Teacher:

Joseph Sullivan and Greg

Fredricks

Pre-Conference Date:

Class:

Social Studies 7

Observation Date:

Evaluator:

Dave Lazarus

Course
Unit
Lesson Title
Objectives

Standards

Social Studies 7
Causes of the American Revolutionary War
Causes of the American Revolutionary War Station Activity

Students will be able to identify the key ideas, events, and people who causes the
American Revolutionary War

Students will be able to compare and contrast the various opinions and points-ofview of various groups of people involved in this time period.

Students will be able to organize and connect the sequence of major events which
precipitated the American Revolutionary War.

Students will make connections between the cause and effect relationship of key
ideas and events which led to the American Revolutionary War.
Arlington Atlas Enduring Understandings:

colonial relationships with an imperialist power are changed by divergent needs

and events.

long standing economic, political and social issues caused the American
Revolution.

revolutionary leaders provided critical ideological and organizational roles.

citizens' expectations of government and their roles and rights in government

can change and evolve.

education, courage, leadership, information, and organization are powerful

weapons of resistance.

the desire of the people to gain an identity as a society and have the power of
self-determination can lead them to take revolutionary or radical actions.

the media (propaganda) plays an important role in creating ideas and attitudes
amongst the American people.
NYS Content Area Standards:

History of the United States and New York

World History

Geography

Economics

Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Connections

Instructional
Materials/Resou
rces

NYS Grade 7 Social Studies Practices:

Gathering, Interpreting and Using Evidence

Chronological Reasoning

Comparison and Contextualization

Geographic Reasoning

Economic and Economic Systems

Civic Participation

This lesson connects to mathematics through the usage of the venn diagram and
timeline.

This lesson connects to ELA through the exploration of cause and effect
relationship, use of nonfiction historical materials and graphic organizers.

desktop PC

projector

online timer

tables

chairs

whiteboard

dry erase markers

Learner Factors

Environmental
Factors

Lesson
Plan/Rationale

electrical tape

venn diagram/timeline/jigsaw worksheets

scissors

construction paper

post-it notes
As with any group activity, the dynamics of the groups will be an issue of concern and will
be monitored. We will also be checking to make sure that all students are participating and
completing their take home materials. Students have been working in groups all year
and are generally respectful and supportive of each other. Students that are stronger will
take on leadership roles within the group and help students that are struggling. Students
that are struggling are actively encouraged to seek assistance from each other first, and
then Mr. Fredricks and I. We may also conference individually with struggling students in
real time and scaffold the activity for them.
We will be constantly monitoring students in real time. These activities draw from various
areas of student skill sets and intelligences. The constant engagement in different
activities also will encourage reluctant learners to participate.
The class will be arranged into three distinct sections. This grouping will be familiar to the
students. Tables will be arranged near the whiteboard at Station 1. Station 2 will be tables
assembled together to form a space for the timeline. Station 3 will be in the rear side of the
room and will allow students easy access to the materials needed for the jigsaw. Transition
periods will be comprised of the students rotating in a clockwise fashion. Students will be
able to see the countdown timer presented on the front board.

Students will enter the classroom and write down their homework in their planners.

They will be assigned a group randomly based on colored post-it notes.

Mr. Fredricks and I will briefly go over the directions of each station. These stations
are modeled on earlier stations that the students have worked at. This eliminates
the need to repeatedly and extensively review the directions.

Students will have approximately 10 minutes at each station and will rotate as
groups once time is up.

Mr. Fredricks and I will continually move throughout the room questioning students
and monitoring their progress. We will also adjust each activity to facilitate success
for the students in each group.

Station 1 is a venn diagram where students will collaborate on comparing and

contrasting how different groups of people felt about the time period leading up to
the Revolutionary War. Students will write their answers on the whiteboard and
collaborate on their answers. Students will copy this information onto a worksheet.

Station 2 is a timeline which lists the major events that occurred in the colonies
from the start of the French and Indian War through the first shots at Lexington and
Concord. This will help the students to organize the key events in a sequential
story that explains how the 13 Colonies went from being loyal to seeking major
changes in how they were ruled by the British. The timeline uses manipulative
event descriptions which allow the students to tactilely arrange them. Students will
then copy this information onto a worksheet. If time permits, students will also
have access to a tactile 13 colonies map which they will be challenged to arrange.

Station 3 is a cause and event station. Students will create jigsaw pieces which will
illustrate the cause and effect relationship between the significant events and ideas
that emerged in the time leading up to the American Revolution.

Formative
Assessment
Strategies
Summative
Assessment

At the conclusion of the station portion of class students will use their post-it notes
as exit tickets. They will generate one question they still have about the chapter.
These will be pinned on the wall and will be used to guide the class review the
following day.
Previous attempts at these station activities have been successful. Potential issues with
participation or completion of the station activities will be assessed and resolved in real
time by Mr. Fredricks and myself.
Students who are struggling will be assisted in real time. Mr. Fredricks and I will scaffold
and assist struggling students/groups in real time.
Students grasp of the lesson will be assessed in real time by Mr. Fredricks and I. We will
monitor completion of the activity and participation as students move through the stations.
We will also be assessing students progress in the completion of the review questions the
following day.
The summative assessment will be a test on Friday. The test is comprised of thematic
multiple choice questions, vocabulary, a map and a student created political

Technology
Notes

cartoon/explanation paragraphs.
We will be using the desktop to take attendance. We will also be projecting a station timer
on the front board.

Teacher:
Pre-Conference Date:

Class:
Observation Date:

Evaluator: