Cooperative Learning
Teacher Name: Nadine Uremovich
Subject and Grade: 5th grade Social Studies
Unit Title: “Liberty”
Lesson Title: “Tension in the Colonies”
1) State Standards:
I. US History. D. Political Unrest and the American Revolution. The student will demonstrate an
understanding of the causes and course of the American Revolution.
2) Expectations:
Given a textbook reading and/or a peer directed dramatic play:
• Students will identify who made the laws in the 13 colonies and in Britain during early British
colonial rule.
• Students will identify reasons why British colonists were satisfied with British rule before the
French and Indian War.
• Students will identify how life changed for the colonists after the French and Indian War.
• Students will identify “taxation without representation” as a primary reason why the new taxes
angered the colonists.
• Students will identify ways that British colonists protested British policy.
• Students will understand the role the Stamp Act congress played in facilitating protest against
British policy.
• Students will work in cooperative groups to synthesize the new learning and produce a dramatic
skit to share with the class.
• Students will create an original work of art showing the reasons for tension in the colonies after
the French and Indian War.
Materials:
• Textbooks
• “Mini-play” worksheets
• Simple props (wigs, mustaches, beards, hats, newspapers, etc.)
Anticipatory Set:
Who can give me a vocabulary word we learned in the last lesson?
• As students offer vocabulary words, write the words on the board. If the vocabulary word is
related to another vocabulary word, show the connection by drawing a line between the two
words. Briefly review the vocabulary
Procedure:
• Divide the class into groups of 4
• Assign each group one section of text.
• Hand out “mini-plays” worksheet
• Independently, students spend 10 minutes reading their section and finding answers to their
section of “mini-plays.”
•
•
•
•
•
As a group, students agree on answers for the questions, and create a play/skit that teaches the
rest of the students the answers to the questions. Encourage the use of props, but give students a
limit (1 prop/person) Give the students 10 minutes.
As the students are preparing, the teacher should visit each group to make sure they are on track,
it is important that each group knows the answers to their questions.
Students perform skits; their objective is to teach the class the answers to their section questions.
The students in the audience should be able to answer the questions from the worksheet after the
performance.
After the performance, the students remain up front to answer questions. There is a short QA
period, where the audience can ask the performers to answer the questions from the worksheet,
or to explain how their play shows them the answer.
Assessments:
• “Mini-play Summaries” assesses the factual knowledge. Performance and Q&A period assess
the students’ abilities to synthesize the text and teach it to the class.
Homework/Independent practice: Students create a quality storyboard from the worksheet
Name_________________________________________________________________________
Mini-play Summaries
British Rule pgs. 225-226
Who made the laws in Great Britain?
Who made the laws in the colonies?
Do you think the colonists were satisfied with their self-governments during the 1600s? Why?
French Indian War: pgs. 226-228
How did the lives of the British colonists change after the French and Indian War?
1.
2.
3.
New Taxes for the Colonists: pgs 232-233
What was the Sugar Act?
Why did the British government pass the Sugar Act?
What did the colonists think of the Sugar Act?
Name_________________________________________________________________________
The Stamp Act pgs: 233-234
What was it about the Stamp Act that angered the colonists? (Hint: It was NOT money!)
What did James Otis say that many colonists began repeating?
People Protest in Different Ways pgs. 234-235
How did the British colonists protest?
• Name 2 peaceful protests:
•
Name 2 violent protests
The Stamp Act Congress pgs. 236-237
1. Who was part of the Stamp Act Congress?
2. What did the Stamp Act Congress ask the colonists to do?
3. How did Parliament react to the Stamp Act Congress
4. How was the Boston Massacre used as propaganda (misleading information
Name_________________________________________________________________________
Mini-play Summaries
British Rule pgs. 225-226
Who made the laws in Great Britain? By the monarch and Parliament
Who made the laws in the colonies? Colonial legislatures and Parliament
Do you think the colonists were satisfied with their self-governments during the 1600s? Why?
The colonists were satisfied because they were allowed to have a colonial legislature.
French Indian War: pgs. 226-228
How did the lives of the British colonists change after the French and Indian War?
1. colonists paid taxes to Great Britain to cover war costs
2. colonization was restricted…colonists could not settle western lands
3. colonial governments were restricted.
New Taxes for the Colonists: pgs 232-233
What was the Sugar Act?
A tariff imposed on the colonists.
Why did the British government pass the Sugar Act?
To pay for the French and Indian War
What did the colonists think of the Sugar Act?
Many colonists objected, but some supported because they were loyalists.
Name_________________________________________________________________________
The Stamp Act pgs: 233-234
What was it about the Stamp Act that angered the colonists? (Hint: It was NOT money!)
They did not have a say in the law.
What did James Otis say that many colonists began repeating?
“no taxation without representation”
People Protest in Different Ways pgs. 234-235
How did the British colonists protest?
• Name 2 peaceful protests:
colonists signed petitions and sent representatives to talk to Parliament
•
Name 2 violent protests
Attacked tax collectors
Stole property
The Stamp Act Congress pgs. 236-237
5. Who was part of the Stamp Act Congress? representatives from 9 colonies
6. What did the Stamp Act Congress ask the colonists to do? boycott British goods
7. How did Parliament react to the Stamp Act Congress? They repealed the Stamp Act, but
they added more restrictions (The Townshend Acts) to the colonists.
8. How was the Boston Massacre used as propaganda (misleading information)? Paul
Revere made it look like the Redcoats fired into an innocent crowed in broad daylight.
The news spread and angered colonists all over the 13 colonies. The anger united the
colonists against the British.
Mini-play Instructions:
1. Look at the questions for your play
2. Independently read your assigned passage. Answer the questions for
your assigned passage.
3. In your group, share the answers to your questions. All group members
should agree on the answers.
4. Work with your group to develop a short skit that teaches the class about
your part of the text. Remember, no one in the class has read this
passage but your group. It is your group’s job to teach!
5. The audience should be able to answer the key questions by watching
your skit.
Use this checklist to help you prepare:
Y N 1. Everyone in our group read the passage.
Y N 2. Our group agreed on the answers to key questions
Y N 3. Brainstorm skit ideas. Each person in the group must contribute at
least 2! My ideas are:
4. This is how we will “act out” the key questions
•
example:
•
example:
•
example:
•
example:
Assessment Rubric
Assessment
Problem
solving
3
n/a
2
Actively
seeks or
improves on
solutions
Attitude
n/a
Has a positive
attitude
about the
task and
group and is
supportive of
peers
Teamwork
Performed all Performed
duties and did >50% of the
all of the
duties and
assigned work assigned
work
Organization/ Students
Students
Performance present
present
information in information in
a logical
a logical
sequence
sequence
that answers
that fully
answers the
>50% of the
key questions key questions
Student
Content
Students
dialogue
Knowledge
dialogue
demonstrates demonstrates
clear
knowledge of
understanding key concepts
of topic with
and is
confident in
explanations
knowledge
and
elaboration
statements.
1
Does not offer
solutions, but
is willing to try
0
Does not offer,
help, or try.
Is neither
positive nor
negative
Has a negative
attitude or
makes fun of
peers.
Performed
<50% of the
duties and
assigned
work.
Audience has
trouble
understanding
information.
The sequence
answers <50%
of the key
questions
Student
dialogue
demonstrates
that the
student is
unsure.
Performed no
duties and/or
relied on others
to do all the
work.
Audience
cannot make
sense of
information.
Key questions
were not
addressed.
Q&A
Student
answers the
question, and
only part of
the answer is
correct.
Student answers
the question
incorrectly or
does not
respond.
Student
answers the
audience
question
correctly and
with ease
Student
answers the
question
correctly, but
with
uncertainty.
Student
dialogue is not
in line with
content or
demonstrates
misconceptions.
Q&A
3,2,1,0
3,2,1,0
Knowledge
3,2,1,0
Organization
3,2,1,0
Teamwork
Attitude
2,1,0
Problemsolving
2,1,0
Student Name