The Break-Up

Why the Colonies broke away from Great Britain

The purpose of this lesson is to get students to identify the reasons the colonists declared independence from Great Britain. Students will also be able to analyze and make connections to the Revolutionary Era.





Once students enter the classroom, they will listen to the teacher read the "found break-up note." Following the reading of the note, the class will discuss opinions on the justification of the "break-up note." Only then will the teacher inform the students that the note was fake and written to mimic the colonist's motives for declaring independence from Great Britain. Next, students will complete an admit slip to be collected, in which they will write down three reasons colonists may have wanted their independence.




Following the collection of the admit slip, the teacher will show the YouTube clip "Declaration of Independence: Too Late to Apologize." The teacher will ask students to take brief notes while watching the clip. Next, students will use the class smartboard to take turns filling in a t-graph with reasons colonist wanted independence and why Great Britain wanted the colonies.

Students will complete an exit slip giving their opinion on whether or not the colonists were justified in the break-up. Students will complete a crossword puzzle for homework if they did not finish in class. Teacher will ask students to think about what they know about Thomas Jefferson and John Locke.

This will set up for the next class, where students will use blogger.com. Students will be broken up into groups of three and assigned to write a blog as though they were either a colonist or Great Britain. (Teacher will designate who will be who)

Crossword:

http://www.whenwecrosswords.com/crossword/the_break-up/34297/crossword.jsp

Crossword Key:

http://www.whenwecrosswords.com/crossword/the_break-up/34297/crossword_answer.jsp

Video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3tOE_BbRmc

Baby luv,

It’s hard for me to write but I think we need to talk. We’ve been together for so long. Thru good times and some not so good times. We really depended on each other and all of our friends thought we were so cute and MFEO. But things changed. You don’t talk to me like you used to. You never ask me bout what I think. I really feel like I need some space to be on my own and be myself. I don’t know how else to say this but I think we’re over. OVER. And I hate to say it, but I think you are the reason we’re breaking up.

[DISCUSSION HERE]

Goodbye

It says “The American Colonies”….turn to page 187