Lesson: Taxes and Acts Imposed on the American Colonies

Overview:

The lesson will have the students look at the many different taxes and acts that the British imposed the American colonies. The students will work in groups in order to research a specific tax and present the information to the rest of the class.

Instructional Materials:

Textbook

Taxes Handout

Objectives:

Essential Question

How has the Revolutionary war (and the time surrounding) impacted American History?

Unit Questions

Analyze why the period before the Revolutionary war were important.

Connect why the events leading up to war started the Revolutionary War

SWBAT's

Students will be able to describe the different acts that the British placed on the colonists.

Students will be able to analyze the significance of the taxes placed on the colonists.

Students will be able to connect the taxes to the idea of wanting to rebel against Britain.

Standards

EALRs:

Communication

1. The student uses listening and observation skills and strategies to gain understanding.

1.1 Uses listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information

1.2 Understands, analyzes, synthesizes, or evaluates information from a variety of sources.

History

4.1 Understands historical chronology

4.1.2 Understands how the following themes and developments help to define eras in the U.S. history

Our Foundations (1776-1791)

NETS:

1. Creativity and Innovation

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

2. Communication and Collaboration

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

3. Research and Information Fluency

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Technology:

Technology will be used in two major aspects of this lesson. First, students will use the internet to research information on the tax they are assigned to research. This will allow students to look through the information on the web in order to find relevant information on the assignment, meeting #3 of the NETS. Second, the students have the option to use technology in presenting the information to the class. Students will be given one in class period to work specifically on their presentation of their information. They will have the option to make a more traditional power point to highlight the information, or they can work more creatively and videotape a newscast or commercial for the tax and play the video for the class. By working creatively and collaboratively the students will meet both #1 and #2 of the NETS.

Grouping Students For Instruction:

Students will be grouped into small groups of 3-4 in order to investigate each of the taxes and acts.

Statement of Objectives:

To have students be able to describe the major taxes and acts in pre-revolutionary America

To have students be able to analyze the significance of the taxes and acts.

To have students be able to work collaboratively to present the information to the class.

Anticipatory Set:

The teacher will prompt a review discussion of the simulation from the previous day when the students simulated taxation without representations. Students will be asked what was the most frustrating aspect of the taxes. Also, students will be prompted to think of what the colonists were feeling.

Input:

The method of instruction is cooperative education. The teacher will split students into groups. Each group will have a different tax or act that they have to gather information about from the textbook and encyclopedia. Each group will then present their findings to the classroom. Throughout the lesson the teacher should be walking through the class to make sure that students are on task and to assist the students in any questions they may have. The teacher should also check in on students research to make sure that they are finding appropriate information for their presentation.

Modeling:

The teacher will use the stamp act as an example and present key information on the act. The teacher will define the stamp act and show how it impacted the colonists lives. The teacher will model for the students researching the stamp act online and then show a video that summarizes the major ideas of the stamp act.

Checking for Understanding:

The students will take a brief quiz at the beginning of the next lesson in order to see if they remember the key details and can explain the significance of the taxes.

Guided Practice:

While each group is presenting, the students will fill out a graphic organizer with important information about the tax or act.

Closure:

After each group has presented, the teacher will lead brief discussion on the major themes that the students saw throughout all the acts.

Independent Practice:

Students will be assigned a homework assignment. Each student will independently write a 2-3 paragraphs arguing which tax would have been the worst one to endure using specific information they learned from the presentations as support.

Assessment Strategies:

Students will be observed in order to ensure that they are presenting the right information and understanding the material. To make sure that they have the topic covered, there will be a brief quiz the next day testing the students on the important details of the taxes and what their significance was. The teacher will also look over their 2-3 paragraphs to see if they understood the major concept of the taxes.