The American Revolution and Colonial Times
(an experience in time travel)
As a High School Teacher, I am a true believer in the effectiveness of station activities. They are a great way to help the student better visualize history. Here is an example of a lesson I use to convey different aspects of the culture of the Colonial period. It can be modified for use in any classroom.
1. Set Up: Place Station Activity Signs around the room at the various stations. I suggest no more than five stations per day. For each station that is created, place items that correspond with each topic. Examples are given below.
2. Give each student a copy of "The American Revolution and Colonial Times" worksheet. This is to be completed as the student travels to each station and learns from the materials presented.
3. After students have completed each station, regroup and debrief the activity by asking the follow-up questions provided for each station, allowing for brief responses.
Below are some examples of what I place at each station when using this lesson:
Perfect for audio learners. Using a tape or CD player, have students listen to a selection of music from the American Revolution period (can be found in your local music store). Provide lyrics so that visual learners can read along. Also, if you have any colonial instruments, such as a fife or tin whistle, allow students to examine these as they listen to the songs.
Follow-up Questions
What did the music during Colonial times sound like?
What kinds of instruments do you think were used?
What was the song about? Did you enjoy it?
Station Two: Colonial Food
Provide a few samples of foods eaten during colonial times. Ideas might include cheddar cheese, fresh grapes, dried prunes, chicken liver pate (a challenging thought), currants, chilled mussels, mashed sweet potatoes, Indian pudding, corn chowder, pie and cider.
Follow-up Question
Did you like the food you tasted?
Station Three: Colonial Games
Find various examples of games that people played during colonial days, such as playing cards and puzzles made of iron. Allow students to play.
Follow-up Questions
Which game did you enjoy the most? Why?
Would you have enjoyed playing these games during colonial
times?
Station Four: Colonial Hats
Purchase several different examples of head coverings worn during the American Revolution, such as straw bonnets, cocked hats and mob caps. You may want to add some decorations to the hats, provided that they are historically accurate. Display them and have students try them on. You may even want to take a few instant photos of various students and display them at the end of the period. Often times, the companies that make the hats provide literature about the different styles and their purpose. This fits easily into the activity.
Follow-up Questions
Which hat do you like best?
Who looked best in a hat today, and which one did he or she
try on?
(examine photos)
Station Five: Colonial Pictures
Provide pictures of colonial villages, homes and examples of colonial life. You can take them yourself or use photos from books. Have students interpret the pictures as to what they teach us about colonial life.
Follow-up Question
How is colonial life different that modern day life?
What do you learn about their lifestyle from these pictures?
*You may also want to create a station which involves
the use of the computer and a CD-ROM regarding the
revolutionary period.
Enjoy!
Download TTravel.rtf to get a copy of these lesson plans (Rich-Text Format).
Station One
Colonial Music
Station Two
Colonial Food
Station Three
Colonial Games
Station Four
Colonial Hats
Station Five
Colonial Pictures
Name_____________________ Period_____
The American Revolution and Colonial Times
(an experience in time travel)
Today, you have an opportunity to experience what colonial life was like during the American Revolution. Imagine that it is 1776. You are living in Colonial Williamsburg, located in Virginia. What would daily life be like for you? What would you do for fun? How would you socialize? What kind of music would you listen to? What kind of clothes would you wear? What kind of food would you eat? All of these questions will be addressed today as we travel back in time...back to the time of the American Revolution!
Travel around Colonial Williamsburg today, and visit all of the sites (stations). Using this guide, summarize your thoughts and assumptions about colonial times as you go. At the appropriate time, we will gather at the center of town to share what we have discovered.
Enjoy your adventure!
STATION YOUR OBSERVATIONS Colonial Music Colonial Food Colonial Games Colonial Hats Colonial Pictures