UEDU 4001/5001 Fall 2015

Hillary Fendrich
Elizabeth Lopez
Brittany Kelly

Cross-disciplinary Curricular Framework

Section I: Topics and Concepts
Rationale: Why is this In 5th grade, students are learning about the American Revolution
topic of particular and the birth of the New Nation. There are many important
interest to you and events that led up to the American Revolution and it is extremely
your students? What important for students to have a clear understanding of each of
is the connection to these events. The Boston Tea Party is just one of the many
the current day lives events that occurred. Students will learn about the causes and
of your students and effects of the Boston Tea Party. This topic is relevant to our
school community? students because it encourages them to stand up for their rights.
SS09-GR.5-S.2: The historical eras, individuals, groups, ideas,
Colorado SS Standard and themes in North America from 1491 through the founding of
the United States government
d. Explain important political, social, economic, and military
developments leading to and during the American Revolution
CCSS.ELA.Literacy.W.5.2:
Common Core Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and
Literacy Standard convey ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and
focus, and group related information logically; include formatting
(e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples related to the
topic.
c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using
words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially).
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to
inform about or explain the topic.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the
information

CCSS.ELA.LITERACY.RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or

interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or
concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based

Essential Question (s): Why do people protest?

What did the colonists object to that led to the souring of

British and colonial relations?

What role did taxation play in the early colonies?

Discontent with English rule led colonists to rebel. The Boston Tea
Big ideas: What are Party was one of the rebellious events that led to the

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UEDU 4001/5001 Fall 2015

the overarching Revolutionary War and the establishment of a new government

understandings that and country.
we want students to Students will understand how the Boston Tea Party came
have after about and how it was a contributing factor leading towards
participating in this the American Revolution.
unit? Statements, not Students will understand that there are two sides to every
questions. conflict.
Students will understand that individuals often take risks in
defense of freedom and rights.

Section II: Overview of Activities and Products

Major Activities, Students will make connections to current events by
including a exploring experiences where individuals/groups have
culminating activity or protested in defense of their rights (i.e. Black Lives Matter,
product, Use Schmidt Let Them Stay Movement [regarding Syrian refugees, etc.)
and SIOP! See list at
end of assignment! To further student's understanding of "taxation without
representation," have the principal impose a high tax on
something in the school for your class only, without any
discussion or warning. Have students explain why they felt
this was unfair and relate it to the Boston Tea Party.

Create a cartoon strip depicting what happened at the

Boston Tea Party either on paper or in the computer lab
using Comic Creator from Read Write Think at the
following
site:http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/index.h
tml

Role Playing with the American Revolution

The purpose of the activity is to help students to

understand why the American colonist were upset with
British tax laws, like the Stamp Act, and Tea Act. It also
assists students in understanding the idea of Taxation
Without Representation. One person will play the role of
the king and two people are playing the role of Parliament
members (tax collectors). Each student receives 10 pieces
of candy and the king reads approximately 4-5 tax cards.
This will most likely leave students with no or just a few
pieces of candy. At the end the king gives 10% of the tax
money to each of the tax collectors and the king will get
the rest for him/herself. At this point students will be
feeling upset and angry. Teacher should use this to help
students understand how and why the colonist reacted as
they did to the tax collectors and the various tax laws.
Class discussion questions and tax cards can be found in
the appendix.

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UEDU 4001/5001 Fall 2015

Imagine you are a Patriot living in Boston in 1774. Design

a pamphlet describing the wrongs imposed on colonists by
English taxation. Include persuasive arguments for the
continued fight against British taxation.

Read the lyrics to the School House Rock song:

www.songlyrics.com/various-artists/no-more-kings-lyrics/

Print out the lyrics to the song and work with a partner to
explain what the song means.
Consider these questions:
- What is the song about?
- What did the colonists think about the King when they
first got to America?
- How did that change once they'd built up their towns
and homes?
- What does the person who wrote the song think about
whether England had the right to tax the colonies? How
can you tell?
- What do the transitions in the song tell us?-about
colonists/ attitudes over time
- What is the viewpoint of the king?

If you are working together with the whole class, discuss

your thoughts and opinions with the rest of the class. If
you are working independently, write a short summary of
the song and its meaning.
Community Social Action Autobiography (p. 221)
Connections The Social Action Autobiography helps all kids recognize
(Field trips, the ways that theyve acted for the good of othersAs
community service, students share their experiences, theyre building a
change projects, template for how to pursue social action, and starting a list
community visitors, of potential projects (Schmidt, 2007, p. 221).
etc. )
A Walk Inside a Photograph (p.227)- Use a community
photo to push students in the process of inquiry
One of the most direct and powerful ways to help your
students think about social justice issues is to take them to
the scene of the crime through photographs, because a
picture is frequently worth at least a thousand words
Think photograph as lever. Their images were intentionally
created to inform the viewer, influence public opinion, and
goad people and governments into action (Schmidt, 2007,
p. 226).

Social Activists Toolbox- (p.234)

Social justice is not a spectator sport. It requires students
to abandon passive learning and take some level of action

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UEDU 4001/5001 Fall 2015

in their community or society to achieve a positive

change (Schmidt, 2007, p. 234).

Students will brainstorm a list of things/rules in their

community that they do not agree with, give explanations
as to why they disagree with them, and then determine
what they would do to change it. (This activity can possibly
be merged with either the Social Activists Toolbox or the
Social Action Autobiography.) Questions to prompt
students thinking:
- How did you find out about the problem?
- What did you think was a good solution?
- What would you need to make it happen?
- How would you feel about the solution?

Students will have guest speakers from the local

organization of Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver. The
guest speakers are girls in elementary school and middle
school who just participated in the One Billion Rising
Denver 2016 campaign which is a call to action based on
the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet
will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. The One Billion
Rising revolution calls on everyone to RISE in defiance of
the injustices women suffer and demand an end to
violence against women and girls. The girls choreographed
a flash mob and participated in a march to Capitol Hill.
This would be a great opportunity for our students to see
that although they are young, they can still be agents of
change and protest injustices that people in our society
face.
- Some kids have already had the epiphany, even on
a microscale, but may not see themselves as
activists yet. Thats your starting point (Schmidt,
2007, p. 221).

This activity is an extension of the You Are Here: Street

Smart (Schmidt, 2007, p. 135-136) activity. Students will
be asked to consciously process the observations that they
make of their community in order to paint an accurate
picture of the communities in which they live. Also, we will
be determining what the word community means to them.
To relate it to the Boston Tea Party, students will then
compare and contrast their community to the community
atmosphere at the time of the 1770s in Boston.

Students will write letters to their local state

representative or the principal of their school about
something they disagree with and suggest possible
solutions to the issue. This activity can be merged with
Social Activists Toolbox because students are being taught

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UEDU 4001/5001 Fall 2015

to use tools to get their message out and achieve their

goals. Other ideas can be in the form of petitions,
protesting, giving speeches, or campaigning.

Students can attend a local community/town hall meeting.

Family Connections Students will study why we continue to pay taxes today:
(Funds of knowledge, What are types of taxes their families have paid from their
activities to include home countries? Or other countries around the world?(i.e.
families in class) taxes on food, etc.)

Students can discuss with their families if they know about

any prominent activists from their home countries. They
can share their findings with the class the following day.

Students will interview their family members about if they

have ever been in a situation where they were so
passionate or strongly believed in something that they
took a stand for what they believed in.

Students must find a way to describe the Boston Tea Party

without using English. Students can use their native
language, draw pictures, or act it out. Students that
choose to use their native language they will bring home a
list of vocabulary words in English. Their family will help
translates the list of words into the home language.
Students will present how they translated the Boston Tea
Party.

Invite families to view the Readers Theater of students

reenacting the events that took place at the Boston Tea
Party.

Section III: Linguistic Analysis and Support

Colony, Colonist, Rebel, British, Sons of Liberty, Tea Act, Party,
Key Concepts and Patriot, Loyalist, Perspective, Revolution, Point of View, Purpose,
Vocabulary Source, Taxation without representation, Primary source, Ship,
Harbor, Protest, Unjust, Factors, Movement, Intolerable Acts, East
India Company

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Specific ideas for

visual representation
of the abstract
concepts

http://www.boston-tea-party.org/pictures/picture1.html
-Several other images depicting the Boston Tea Party can be
found through that site.

Graphic Organizers- Attached in appendix

Overview of Language Seek Information:
Functions and What happened at the Boston Tea Party? Where did it happen?
Sentence When did it happen?
Starters/Frames
Inform:
Tell about what happen at the Boston Tea Party. Explain what
caused the Boston Tea Party.

Compare:
Describe _______________. Now, describe ____________________.
What makes __________________ the same? What makes
___________different?
How are __________________and____________________ different?

Order:
Sequence- First _______________ happened. Then the colonists felt
___________. Next the colonists decided to ____________________.
Finally, the Boston Tea Party occurred. During the Boston Tea
Party _______________.
What would happen if _____________?

Classify:
Summarize the different groups involved in the Boston Tea Party.
What traits do these groups have in common? What are
different?

Analyze:
What caused the Boston Tea Pary to happen? What
results/consequences might the Boston Tea Party create? One of
the results of the Boston Tea Party was __________. One of the

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consequences of the Boston Tea Party was___________.

Infer:
Why were some colonists supportive of the King and why were
some against the Kings?

Justify and Persuade:

I think the Boston Tea Party was justified because
________________. Based upon the events that lead up to the
Boston Tea Party, I believe that ___________.

Solve Problems:
As a result of ___________________, this led to
______________________. What are other causes of the Boston Tea
Party? What are the effects?

Evaluate:
The most important cause of the Boston Tea Party was
________________ because _________________________________. Why
did these groups clash? Which group was more correct in their
actions? Why?

Section IV: Matrix of Literacy and Oral Language

Fiction/Narrative Non-Fiction/Expository
Reading/ 1. Ropes to Revolution: The Boston 1. The Boston Tea Party: Would You
Viewing Tea Party by J. Gunderson Join the Revolution? by Elaine
Book titles, Landau
websites, 2. We Were There at the Boston Tea
multimedi Party by Robert N. Webb 2. Boston Tea Party by Pamela
a, primary Duncan Edwards
sources, 3. You Wouldnt Want to Be at the
no need to Boston Tea Party!: Wharf Water Tea 3. What Was the Boston Tea Party?
annotate Youd Rather Not Drink by Peter Cook by Kathleen Krull

(Aim for 4. Patriotic Mouse: Boston Tea Party 4. The Sons of Liberty and the
10-12 Participant by Philip Horender Boston Tea Party Video
references http://www.history.com/topics/americ
in each an-revolution/american-revolution-
category) 5. Boston Tea Party: Rebellion in the history/videos/the-sons-of-liberty-
Colonies by Knight, James E. and-the-boston-tea-party

5. Boston Tea Party Eyewitness

6. Youtube video: Liberty Kids The
Boston Tea Party Part 1 and 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=GJ-FWHN3ljI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=GkNObgK43Z4
Account by a Participant - George
Hewes
file:///C:/Users/Ellie/Downloads/Bosto
n_Tea_Party_Eyewitness_Account_by
_a_Partcipant%20(1).pdf
6. The Tea Is Coming The

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7. My America: We Are Patriots:
Hope's Revolutionary War Diary by
Kristiana Gregory
8. The Winter of Red Snow: The
Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail
Jane Stewart, Valley Forge,
Pennsylvania, 1777 by Kristiana
Gregory
9. You Wouldn't Want to Be at the
Boston Tea Party!: Wharf Water Tea
You'd Rather Not Drink by Peter Cook
& David Antram
10. George vs. George: The
American Revolution As Seen from
Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer
Massachusetts Gazette; and the
Boston Post-Boy and Advertiser
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=434
7. You Are Political Bombadiers
The Boston-Gazette, and Country
Journal
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=450
8. Tradesmens Protest against the
Proceeding of the Merchants by E.
Russell
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=431
9. Boston, December 1, 1773
printed by Edes and Gill
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=553
10. Extract of a Letter from
Philadelphia, Dec. 4, 1773 The
Boston-Gazetter, and Country
Journal
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=436
11. John Adams diary 19, pages 28-
30
https://www.masshist.org/digitalada
ms/archive/doc?
id=D19&numrecs=1&archive=diary
&hi=on&mode=&query=Last
%2520night%25203%2520cargoes
%2520of%2520bohea
%2520tea&queryid=&rec=1&start=
1&tag=text#firstmatch
12. Boston, December 20 The
Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=442
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13. Tea, Destroyed by Indians

https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=435

14. Boston, January 3, 1774 The

Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=440

15. At a Town-Meeting held in

Marshfield The Massachusetts
Gazette; and the Boston Post-Boy
and Advertiser
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=444

16. Boston, March 14 The Boston-

Gazette, and Country Journal
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=448

17. We hear from Weston in the

County of Middlesex The
Massachusetts Gazette; and the
Boston Post-Boy and Advertiser
https://www.masshist.org/revolution/
doc-viewer.php?
old=1&mode=nav&item_id=446

18. The Revolutionary War by John

Malam

19. The Tea Act on USHistory.org

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/
related/teaact.html

20. The Boston Tea Party by Jane

Runyon
http://www.edhelper.com/ReadingCo
mprehension_35_46.html

21. USA Studies Weekly: Week 13:

Mounting Tension in the Colonies
https://www.studiesweekly.com/onlin
e/standards/correlations_by_article/A

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R5V16/AR

Narrative Writing Prompt: Compare & Contrast: Create a

Writing Imagine you are a colonist
Different during this time. Write a
kinds of newspaper article explaining
writing, to the colonists about the
think tension with the British
about government. Make a plea for
Fisher and their help in boycotting the
Frye, British government. Use text
include evidence to support your
prompts article.
(Aim for 5 Writing Prompt: You will create
or more a letter correspondence
ideas in between Samuel Adams and
each the British Parliament. You will
category) create a total of four letters.
Two letters will be from Samuel
Adams to the British
Parliament. The other two
letters will be from the British
Parliament to Samuel Adams.
The letters must address the
Boston Tea Party. They can
either be before or after the
event. Use text evidence to
support your letters.
Venn Diagram comparing and
contrasting the points of view
of the loyalists versus the
patriots. This venn diagram
will also serve as a graphic
organizer for students to
collect any further
understandings.
Create a poster that shows
four reasons why we continue
to pay taxes today
Students cut out a tea cup
and tea bag. On the tea cup
they right the causes of
Boston Tea Party on the tea
bag they write the effects of
Boston Tea Party. Allow
students to decorate tea cup
and tea bag. (Template
located in the appendix)

Writing Prompt: Write an

alternate ending to the Boston
Tea Party. What could have
happened if there was an
event or actions that
prevented the Boston Tea
Party from occurring?
Create a timeline with all the
Narrative Writing Prompt:
events surrounding the Boston
Imagine you are a reporter
Tea Party
during this time. You are asked
to conduct an interview with
another colonist. Come up with Expository Essay Writing
a lists of questions you would Prompt: You will write an
ask them about their feelings essay explaining the events
towards the Tea Act and the that lead up to the Boston Tea
Party and the consequences

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UEDU 4001/5001 Fall 2015
Boston Tea Party as well as
what you believe their
responses would be. Use text
evidence to support the
responses to your questions.
Letters to the Editor
Students each write an
editorial from the point of view
of a colonist. Roles could
include merchants, soldiers,
teachers, fathers, and
mothers. Each letter should
begin:
Dear Editor, I am frustrated
with how Parliament has been
treating us colonists. For
example, ...
One Sentence Summaries
Students write a sentence
stating which point of view
they found valid after the
debate. The following sentence
stem will be provided:
I would have supported
____________ because.....
Chant-Write
Students will write a chant
illustrating either why the
colonists should be loyal or
why Parliament was
disrespectful. After creating
the chants, students will have
the opportunity to perform
their chant at the class debate.
Writing Prompt: Write a
paragraph about why you
thought the colonists dressed
up as Native Americans.
of the event.
Writing prompt: Write an
essay comparing taxation
during the time of the Boston
Tea Party to taxes today.
T-Chart
The class fills out a T-chart with
the following column headings
1. The British Parliament believed
the colonists should be loyal and
grateful because...
2. The colonists believed the
British Parliament did not respect
their rights as Englishmen
because...
Each student can create this T-
chart in his/her notebook. Model
the task by eliciting ideas from
the class to complete at least two
ideas per column.
Write an essay arguing why
the Boston Tea Party was or
was not justified. Be sure to
include the following:
Was the cause just?
Was there a less violent or
inconveniencing alternative to
achieving the aim?
Did the protest accomplish the
desired result?
You may wish to argue that
the Tea Party was justified
because no one should pay
taxes unless they are
represented; there were no
effective less violent ways of
protesting the tax; and the
desired end was
accomplished. Or you may
wish to argue that it is wrong
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UEDU 4001/5001 Fall 2015
Oral Inner/Outer Circle Debate-
Interactio Inner/Outer Circle where
n students will debate a specific
Topics side using the point of view of
Groupings: that group. Students will get a
whole, pair chance to rebut the other
students claims. (Loyalists v.
(Aim for 5 Patriots)
or more
ideas in Whole Class Debate- Have
each students create debatable
category) questions related to the
Boston Tea Party. Pick a
debatable question. Then, as a
whole class, have students
debate what the answers may
be to these questions.
(students will sit in a circle
taking turns to talk and listen
to each other-student led)
Students must use facts that
they read from articles and
book as well as other
resources in class.
Solution Point of View- Have
the class divided into 3 groups:
British, patriots, and loyalists.
Students will research/use
knowledge about the point of
view of each of these groups.
Then make groups of three
with each of these members.
to destroy someone elses
property; there were less
objectionable ways to protest
the Tea Act; and the result of
the Tea Party was a more
oppressive set of laws.
Writing Prompt: Write an
essay addressing the
question: Did dumping the
tea unify the patriots? If your
answer is yes, write why you
think it unified them. If your
answer is no, write why and
what you would have done
instead to unite the patriots.
Readers Theater: Students
will reenact the events that
took place at the Boston Tea
Party
Jigsaw- Students will be in
groups 3 or 4 and within that
group they will read the same
part/whole primary source.
They will then break up into a
different group that with
members that will have read a
different part of a primary
source or different primary
source. In this new group they
will share what they learned
and together they will
summarize what their new
learning taught them about
the Boston Tea Party.
Talking Timeline- Divide
students into groups based on
specific events that may have
caused the Boston Tea Party,
other important historical
events, and events following
the Boston Tea Party. Then
have students line up in the
order of their events and
share what happened.
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Each person will explain their
why they are upset about the
way things are currently and
then as a group they will have
to come up with a solution to
avoid the Boston Tea Party.
Then all groups will share their
solution with the class.
Protest Poster Presentation-
Have the class divided into 3
groups: British, patriots, and
loyalists. Students will
research/use knowledge about
the point of view of each of
these groups. Then each group
will create a protest poster
that shows the point of view of
the people they are trying to
represent. All groups will get a
chance to present their posters
and students can ask other
groups questions about their
posters.
Readers Theater- Students will
create a historical fiction piece
in which they will create
characters who lived through
the Boston Tea Party. During
the presentation they will
assume character roles.
Create your own tax that some
people may think is unfair and
present it to the class.
Small group discussion of the
photo: Imagine what happened
before this event.
Debate-Hold a debate about
the justification of the Boston
Tea Party. Students must
research use evidence to
support your opinion.
Students may use their essay
and essay questions to lead
the debate. Questions
included in the essay are: Was
the cause just? Was there a
less violent or
inconveniencing alternative to
achieving the aim? Did the
protest accomplish the
desired result?
You may wish to argue that
the Tea Party was justified
because no one should pay
taxes unless they are
represented; there were no
effective less violent ways of
protesting the tax; and the
desired end was
accomplished. Or you may
wish to argue that it is wrong
to destroy someone elses
property; there were less
objectionable ways to protest
the Tea Act; and the result of
the Tea Party was a more
oppressive set of laws.
Predicting Definitions-
Have students look at the list
of vocabulary words/phrases
on the board-- taxation
without representation,
unjust, protest, Tea Act,
harbor, etc.-- and work with a
partner to predict definitions.
Have students explain the
reasons for their prediction.
Use the sentence stem, " I
think _________ means
_________ because
_______________________."
Record student predictions on
the board.
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Partner Reading-
Have students read a text
aloud in groups of two or
three, alternating turns by
paragraph. After each
paragraph, the listening
student(s) respond(s) with one
of the following frames:
One Act of Parliament
mentioned was...
Or Parliament's action
resulted in...

Partner share/whole group

share out- Talk about why the
colonists may have dressed
up about Native Americans.
Whole group share out.

Four Corner Activity (Related

to partner share/whole group
extension on dressing up of
Native Americans)- Based on
what groups share out, assign
reasons to corners and have
students move to the corner
they agree with. Then call on
students from each corner to
share why they think that.

Oh Yesterday + Year-
In order to recall and relate
information to prior learning, a
selected student will stand
and state something he/she
had learned from the lesson
the day before in a theatrical
manner, using one of the
following sentence starters:
- Oh Yesterday I learned
that..... in [year]!
- Oh Yesterday we studied
about... in [year]!
- Oh Yesterday I discovered
that ... [year]!
- Oh Yesterday our class found
out that ... in [year]!
Appendix

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T- Chart

The British Parliament believed the The colonists believed the British
colonists should be loyal and grateful Parliament did not respect their rights as
because... Englishmen because...

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Compare and Contrast

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Tea Cup and Tea Bag Writing Activity Template:

Graphic Organizer Key:

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(Students would fill out a blank one throughout the unit)

Graphic Organizer Blank:

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Role Playing with the American Revolution- Tax cards and discussion questions.

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