different historical events.
Students are encouraged to develop their critical-thinking, writing, collaboration, and communication skills. Although interesting to history enthusiasts, the videos and articles could be challenging to use in a general education classroom. If used, they may require extensive scaffolding, with background information and questions provided to help students understand the content.