THE REVOLUTION BEGINS: Battle of Lexington and Concord—DAY 1 By Cathy Sandberg STANDARD II, Objective 2a—Understand key events of the Revolutionary War militia—volunteer soldiers who fight in emergencies ammunition—musket balls and gunpowder, anything fired from a gun What is “the shot heard round the world?” Explain how the events at Lexington, Concord, and along the Battle Road led to the war between the colonies and Great Britain. K-­‐W-­‐L—Battle of Lexington and Concord—As a class spend 5-­‐10 minutes accessing background knowledge of these events. Use a large poster to record information. Show a map of Boston, Lexington, and Concord, Massachusetts, on the doc camera so students can gain some understanding of the geography of this area. Show how Lexington is on the way to Concord and it is about 22 miles from Boston to Concord. Boston is not an island but a peninsula connected by a narrow isthmus. TEACHER: It is April 18, 1775. The British are trying to force the colonists to submit to King George III and the laws Parliament has passed. The harsh laws have caused many colonists to rebel and seek independence from England. The colonists have stored guns and ammunition to supply the “minutemen” who were colonial men willing to fight for freedom with just a few minutes warning. There were two short skirmishes (or minor battles) on April 18—one in Lexington, and one by the Old North Bridge in Concord, MA. STUDENTS: Read Shell leveled text “The American Revolution” pages 111-­‐115 (three levels) just the first two paragraphs. Put students in their guided reading groups of six students. Then break them into groups of three. Each group has a copy of their leveled shell text. Have students “search and seize” with a highlighter by marking only 5 or 6 key words per stanza that they agree are the key points. Have students discuss key people, names, and events that led to the Revolutionary War in their group. Have students write down three facts they have learned about events and people involved in the American Revolution on a 3 x 5 card. Each student gets a card and writes their facts. Do folded line strategy with students using their cards to explain their knowledge of key people and events leading to the American Revolutionary War. Some questions they might consider are: Who was General Thomas Gage? What was he trying to do? Who fired the first shot? Which side started the war? Who were the Sons of Liberty? Why did Paul Revere and others ride through the night? What is the “shot heard round the world?” Why is this important? DAY 2 STANDARD II, Objective 2a—Understand key events of the Revolutionary War R.L. 2—Summarize text of a poem Remind the students that yesterday we learned about some key people and events that led to the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Solicit information from the class about • Paul Revere and others riding to warn the colonists that the British soldiers were coming to find and take their weapons • Battle at Lexington We did not talk about the shots fired in Concord, MA, by the Old North Bridge. Show a picture of this area. Explain that the British soldiers marched to Concord after their skirmish at Lexington and found the Concord Militia (minutemen) preparing to fight them. The British soldiers tried to remove the plank bridge so the colonists couldn’t cross and join the other militias to fight the British soldiers. The British soldiers had burned the stash of weapons in Concord and the Colonists thought the British soldiers were burning their homes in Concord. Shots were fired and some men were killed. The British were outnumbered so they began a retreat back to Boston. All along the way the colonial militia hid behind trees, hills, and rocks and began shooting British soldiers as they marched back to Boston. Many British soldiers were killed by this sniping manner of warfare. These two battles are known as the Battle of Lexington and Concord. No one knows who fired the first shot, but the battle for independence had begun. The “shot heard round the world” is a phrase written by Ralph Waldo Emerson in a poem called “Concord Hymn” written 62 years later on July 4, 1837, to give remembrance and reverence for the battle that day in Concord. STUDENTS: In 8 groups of four students read Emerson’s poem, “Concord Hymn.” Two groups will each read the same stanza for comprehension. • Have students highlight words they don’t know: rude bridge, arched, unfurled, embattled, foe, obelisk, redeem, sires, shaft. Use dictionary to determine the meaning of the word as it is used in the poem. • Discuss and summarize the stanza in the group • Group chooses one word to fill out graphic organizer (example is on page 10 of the Shell Leveled Text books or use one of your own foldables) to be shared with the class • Groups will orally report to the class their stanza in sequential order and explain their vocabulary word using their graphic organizer TEACHER: May show pictures of Lexington, the Old North Bridge, the Obelisk, plaque of grave of British Soldiers, cemetery—use internet if you don’t have these from our trip. Some are in the DROPBOX from DeAnn Moore. Discuss meaning of the “shot heard round the world” • Beginning of the American Revolutionary War • Birth of a new nation • Freedom from tyranny • Death of the British Empire in America It has come to mean the importance of single activities such as: • Shooting of Archduke Franz Ferdinand which began World War I • Special records set by athletes Show videolicious video about Battle of Lexington and Concord as review With class use K-­‐W-­‐L Chart and fill in LEARNED column with facts gained from this lesson TEXT FOR VIDEOLICIOUS: On April 18, 1775, British General Thomas Gage sent soldiers from Boston to seize weapons the colonists were hiding. British soldiers marched to Lexington and saw colonial militia armed and ready to fight. No one knows who fired first, but shots were fired and the American Revolution had begun. The British soldiers marched on to Concord and found “minutemen” ready to fight. The British soldiers found the rebel ammunition and set it on fire. The colonists thought their homes were being burned. Now they were fighting for their lives, their wives, and their homes, as well as their freedom! Again, shots were fired. This Battle of Lexington and Concord we now refer to as “the shot heard round the world.” It was the beginning of the Revolutionary War. WRITING: Have students fill in a STOP AND WRITE graphic organizer about the “shot heard round the world.” Do this exercise as a whole group unless you have practiced it with the students. Glue this into their writing journal. Now have students do a RAFT writing assignment. They may choose the ROLE of either a minuteman or a British soldier. All students will write to the AUDIENCE of a letter home to their parents. All students will write in the FORMAT of a letter. All students will write on the TOPIC of the “shot heard round the world” and what happened to begin the war of the American Revolution. The letter should be one page with at least three paragraphs. MAP OF BOSTON, LEXINGTON, AND CONCORD, MA Old North Bridge, Concord, MA STOP AND WRITE Although I already knew that ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ I learned that ______________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ I also learned that __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ But the most interesting thing I learned is ____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ One question I have is _____________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Concord Hymn
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.
The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set today a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson--