Teacher: Allison Robinson

Lesson Title and Grade Level: Taxation without Representation, Fourth Grade
Unit Theme: American Revolution
Lesson Topic: Road to the Revolution

Context for Learning

Learning Needs Category Number of Supports, Accommodations, Modifications, and/or
Students Pertinent IEP Goals

504 1 Refocusing and redirecting

Central Focus This is the beginning of the unit on the American Revolution. The students have just finished up their unit on colonial
living. The focus of this unit is to teach students about the American Revolution and the battle for independence in an
interesting and memorable way.

Content Goal: Students will be able to understand why the colonists were frustrated with Britain and wanted independence.
Standards/Objectives
Common Core Content Standard Learning Objective

D2.His.14.3-5. Explain probable causes and effects of Students will write at least two reasons, which they
events and developments have learned about so far, for the colonists’ desire for
independence from Britain as an exit ticket.

D2.His.16.3-5. Use evidence to develop a claim about After completing the activity, students will orally share
the past. how they think the colonists felt about Britain and their
taxation.
Vocabulary/Concepts/ French and Indian War, American Revolution, Ally, Parliament, tax, Stamp Act
Language
Rationale This lesson is the starting point of the unit on the American Revolution. This lesson is used to begin teaching the
students the reasons that led the Revolutionary War. Once given the background reasons, students are going to
participate in an activity that places them in a position to understand first hand how the colonists felt. Students learn by
doing and this hands-on activity is a great way for them to learn and internalize this information.
Essential Questions Does anyone know what an ally is?
(Formative Questions) How did you feel about the way you were taxed?
Was it fair the way the class was taxed?
How could it have been fairer?
How do you think the colonists felt about getting taxed by the British?
What did you learn from this experience?
 Assessments:
Type of Description of Modifications to the Evaluation Criteria - What evidence of student
assessment assessment assessment so that all students learning (related to the learning objectives and
could demonstrate their central focus) does the assessment provide?
learning.

Student exit ticket 1. Students will write at least two reasons, which
Formative they have learned about so far, for the colonists’
desire for independence from Britain as an exit
ticket.
2. After completing the activity, students will orally
Teacher share how they think the colonists felt about
Formative observation/student Britain and their taxation.
participation

Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks

Procedure Teacher will: Students will: Modifications (RTI/UDL

Strategies)
Anticipatory Set Teacher will begin the lesson by Students will sit quietly and
10 Minutes introducing the topic we will be attentively watch the video.
learning about. Teacher will pass Students will fill out vocabulary
out vocabulary sheet for the unit. sheet as we go over the ones we
Teacher will then cue up a video will be discussing (first 4 vocab
on the whiteboard/projector about words). Students will quietly raise
the French and Indian war, hand to answer questions, provide
pausing if/when needed. examples, or ask questions.
After the video, teacher will go over
the important parts for students to
remember (Britain not letting
colonists move to newly acquired
land). Teacher will ask students
questions about their knowledge of
certain vocabulary words.
Teacher will call on students sitting
quietly with raised hands to answer
questions.
Learning Tasks and Teacher will then move into what Students will listen quietly and
Instructional Strategies happened after the French and attentively to teacher. Students will
5 minutes Indian War. Teacher will define raise hands and ask questions if
vocabulary as we go through. needed.
 Teacher will introduce the Stamp
Act of 1765. Teacher will discuss
Britain’s taxation on the colonists
before introducing the activity.
Independent Teacher will explain the taxation
Practice/Exploration of without representation activity.
Concepts Teacher will pass out candy, giving
20-30 minutes explicit instructions that anyone
that eats a piece will not participate
in the activity and will not get
candy at the end.
Teacher will explain the roles of
every job and have students
randomly pick jobs from strips of
paper already prepared. Teacher
will explain where the kin/queen
and parliament need to be and
what they will do.
Teacher will then facilitate and lead
the activity.
After the activity, teacher will
facilitate discussion about how the
students feel after being taxed.
Teacher will collect dirty candy and
give out the clean candy.
Closure Teacher will ask students to clean
5 minutes up. Teacher will give each student
a note card or sticky note as an
exit ticket. Teacher will ask
students to write the two reasons
colonists were already upset with
the British over.
Teacher will make sure students
have their names on their notes.
Teacher will collect exit tickets.
Students will raise their hands and
answer the questions asked by the
teacher.
Students will quietly listen to the
explanation of the activity, asking
questions as needed.
Students will pick jobs randomly
and king/queen and parliament will
move to their assigned spots.
King/Queen will pick reasons for
taxes and parliament will collect
them. Colonists must give up their
share when the tax applies to
them. If they do not give up their
tax they will not participate.
At the end, students will count how
much candy they have left. The
collected taxes will be split
between the king/queen and
parliament.
Students will raise hands to
answer questions asked by the
teacher and add to the discussion
about how they felt and how the
colonists must have felt.
Students will clean up the candy.
Students will fill out their exit ticket
and hand it in.
Students will put their vocabulary
sheets in the seat work folder to be
worked on again during this unit.
Instructional Resources, Materials and References:
Whiteboard, whiteboard markers, projector, candy (smarties), roles in the revolution papers (king, parliament, colonist), papers for taxes, containers
to collect candy in, sticky notes/note card, YouTube video on the French and Indian War, vocabulary sheet for students