The Revolutionary War

Introduction

This Webquest provides links to the events of the Revolutionary War.

The following are links to videos with embedded questions that summarize the Revolutionary War.  These videos can only be viewed in Firefox.  The students can view before or throughout the completion of the the Webquest. Accompanying worksheets with the same questions are provided in the 5th grade curriculum. 

The Revolutionary War: Declaration of Independence

https://edpuzzle.com/media/53be8283438b73b9132d40da

The Revolutionary War: Victory or Death

https://edpuzzle.com/media/53be8284438b73b9132d40dc

The Revolutionary War: Fortunes of War

https://edpuzzle.com/media/53be8285438b73b9132d40de

To access other EdPuzzle Videos go here: https://www.tes.com/lessons/QjBQjEjXJ6pINg/

Your students can view the following videos in the BlendSpace Presentation"

Events Leading Up to the War

What's the Big Idea Ben Franklin

Shhhhh We're Writing a Consitution

Assistive Technology/Modifications

There are several ways to ensure students who need help with reading and comprehension can complete these WebQuest.

  1. Text-to-Speech:
    • Highlight the text in the websites.
    • Go to Edit on the Safari toolbar.
    • Scroll down to Speech.
    • Click on Start Speaking.
  • 2. Rewordify.com:  Rewordify.com is a website that simplifies text by using synonyms for difficult words.
    •  Go to rewordify.com.
    • Highlight and copy the information from your website.
    • Paste the information into rewordify.com
    • Click rewordify text. (This text can also be read to the student using the same process as above.
  • 3.Blendspace.com Multimedia Presentation:  This presentation was created for students who have difficulty focusing on a specific part of a task when a lot of information is presented. 
    • Go to this link: https://www.tes.com/lessons/MSX4nG5MwhUQ2Q/
    • Press "Play" on the tool bar.
    • The same websites and questions are in this presentation except that each slide only contains the information for one event.

Please go to the Evaluation tab on the sidebar to learn how the information from this Webquest can be utilized to fulfill the requirements of the Union City Grade 5 Benchmarks.

 
or

The additional 3 explanatory/opinion and 2 narrative pieces the students should produce throughout the year in addition to the marking period benchmarks. 

This Webquest corresponds to Chapter 5 sections 3-5 of the My World Building Our Country textbook.

Task

 

Under each topic are websites and guiding questions that enable students to research and discover the events of the American Revolutionary War.

Process

The First Continental Congress

    1. Why did the First Continental Congress meet?
    2. Who was allowed to attend?
    3. What was the purpose of the meeting?  What was the result?

 The Second Continental Congress

    1. How did the Second Continental Congress change its role in governing?
    2. How did the events at Lexington and Concord change the tone of this second meeting of the colonial delegates?
    3. What actions of the Second Continental Congress were in opposition to each other?

 

Common Sense and Independence

    1. Why did Thomas Paine write Common Sense and how did it help the Revolution?
    2. What reasons were cited in the Declaration for the colonies rebelling?
    3. Who were the authors of the Declaration?

Fort Ticonderoga

    1. Why was the location of Fort Ticonderoga so important?
    2. Why and how did the Americans lose the Fort in July 1777?

Battle of Bunkerhill

  1. Why did the Americans lose the Battle of Bunkerhill?
  2. Why did this battle increase the colonial force's confidence that can successfully fight the British?

Battle of Trenton

  1. Why did General Washington choose December 26, 1776 to attack the British?
  2. What was the significance of this battle?

Battle of Saratoga

  1. What was General Burgoyne's plan to defeat the American Colonies?
  2. What did General Howe do that prevented General Burgoyne's from successfully completing his plan?
  3. How did the Americans engage the British from a distance at Freeman's Farm?  What was the result of the battle?
  4. At the Battle of Bemis Heights who had the favorable position?
  5. How did the British respond to the attack? 
  6. What was the result of the Battle of Bemis?
  7. How did this battle influence the international community?

Battle of Yorktown

  1. As General Cornwallis was retreating to Yorktown where were the Colonial and French troops moving?
  2. What did General Cornwallis do in response to the General Washington's deception that he was going to attack New York?
  3. What the significance of the Battle of Yorktown?
Evaluation

Benchmarks

  • Writing Task 2B*: Write a 5-paragraph opinion essay on teacher-selected topic (Ex: create an amendment that the student would like to add to the Constitution).  Score at least a 3 on the NJ Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. W 5.1, W 5.4, W 5.5, W 5.10, L 5.2
    • Students can write an opinion essay on which battle or battles were most important for the overall colonial victory of the revolutionary war.
  • Writing Task 2C*: Write a 5-paragraph informational/explanatory piece on teacher-selected topic (Ex: important people from the American Revolution).  Score at least a 3 on the NJ Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. W 5.2, W 5.4, W 5.5, W 5.10, L 5.2, L 5.6
    • Students can write an explanatory essay regarding which historical figure's action were most important during the Revolutionary War.