1.

Lesson Title ​No Taxation Without Representation

2. Grade level ​5th Grade

3. Duration of Lesson ​1 hour

4. Previous knowledge: ​Students have priority learned about the causes of the American
Revolution. They have an understanding of the government that Great Britain had, a monarchy,
versus the type of government we have, a democracy. Students have an understanding of what
taxes are and why taxation was such a problem during this time in history.

5. A​cademic/Everyday Vocabulary:
Tax: money collected by the government to provide support to run the country.
King & Queen: Leaders of the Monarch
Parlament: A country’s law making body

6. Objectives/Assessment/Standards: ​Usually no more than 3. Connect these to your standards

and assessments.

7. Standards​:
8. Assessment: ​Describe the forms of assessments.

Objective Assessment Standard

SWBAT justify why Students will fill out NYS.SSLS.1.2-
the colonist were so their exit ticket Important ideas, social
upset with taxes from worksheet and and cultural values,
Great Britain. discuss with a partner beliefs, and traditions
their answers. from New York State
SWBAT analyze the and United States
importance of a history illustrate the
functioning connections and
government. interactions of people
and events across
time and from a
variety of perspectives

NYS.SSLS.5.1. The
study of civics,
citizenship, and
government involves
learning about political
 systems; the purposes
of government and
civic life; and the
differing assumptions
held by people across
time and place
regarding power,
authority, governance,
and law. (Adapted
from The Nation

9. Activities:​ Use the table below to describe your lesson’s activities/process.

Engagement
Duration 5 minutes
Students Role Students will be asked if they recall some of the
causes of the American Revolution that they
learned about yesterday. After the causes are
discussed briefly, students will be told that today
we’re going to focus on taxation. Students will then
go back to their seats and wait for directions.
Description/Steps/ “What were some of the causes of the American
Questions to enact Revolution that we learned about yesterday?” “why
lesson component do you think this contributed to causing the
American Revolution?”

Teaching
Duration 10 minutes
Students Role Students will listen to the directions for the activity
Description/Steps/ Students will be told that they’re going to take on
Questions to enact whichever role they pull out of the bag. It will either
lesson component be a colonist, a tax collector, a member of
parliament, or king or queen. Each of the colonist
will start out with a pack of smarties. The 2
members of congress will take turns picking cards
out of the bag and hand them to the king/queen to
read. The tax collectors will them collect the
 appropriate number of smarties from the colonists.
If a colonist refuses to pay taxes the queen will
have them punished.

Practice
Duration 20 minutes
Students Role The game will begin and students will pay their
taxes to the king/queen based on what the tax
cards say (​Willingham 2017)
Description/Steps/ If students refuse to pay taxes, yell out, act
Questions to enact disrespectfully, they will have to go negative on
lesson component class dojo.

Assessment
Duration 15 minutes
Students Role Students will complete the exit ticket worksheet
and meet with a partner to discuss their answers
and ideas (Owen, & Sarles 2012) (Smith 2013).
Description/Steps/ “What is a tax?” “Who was taxing the colonists?”
Questions to enact “How did you feel during the activity?” “why?” “was
lesson component it fair that the queen, members of parliament, and
tax collectors got to keep all the smarties?”

Closing
Duration 10 minutes
Students Role Students will meet on the carpet to share out their
ideas. Then, we will watch a short video on the
Boston tea party and students will predict what
occured after.
Description/Steps/ Boston Tea Party video (1:27)
Questions to enact https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3enVp7RVLFY
lesson component
If time: play Boston Tea Party song (parody of
Happy by Pharell Williams)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h5Nh7mggx0
(​White, & McCormack 2006)

Differentiation
J.D., I.R., E.S., Teacher will discuss these students answers for
the worksheet to ensure they are on task and
answering the questions.
D.H. Since this student (and many others) frequently
listens to music, the music video at the end was
chosen for this student to have an opportunity to
hear key content as she usually doesn’t
participate.
Q.J. This student will be assigned Queen to encourage
her participation in the activity.

10. References:​ List of references for your lesson.

Smarties Taxation activity-
http://fittobefourth.blogspot.com/2013/09/spark-student-motivation-saturday_21.html

Owen, D., & Sarles, P. (2012). EXIT TICKETS: THE REFLECTIVE TICKET TO UNDERSTANDING. ​Library
Media Connection​, ​31​(3), 20-22.

Smith, T. (2013). Peer Interaction. ​Research Starters: Education (Online Edition)

White, C., & McCormack, S. (2006). The Message in the Music: Popular Culture and Teaching in Social
Studies.​ Social Studies, 97(​ 3), 122-127.

Willingham, D. T. (2017, Fall). Ask the Cognitive Scientist: Do Manipulatives Help Students Learn? 
American Educator,​ ​41​(3), 25+. 

11. Please include all materials to teach the lesson below.

Smarties
2 ziploc baggies
Paper bag
Exit ticket worksheet
Smart board