LESSON 12 TEACHER’S GUIDE
Pamphleteers of the Revolution
by Pauline Rawley
Fountas-Pinnell Level V
Narrative Nonfiction
Selection Summary
Because of the power of the printed word and revolutionary
individuals like Thomas Paine and Samuel Adams, the Declaration
of Independence was written and distributed. What events
precipitated this?
Number of Words: 2,718
Characteristics of the Text
Genre
Text Structure
Content
Themes and Ideas
Language and
Literary Features
Sentence Complexity
Vocabulary
Words
Illustrations
Book and Print Features
• Narrative nonfiction
• Third-person narrative, organized into ten chapters
• Clear recounting of the events leading up to the writing and printing of pamphlets and the
Declaration of Independence
• Key figures introduced separately, sometimes compared and contrasted
• Events leading up to the American Revolution
• Power of the printed word
• Pamphlet writing placed in context of events
• It is possible to openly challenge unfair mandates and effect change.
• Using tools such as media can be an effective way to spread a message.
• Taking great risks can result in great rewards.
• Quotations from key figures help readers understand colonist’s perspectives
• Questions posed to readers in Introduction create framework for text
• Dependent and independent clauses
• Complex sentences
• Many terms related to economics, such as taxation, revenue, imported
• Many multisyllable words, such as Parliament, colonists, Bostonians, assemblies
• Portraits with captions
• Fine art used to show historic scenes
• Sixteen pages of dense text, some spreads with little or no illustration
• Italics used to list newspaper and pamphlet names
• Bracketed initial letters indicate fragments of written words
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.
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Pamphleteers of the Revolution
by Pauline Rawley
Build Background
Help students use their knowledge of communication in colonial times to understand the
selection. Build interest by asking a question such as the following: What would it be like
to live at a time when information spread slowly? Read the title and author and talk about
the cover illustration. Note that this is a portrait of Thomas Paine, who wrote Common
Sense. Tell students that this selection is narrative nonfiction, and thus explains real
events.
Introduce the Text
Guide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar
language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some
suggestions:
Page 4: Tell students that colonists were ready to go to war to win independence
from Great Britain. Have students read the chapter heading. Ask: How do you think
something like pamphlets could have persuaded colonists to go to war?
Page 6: Tell students that the British Parliament was the governing body of Great
Britain. Ask: Why might colonists have objected to taxes imposed by the British
Parliament?
Page 8: Read the second paragraph. Ask: Can you guess why the repeal of the
Stamp Act was only a temporary victory?
Page 9: Explain the sentence This pamphlet influenced many thousands of
Americans.
Suggested Language: One person can have a big impact when they write
something important.
Page 17: Point out Thomas Paine’s use of all capital letters on page 17. Ask: Why
do you think he used all capital letters?
Now turn back to the beginning of the selection to learn how pamphlets paved the
way for the American Revolution.
Target Vocabulary
advantages – skills or situations
in one’s favor, p. 14
midst – to be in the middle of
doing something, p. 15
prohibit – to ban or forbid
something, p. 14
benefit – something helpful and
useful, p. 10
objected – to have expressed an
opinion against something, p.
5
rebellious – acts against
authority, p. 14
previously – something that
happened before another
event, p. 15
temporary – something meant
to serve only for a short time,
p. 8
contrary – to be stubborn and
disagree with most people, p.
13
Grade 5
2
repeal – to cancel a law, p. 10
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Read
Have students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their
understanding of the text as needed.
Remind students to use the Question Strategy
questions about the text as they read.
and to ask and answer
Discuss and Revisit the Text
Personal Response
Invite students to share their personal responses to the text.
Suggested language: What did you learn about the role of pamphlets in the American
Revolution?
Ways of Thinking
As you discuss the text, help students understand these points:
Thinking Within the Text
Thinking Beyond the Text
Thinking About the Text
• Pamphlets were an important
means of spreading the spirit of
independence.
• Public opinion is extremely
important when people are trying
to bring about change.
• The text condenses major
historical events into short,
straightforward chapters.
• Writing about independence and
revolution helped colonists feel
empowered to speak about it.
• The written word is a very
powerful force in society.
• Captions are used with portraits
and fine art to provide more
information about events.
• The author uses em dashes for
emphasis and to encourage
readers to reflect.
© 2006. Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, Heinemann, Portsmouth, N.H.
Choices for Further Support
• Fluency Invite students to participate in choral reading. Remind them to adjust their
reading rate and tone when reading a direct quotation from one of the pamphleteers.
• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion,
revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go
back to the text to support their ideas.
• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using
examples from the text. Remind students that some words contain Latin roots. For
example, colonist is derived from the Latin word colonus, which means farmer.
Grade 5
3
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Writing about Reading
Critical Thinking
Have students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 12.8.
Responding
Have students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader’s
Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding
of the comprehension skill.
Target Comprehension Skill
Fact and Opinion
Remind students that they can identify facts and
opinions within the text. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer, using a
“Think Aloud” like the one below:
Think Aloud
On page 16, the author notes that Common Sense may have been the
most influential pamphlet in Revolutionary times. That strong word
choice suggests that this is probably an opinion. Put this opinion in the
right-hand box. In this way, fact and opinion have been clarified.
Practice the Skill
Have students share an example of another narrative nonfiction text in which they needed
to distinguish fact from opinion.
Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the Text
Have students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they
think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings.
Assessment Prompts
• What sentences on page 17 suggest that Thomas Paine was angry?
• What can the reader conclude about the Boston Massacre? Why do you think that?
• An important message in the text is
________________________________________________________________.
Grade 5
4
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English Language Development
Reading Support Check regularly on students’ oral reading to determine accuracy,
fluency, and comprehension.
Cultural Support The selection includes many references to the structure of American
government, law, and economy during colonial times. Guide students as needed to
understand the basic premise of references to these topics.
Oral Language Development
Check student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’
English proficiency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.
Beginning/Early Intermediate
Intermediate
Early Advanced/ Advanced
Speaker 1: Who wanted independence
from Britain?
Speaker 1: When do the events in this
text take place?
Speaker 2: colonists
Speaker 2: Just before, and at the
beginning of, the Revolutionary War.
Speaker 1: How was John
Dickinson different from previous
pamphleteers?
Speaker 1: How did colonists
communicate their frustration?
Speaker 2: with the printed word
Speaker 1: Who wrote Common
Sense?
Speaker 1: Why did the Stamp Act anger
colonists?
Speaker 2: Their tax money would be
sent to Britain.
Speaker 2: John Dickinson was
cautious. He wanted colonists
to behave peacefully. He did not
believe that violence would solve
any problems.
Speaker 2: Thomas Paine
Lesson 12
Name
Date
Critical Thinking
Responding
BLACKLINE MASTER 12.8
Pamphleteers of the
Revolution
Critical Thinking
Read and answer the questions. Possible responses shown.
1. Think within the text What did the delegates at the First and
Fact and Opinion Think about
the facts and opinions the author gives about
Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense. Then
copy the chart below. Add more facts and opinions
to the chart.
TARGET SKILL
Second Continental Congress decide to tell all the colonies?
to form independent militias
2. Think within the text What is an example of an opinion in Thomas
Paine’s Common Sense?
“Of more worth is one honest man to society...than all the
Fact
Opinion
More than 120,000
copies were sold in
three months.
?
crowned ruffians that ever lived.”
3. Think beyond the text How might the United States be different
today if the colonists had not be rebelled?
There might not be a United States at all. We might all be citizens
of England.
4. Think about the text Why does the author say that writing was
more powerful in the past than it is now?
The printed word has less power now because there are more
types of media to compete with, such as commercials, radio, and
the Internet.
Write About It
Making Connections The Americans used propaganda, which spreads and
often changes the facts for a special purpose to persuade people. What are
some ways that propaganda is or can be used today?
Text to World The Boston Tea Party was an important
event in U.S. history. Think of another important event
in U.S. history. Write two paragraphs summarizing this
event and explaining its importance.
Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.
19
10
Critical Thinking
Grade 5, Unit 3: Revolution!
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5
3/23/09 9:22:21 AM
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Name
Date
Pamphleteers of the Revolution
Thinking Beyond the Text
Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in two paragraphs.
Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal
knowledge to reach new understandings.
Do you think that anger was the most important emotion felt by the
American colonists in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War? Why
or why not? What other emotions do you think the colonists might have felt
at that time? Do you think that the written word in the form of pamphlets
and newspapers is a more effective way to express anger than in verbal
speeches and conversation? Why or why not?
Grade 5
6
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Lesson 12
Name
BLACKLINE MASTER 12.8
Date
Critical Thinking
Pamphleteers of the
Revolution
Critical Thinking
Read and answer the questions.
1. Think within the text What did the delegates at the First and
Second Continental Congress decide to tell all the colonies?
2. Think within the text What is an example of an opinion in Thomas
Paine’s Common Sense?
3. Think beyond the text How might the United States be different
today if the colonists had not be rebelled?
4. Think about the text Why does the author say that writing was
more powerful in the past than it is now?
Making Connections The Americans used propaganda, which spreads and
often changes the facts for a special purpose to persuade people. What are
some ways that propaganda is or can be used today?
Write your answer in your Reader’s Notebook.
Grade 5
7
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Student
Lesson 12
Date
BLACKLINE MASTER 12.12
Pamphleteers of the
Revolution
Running Record Form
page
6
Selection Text
Errors
Self-Corrections
Accuracy Rate
Total SelfCorrections
American newspapers immediately printed angry words of
protest, including the first calls of “no taxation
7
without representation.” In Virginia, Patrick Henry pushed
several resolutions through the House of Burgesses, Virginia’s
assembly. The resolutions said that only the House of
Burgesses had the right to tax Virginians. They also said that
Virginians should not have to obey the Stamp Act—or pay any
other tax, either. They added that anyone who said otherwise
was “an enemy.”
To question a tax was one thing. To write that the king was “an
enemy” was something else. The British governor of Virginia
soon closed the assembly.
Comments:
(# words read
correctly/102 ×
100)
%
Read word correctly
Code
✓
cat
Repeated word,
sentence, or phrase
®
Omission
—
cat
cat
Grade 5
Behavior
Error
0
0
Substitution
Code
cut
cat
1
Self-corrects
cut sc
cat
0
Insertion
the
1
cat
Error
1414323
Behavior
ˆ
Word told
1
8
T
cat
1
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