Author:
Bonnie Waltz, Deanna Mayers, Tracy Rains
Subject:
Social Science, Political Science
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
Upper Primary
Grade:
4, 5
Tags:
  • Boston Tea Party
  • Declaration of Independance
  • Founding Fathers
  • Social Studies
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
    Language:
    English
    Media Formats:
    Downloadable docs, Interactive, Text/HTML, Video

    The Boston Tea Party

    The Boston Tea Party

    Overview

    On July 4, 1776, our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence to relieve our country of British rule. The colonists were tired of being bossed around by King George. In this seminar you will learn about one of the ways the colonists rebelled against the high taxes from Great Britain--the Boston Tea Party. By the end of this seminar, you will be able to construct support for the Boston Tea Party as a necessary risk taken by the colonists on the road to freedom.

    Standards

    5.1.4 D Identify key ideas about government found in significant documents: Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, Pennsylvania Constitution

    Engage

    Introductory warm-up activity

    This image is being placed in a new gallery in Washington, D.C. Create a summary of what is happening in this image. Your summary will be placed underneath the image in the gallery so people can understand this picture better.

    ByW.D. Cooper, CC0 Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16857908

     

     

    Explore

    Read or watch the resources to learn about this concept, then do the practice activity.

     

    Read

    Watch

    Do

    Read this article to learn more about the reasons colonists were upset with King George, III and Great Britain.

    Watch this video to learn about the contributing factors that pushed our founding fathers to write the Declaration of Independence.

    Interact with this website to learn more about the Boston Tea Party and the reasons the colonists were upset with Great Britain

    Explain

    Discuss your ideas / opinions / understandings.

    Directions:

    Imagine that you were living in Boston in 1773. What would your role have been in the Boston Tea Party? Discuss your answer to this question.

    Evaluate

    Now it is time to self-check how much you have learned about the the Boston Tea Party.  If you do not know as much as you thought, go back to the “Explore” section of this seminar and reread, rewatch, or redo the activities listed.  See your facilitator if you have questions.

    Directions: 

    Click here to take the quiz online. You do not have to log into the quiz site in order to take this quiz. If a window pops up asking you to sign up for the quiz site, just close the sign-up window and start your quiz.

    Elaborate

    This is a task or project where you can show what you know.

    Directions:

    Create a model of the Boston Tea Party. Your model must accurately represent the events of the Boston Tea Party and give information as to why this happened. Choose one of the ways to present your model below. Use this rubric as you create your project.

    Types of Activities:

    • Write and perform a skit

    • Make a video

    • Perform a puppet show

    • Create a poster

    Express

    Complete this wrap-up activity where you reflect on your learning.  

    The Boston Tea Party was a way that the colonists responded to problems going on. What are some problems you see in the school that you believe adults should be working to solve? Write a paragraph to answer that question.