Currently, we have been wrapping up the Revolutionary War. In reading, we have been addressing two major standards.
RI.5.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
RL.5.6 Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described. These work so perfectly when discussing the Revolution because there are so many different points of view and perspectives about the events that led to the war and the war itself.
First, we reviewed First person, Second person, and Third Person (objective, limited, Omniscient) from earlier in the year when we were in our literature study.
RI.5.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
RL.5.6 Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described. These work so perfectly when discussing the Revolution because there are so many different points of view and perspectives about the events that led to the war and the war itself.
First, we reviewed First person, Second person, and Third Person (objective, limited, Omniscient) from earlier in the year when we were in our literature study.
We discussed the facts about the Boston Massacre, then split into groups of four and each read a different perspective on the event from a free African, Samuel Adams (Son of Liberty), Female neutralist shopkeeper, and the British Captain. Our focus question was "How can a person's point of view and opinions influence their actions?"
First, we close read a boys perspective together identifying his opinions, point of view, and the action he did based on these (he decided to join the Continental Army to revenge his friends death in the massacre). Then, we close read our own passages identifying the same items. Groups went together and shared their character's opinions and how they reacted because of these. We then placed our character on a continuum where we felt they belonged. This created some great discussion between groups because not everyone agreed and that was okay :)
We have also been looking at the different points of view of the Loyalists and Patriots. We discussed why certain groups may of stayed Loyal to the King. These included many African slaves who were promised freedom from the British, Native Americans because the King was protecting their lands in the west, merchants who sold British goods, Governors appointed by the King - he had given them their positions, Preachers who believed that God chose the King, etc.
Students created a fictional character choosing different attributes which would eventually help them decide whether they stayed loyal to the King or rebelled. Male or Female, Child or Adult, British colonist, Native American, African Slave, Free African, German or Dutch immigrant, and WHICH colony they were from out of the 13.
We read If you Lived During the Time of the Revolution which provides SO MUCH information on the different groups of people and why they became either Patriot or Loyalist along with great arguments for both sides. I typed up a three page copy of the major section of the book that discussed the two points of view so that the kids could underline and highlight for their own research/characters opinion (aka Point of View).
Students created a fictional character choosing different attributes which would eventually help them decide whether they stayed loyal to the King or rebelled. Male or Female, Child or Adult, British colonist, Native American, African Slave, Free African, German or Dutch immigrant, and WHICH colony they were from out of the 13.
We read If you Lived During the Time of the Revolution which provides SO MUCH information on the different groups of people and why they became either Patriot or Loyalist along with great arguments for both sides. I typed up a three page copy of the major section of the book that discussed the two points of view so that the kids could underline and highlight for their own research/characters opinion (aka Point of View).
Then, we answered the questions on the back of the sheet answering yes or no to statements about the war. If you ended up with a lot of YES on one side or the other, your character would take that side. Next came the fun part, we got up around the "meeting house" and debated with each other, asking each other what we believed, what our points of view were, and trying to change people's opinions.
Finally, we established our character's fate, were marked on the hand, and began our old fashioned letters back home written using our research as either a Patriot or a Loyalist. We used black tea to age our paper and then wrote our final drafts. These turned our pretty sweet! Also, we now have a better view of why people choose different sides during a wars/disagreements and often it does not make one side good or bad, just different based on their own personal experiences or interests.