Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 5, The Makings of America (3rd – 4th)
We began our final day together by reviewing the Exit Ticket for Day 4. The students gave thoughtful insights into what they felt the Continental soldiers would have felt and thought during and after battle. Next, each group presented their historical figure from the Revolution during our “Gallery of the Greats.” I was so impressed by the speaking and listening skills of our students. They were excellent presenters and shared many unique facts about their studies.
Our next step was to unroll scrolls with copies of the Declaration of Independence. The students worked in pairs to read the document with magnifying glasses. We answered reflection questions as a group afterward. Cursive writing can be a real challenge for children to read, but our students did amazing. I also used the smartboard to display a copy in print just in case there were portions they could not read on their own. We shared a fascinating discussion about why governments exist and why the 56 Signers felt so compelled to sign and dissolve their relationship with Britain.
Our essential or debatable question for today was:
- Was it a coincidence that there were so many memorable leaders during the American Revolutionary period?
We analyzed primary sources from soldiers in the Continental Army, as well as Loyalists and women from the Revolution. We read a letter that Abigail Adams wrote to her husband where she asked him to “remember the ladies.” The students were very attentive and engaged in learning from each of these perspectives of the American Revolution.
Some questions you may want to discuss at home following our study this week are:
- Can the long and short-term effects of pre-war causes still be observed today?
- Can we evaluate the degree to which effects are attributed to known or observable causes in modern research of history?
We ended by discussing the battle of Yorktown and the need for the Colonists to work together to create a new form of government. The students will bring home their workbooks and folders today.
This was a wonderful week of learning. I hope your students will continue their study of the Revolution and the foundation of our great country.
Dr. Dunlap