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Creative Problem Solving

Lesson Plan
Social Studies
3
British Rule Mess
2+ Hours
Jessica Foster

Instructional Unit Content

Standard(s)/Element(s)
Content Area Standard
SS3H1 The student will explain the political roots of our modern democracy in the United
States of America.
TAG Standard
Creative Thinking and Problem Solving
2. The student designs, applies, evaluates, and adapts a variety of innovative strategies to
when problem solving (e.g., recognizes problems, defines problems, identifies possible
solutions, selects optimal solution, implements solution, and evaluates solution).
3. The student incorporates brainstorming and other idea-generating techniques
(synectics, SCAMPER, etc.) to solve problems or create new products.
Summary/Overview
The focus of this lesson is to creatively identify and solve the problem of the British Rule over
the American colonies.

Enduring Understanding(s)
At the end of this lesson the student will understand
a. The growth and development of America was affected negatively and positively
by economic and political factors in the country.
b. Many problems and solutions can be attributed to the same set of events.
Essential Question(s)
How did Britains rule over the colonies led to a new way of life?

Concept(s) to Maintain
Monarchy
Democracy
American Revolution
The Rules of Brainstorming
Evidence of Learning
What students should know:
a. Great Britain ruled over the 13 colonies in America.
b. Patriots were people who were against the British and wanted independence.
c. Loyalists were people who were loyal towards the British.
d. The King put high taxes on popular items in the colonies.
e. The Patriots wanted to fight against Britain, which eventually led to the American
Revolution.
What students should be able to do:
a. design, apply, evaluate, and adapt a variety of innovative strategies to when
problem solving (e.g., recognizes problems, defines problems, identifies possible
solutions, selects optimal solution, implements solution, and evaluates solution).
b. incorporate brainstorming and other idea-generating techniques (synectics,
SCAMPER, etc.) to solve problems or create new products.
Suggested Vocabulary

Great Britain
Patriots
Loyalists
Boston Tea Party
Red Coats
Colony
Tax
Boycott
freedom
American Revolution

Procedure(s)
Phase 1: Hook
1. Students will participate in a Guided Imagery Exercise. Students will record and discuss
feelings that result from the guided imagery.

Phase 2: Examine the Content

2. Mess: Distribute the British Rule Mess Packet. Students will read the mess individually.
3.

Students will work in small group to list all the facts and opinions obtained from the
reading. Each group will generate a list of unanswered questions to research for
homework or in the media center.

Phase 3: Creative Problem Solving

4.

Review the Rules of Brainstorming: 1)Go for quantity. 2) Wild and crazy ideas are okay.
3) Piggy-back on the ideas of others. 4) No judgmentpositive or negative.

5.

Problem-Finding: Each group will brainstorm the problems seen as a result of the mess.
Opportunity is provided for grouping of similar problems and selecting from the top
three. From the top three problems, each group will develop a solvable problem
statement beginning with How might we

6.

Idea-Finding: Each group will brainstorm solutions to the problem statement.

Opportunity is provided for grouping of similar problems and selecting from the top five.

7.

Solution-Finding: Each group will develop criteria to evaluate the five solutions and use
a decision-making grid to determine the best solution. Opportunity is provided for
research to make valid evaluations against the criteria.

8.

Acceptance-Finding: Each group will develop an action plan for implementing the
solution.

Phase 4: Synthesis Activity

9.

Each group will develop a product (e.g., persuasive letter, flow chart, speech, etc.) for
sharing its solution for the British Rule.

Summarizing Activity
Shapely Debrief
In regards to the conflict with the British Rule
Something I learned that squares with my beliefs
Three points to remember
One question still going around in your mind

Resource(s):
http://historyisfun.org/pdf/teaoverboard/why_were_the_american_colonies_unhappy_with_the_british_government.pdf

Anchor Text(s):
Technology:
None
Handouts:
Handout 1:
Handout 2:
Handout 3:
Handout 4:

Hook- Guided Imagery Exercise

British Rule Mess Packet
Rules of Brainstorming
Shapely Debrief

Guided Imagery for British Rule

Please find a comfortable sitting position. You may rest your head on your desk
if you like. Close your eyes and sit very quietly. Take a couple of moments and
notice how your body feels. Are you holding your breath, or do you breathe
evenly? Notice if you feel any tension or stress in any part of your body. Now
youre going to relax your body as you relax your breath.
Breathe in and out and in and out. Feel the tension in your body
created by a hard day at school. Breathe in and out Feel the tension
run from your body and out your toes. Breathe in and out exhale. Allow
yourself to let go of any thoughts or worries. Continue to breathe in and
out.
You are a young person and live in Boston in the 1770s with your parents. You
awake on a sunny morning to the sound of your father whispering to a fellow
Patriot about the King. He sounds so frustrated because the King has started a
tax to be put on every paper you use. You jump out of bed to quickly get
dressed because today you are going to town with your father, but you really
want to hear the conversation he is having as well. When you tip toe into the
living room, your father is talking loudly now about how the King is basically
stealing everyones money. As you get closer, your father sees you and
immediately stops talking. He tells the gentlemen that he is talking you into town,
and he will have to finish the conversation later.
You father puts you on the back of the horse, and you immediately feel guilty for
eaves dropping, but your father doesnt seem upset. He just asks you not to
repeat anything you heard in town because the British soldiers would not
appreciate that kind of talk about the King. Once you are in town, you see
outraged men and women outside of the store with signs, and British soldiers
trying to calm everyone down. They are screaming something about tea. Your
father runs into the crowd, and you see his face turn red. What could possibly be
going on this early in the morning? You ask a woman nearby, and she tells you
that the British have put a high tax on tea, and it is too expensive to buy
anymore. You are confused about why everyone is so upset our tea, but then
you realize that it is more than that. First, it was paper, and now it is tea. What
are they going to put tax on next? Concentrate on all of the thoughts and
emotions running through your mind.
Now bring yourself back to the present as I count to five. Open your eyes at the
count of five. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Slowly open your eyes and write how you felt and
reacted as a young person in California whose family is poor, and you have to
help your father work to make money.

British Rule Mess

Why were the American colonies unhappy with the British
government?
By the 1770s, Great Britain had established a number of colonies in North
America. The American colonists thought of themselves as citizens of Great
Britain and subjects of King George III. They were tied to Britain through trade
and by the way they were governed. Trade was restricted so the colonies had
to rely on Britain for imported goods and supplies. There were no banks and very
little money, so colonists used barter and credit to get the things they needed.
Following the French and Indian War, Britain wanted to control expansion
into the western territories. The King issued the Proclamation of 1763 prohibiting
settlements beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists who had already
settled on these lands were ordered to return east of the mountains.
In 1765 Parliament passed the Quartering Act that said the colonists
needed to find or pay for lodging for British soldiers stationed in America. With
the French and Indian War over, many colonists saw no need for soldiers to be
stationed in the colonies.
Britain also needed money to pay for its war debts. The King and
Parliament believed they had the right to tax the colonies. They decided to
require several kinds of taxes from the colonists to help pay for the French and
Indian War. These taxes included the Stamp Act, passed in 1765, which required
the use of special paper bearing an embossed tax stamp for all legal
documents. Other laws, such as the Townsend Acts, passed in 1767, required the
colonists to pay taxes on imported goods like tea.
Many colonists felt that they should not pay these taxes, because they
were passed in England by Parliament, not by their own colonial governments.
They protested, saying that these taxes violated their rights as British citizens.
The colonists started to resist by boycotting, or not buying, British goods. In
1773 some colonists in Boston, Massachusetts demonstrated their frustration by
dressing up like Indians, sneaking onto ships in the harbor, and dumping
imported tea into the water. This was called the Boston Tea Party. The British took
action by closing the Boston port. A similar but smaller tea party took place in
Yorktown, Virginia in 1774.
The First Continental Congress met in 1774 to make a list of complaints
about the way Britain was treating the colonies. Many people in America felt
their concerns were not being heard, and this caused more unhappiness in the
colonies.
In April of 1775, a group of colonists fought against the British army in the
Battles of Lexington and Concord. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress
decided to form a Continental Army, which consisted of citizens from 13
colonies. George Washington was selected to be the Commander-in-Chief of
the Army. The colonies were ready to fight for their rights.

CPS Step 1: Fact Finding

List all of the important details and facts that you can from the mess.

List at least three questions that you need answered to completely understand
the mess.
1.
2.
3.

CPS Step 2: Problem Finding

Brainstorm the many, varied, and unusual problems that result from the mess.

Create a problem statement.

How might we
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________?

CPS Step 3: Idea Finding

Brainstorm the many, varied, and unusual possible solutions to the problem.
How might we
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________?

Brainstorm the many, varied, and unusual criteria that can be used to evaluate
the solutions to the problem.

CPS Step 4: Solution Finding

Solutions/Criteria

CPS Step 5: Acceptance Finding

Develop an action plan for implementing your solution. Be sure to include
who should be involved
a timeline
a way to evaluate the success or appropriateness

11

Rules of Brainstorming

1)Go for quantity.

2) Wild and crazy ideas are okay.

3)Piggy-back on the ideas of others.

4) No judgmentpositive or negative.

12

In regards to the British Rule mess

Something I learned that SQUARES with my beliefs

SHAPELY
DEBRIEF
A question going
AROUND in my
mind

Three important POINTS to remember

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