Meg Treiber

Description of Informal Assessments:

At the beginning of the unit, I will do a
free write. This will allow students to
tell me what they know without me
trying to receive specific facts. I will ask
guiding questions during the time to
write for those who cannot think of
things to write about, but perhaps
know a lot more than they perceive.
I will use exit tickets to gauge if content
was hit each day. This will be simple,
with a focus on my teaching rather than
their achievement level. This will be 1-2
questions that will probably show up
again on the quiz, but will depend on
what I think the students are unsure of
towards the end of the day.
I will informally assess the class during
class discussion. Sometimes keeping so
many viewpoints in line can be difficult,
so I will be able to notice confusion
when we speak about it as a class.

Overview and Rationale for Paper and

Pencil Quiz/Test (see attached test/quiz):

This test is going to focus on the key

concepts. I want to include a range of
options for kinds of questions matching,
short answer and multiple choice. This
will allow me easily see where any
remaining misconceptions may be.
I can describe the role of the
French and Indian War, the
way British policy changed,
and how the colonies
responded. (5-U3.1.1)
I can describe the causes and
effects of the Stamp Act,
Boston Tea Party, the
Intolerable Acts, and the
Boston Massacre. (5-U3.1.2)
I can compare and
contrast the colonists and
British views on
representative
government. (5-U3.1.3)
I can describe similarities
and differences between
life in the colonies and life
today. (D2.His.2.3-5.)
I can explain why women, men,
African Americans, and people of
different colonies had different
feelings about separating from Great
Britain. I can explain why Great
Britain has a different point of view,
too. (D2.His.4.3-5.)
I can read carefully and
make claims from the text
using specific evidence
from the reading. (CCSS.ELALITERACY.CCRA.R.1)

Meg Treiber
Performance Assessment Overview, Rationale, and Objectives (see attachments for
directions to teacher, student directions, and handout):
Goal: for the students to understand the perspectives and controversy leading up to
the American Revolution, sharing an event with historical accuracy
Role: the students will play the role of newspaper columnist
Audience: The Audience will be the class, and all others who read the newspaper
Product/Performance: Students will be creating a newspaper article to describe
their chosen event that was one cause of the American Revolution. This will explain
the event, what the perspectives were of at least two sides of the event, and any other
details they chose.
I can describe the role of the French and Indian War, the way
British policy changed, and how the colonies responded. (5U3.1.1)
I can describe the causes and effects of the Stamp Act, Boston
Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, and the Boston Massacre. (5U3.1.2)

I can compare and contrast the colonists and

British views on representative government. (5U3.1.3)
I can describe similarities and differences
between life in the colonies and life today.
(D2.His.2.3-5.)
I can explain why women, men, African
Americans, and people of different colonies had
different feelings about separating from Great
Britain. I can explain why Great Britain has a
different point of view, too. (D2.His.4.3-5.)
I can write a descriptive story using details to
ignite all of the senses and organization of the
order events happened to portray a real or
imagined event of the past. (CCSS.ELALITERACY.CCRA.W.3)
I can read carefully and make claims from the
text using specific evidence from the reading.
(CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1)

Meg Treiber

Day one homework: the students are becoming historians! We have learned that
there are many causes of the American Revolution.. now it is time for the students to
process these causes. Give the students their outline to brainstorm the event they
might be interested in researching and writing about. The handout is attached. They
should come to school the next day with their outline so that they can start writing.
Day two: This in class time (30 min) is going to be used to start researching our
event. Provide articles for the class or links for them to go online and search. They
should also have some handouts from the unit to use as sources. The students should
learn what led up to the event, what happened directly after, who was involved and
what the opinions of the colonists vs Great Britain were.
Day 3: Draft one of the newspaper article. This should help the students get a better
sense of order, and details they have. They are then allowed to fill in the missing
details, based on the probable evidence they find. The article can have fictional
details but should be clearly based on their research.

Meg Treiber

Historian Brainstorm
In the boxes below, list a few events, people and perspectives that you recall from the causes of the
American Revolution and what role they played. When did it happen? What did they think about
Great Britain? Did everyone agree with this opinion?

People

Events

Perspectives

Day Two: Remind students that all individuals

have their own opinions, which cause events to
happen. Talk about ways that our lives shape our
opinions. Students should research the event of
their choice with this in mind. Their article will be
based on the life of someone who lived during this
time, so they should keep in mind how the events
leading up to the American Revolution would
really impact everyday life.

Meg Treiber

Find a minimum of two sources for your historical

event or character. You may choose a character we
know, or a fictional character telling the story of an
event.
Keep in mind the different kinds of sources we have
been looking at in class. Written documents such as
letters, journal entries and old newspaper articles
videos, primary source photos and engravings. If
there is a source you are struggling to find, ask me
and I can help you find it.
Using your two sources, jot down facts that you
learn. Pull out your document and photo analyzing
worksheet to help you pull out the important details.
You may use a source we have used in class and
avoid filling out this worksheet again.
Next, provide extra details. What details are missing
from your story? Can another source help you find
details? If you have looked, and cannot find them,
this is where you can take creative freedom.
Sticking to the time period, write a newspaper article
about your findings. You may write as a reporter, or
someone who has submitted writing to the paper. You
must chose one perspective to write from.

Meg Treiber

Causes of the American Revolution

Matching
Match the terms on the right to the definitions in the left column. Write the letter to the left of the
definition. Not all terms will be used.

__1. Sons of Liberty

disguised as Mohawk Native
Americans boarded three
British ships and dumped

British tea into Boston

harbor
__2. Voluntarily abstaining
from using, buying, or

Meg Treiber
dealing with a person,
organization, or country as
an expression of protest
__3. Company chartered by
the British government to
trade in the East Indies
__4. War between Britain
and France in North America
between 1754 and 1763
__5. A Colonist who
supported the British cause
__6. A military force that is
raised from the civil
population
__7. Colonists who rebelled
against British control

A. Boston Massacre
B. Boston Tea Party
C. Boycott
D. Conflict
E. East India Company
F. French and Indian War
G. Intolerable Acts
H. Liberty
I. Loyalists
J. Militia
K. Patriots
L. Proclamation
M. Protest
N. Quartering Act
O. Repeal
P. Revolution
Q. Stamp Act

__8. British Act on the

Colonies to provide the
British soldiers with any
needed accommodations or
housing.
__9. British Tax on American
Colonies where every
newspaper, pamphlet, and
other public and legal
document had to have a
British seal on it.

Multiple Choice
Circle the letter representing your final answer. Write the
CAPITAL letter to the left of the question.
___ 10. The British taxed the American Colonies after the
French and Indian War because
A. It was a punishment for the colonists fighting the war.

Meg Treiber
B. It was an expensive war, and the British didnt want to pay for
it.
C. The Colonists sided with the French and were being punished.

___ 11. The Patriots wanted to have freedom from Great Britain
because
A. They wanted to have a government that represented
the people.
B. Great Britain was far away and made it nearly
impossible to vote.
C. John Adams and the King were childhood enemies.

Short Answer:
Answer the following question in complete sentences.
12. Most history textbooks focus on the Colonists desire
to be free from Great Britains rule. Did women support
the cause for freedom? Did African Americans support the
cause for freedom? Explain their perspective of the
American Revolution and why they did or did not want to
gain freedom.

Causes of the American Revolution

KEY

Meg Treiber

Matching
Match the terms on the right to the definitions in the left column. Write the letter to the left of the
definition. Not all terms will be used.

B 1. Sons of Liberty
disguised as Mohawk Native
Americans boarded three
British ships and dumped
British tea into Boston
harbor
C 2. Voluntarily abstaining
from using, buying, or
dealing with a person,
organization, or country as
an expression of protest
E 3. Company chartered by
the British government to
trade in the East Indies
F 4. War between Britain
and France in North America
between 1754 and 1763
I 5. A Colonist who
supported the British cause
J 6. A military force that is
raised from the civil
population
K 7. Colonists who rebelled
against British control
N 8. British Act on the
Colonies to provide the
British soldiers with any
needed accommodations or
housing.
Q 9. British Tax on American
Colonies where every
newspaper, pamphlet, and

other public and legal

document had to have a
British seal on it.

A. Boston Massacre
B. Boston Tea Party
C. Boycott
D. Conflict
E. East India Company
F. French and Indian War
G. Intolerable Acts
H. Liberty
I. Loyalists
J. Militia
K. Patriots
L. Proclamation
M. Protest
N. Quartering Act
O. Repeal
P. Revolution
Q. Stamp Act

Meg Treiber

Multiple Choice
Circle the letter representing your final answer. Write the
CAPITAL letter to the left of the question.
B 10. The British taxed the American Colonies after the
French and Indian War because
A. It was a punishment for the colonists fighting the war.
B. It was an expensive war, and the British didnt want to pay for
it.
C. The Colonists sided with the French and were being punished.

A 11. The Patriots wanted to have freedom from Great Britain

because
A. They wanted to have a government that represented
the people.
B. Great Britain was far away and made it nearly
impossible to vote.
C. John Adams and the King were childhood enemies.

Short Answer:
Answer the following question in complete sentences.
12. Most history textbooks focus on the Colonists desire
to be free from Great Britains rule. Did women support
the cause for freedom? Did African Americans support the
cause for freedom? Explain their perspective of the
American Revolution and why they did or did not want to
gain freedom