Revolutionary War Unit for 5th Grade and Middle School

Revolutionary War Unit for 5th grade and Middle School

How would it feel to have your Revolutionary War unit completely planned for the next 3 weeks? I’m talking 15 lessons, worksheets, and answer keys completely ready to go.

Even better, imagine that the lessons are engaging for your students and easy to implement for you.

Amazing, right?

As a former 5th grade teacher, I often felt like I didn’t have the resources to teach social studies the way I wanted to.

So, I started creating my own and sharing them online.

I now work full-time creating curriculum to help busy teachers like you. I want to help you fall in love with teaching history by creating high-quality units.

My Revolutionary War unit is one of my absolute favorites, and it has been used by hundreds of 5th-8th grade teachers. Click here to view a video of a teacher in South Carolina using the Revolutionary War unit. (Note: the cups were his creative addition to the unit).

 

What’s included?

• 15 complete lesson plans

• 3 weeks of activities

• Pacing guide

• Answer keys

• 130+ pages with a variety of activities (simulations, PowerPoint presentations, informational articles, Jigsaw activity, task cards, and more!)

 

Table of Contents:

Part 1: Context for the Revolutionary War

1. The Road to Revolution—newspaper articles, jigsaw activity, and student worksheets

2. The Social Classes of Colonial America—informational article, discussion cards, and worksheet

3. King George vs. George Washington—task cards and worksheet

4. Who Fought in the Revolutionary War?—7 articles, worksheet, and group cards for sorting

5. British Forces vs. Continental Forces—informational articles and student worksheet

Note: This unit is focused on the Revolutionary War rather than the entire American Revolution. For 18 lessons about the events leading up to the war, check out my Declaration of Independence Unit. 

 

Part 2: Events of the Revolutionary War (Simulation)

For this week-long simulation, students join the Continental Army and then adopt a new identity as a soldier, spy, or officer. Throughout the unit, students learn about actual events in the war and make decisions which result in them gaining or losing points for the army. Each day they also analyze a primary or secondary source and complete a journal entry.

1. Choose Your Identity—students adopt an identity in the Continental Army (spies, soldiers, or officers), includes informational articles, and worksheet

2. Early Battles Around New York—28 slide PowerPoint with student worksheet, primary source activity, simulation instructions, student journal page & teacher guide

3. Trenton and Princeton—29 slide PowerPoint with student worksheet, secondary source activity, student journal page & teacher guide

4. Saratoga Campaign—30+ slide PowerPoint with student worksheet, primary source activity, student journal page & teacher guide

5. Battles in the South—30+ slide PowerPoint with student worksheet, secondary source activity, student journal page & teacher guide

Part 3: After the Revolutionary War

1. Treaty of Paris—activity where students make their own treaties and informative article

2. Problems Facing the Nation—informative article and multiple worksheets focusing on finding the main idea

3. Guess Which Founding Father—Founding Father speeches, Guess Which Founding Father game, and cheat sheet

4. How “revolutionary” was the American Revolution?—worksheet & writing activity

5. Revolutionary War Reflection—worksheet & writing activity

 

Here’s what teachers are saying about the Revolutionary War Unit…

“I’m gonna be HONEST ― I am a sped self contained teacher with students who are still on diploma track. These units are giving me LIFE. They make the curriculum easier and more interesting for my kids and I love that they’re more interactive than our textbook but cover the same things. Thank you SO SO MUCH!”

―Jamie B.

“I absolutely LOVED this packet, and so did my kids! It was so much more engaging than our textbook. Everything in this packet is laid out clearly and is so easy to use. My kids are solid on their understanding of the Revolutionary War because of these activities. They especially loved the simulations and being able to pretend that they were soldiers and spies! I loved this Unit so much that I purchased the Unit on the Civil War, as well as the Unit for Early Explorers (for next year!). They are worth every penny! Thanks!”

―Catherine B. 

“I have never purchased something above $1-2, so I was quite nervous. However, I would have easily paid double for this! This resource is so clearly laid out and easy to use. I am excited. It’s going to make social studies fun for me again!”

―Tova R. 

More Revolutionary War Resources

I want to save you TONS of time and help you fall in love with teaching history, and that’s why I’ve created this Revolutionary War Unit.

You may be interested in other resources for teaching the Revolutionary War like primary sources, kid-friendly videos, and a free Revolutionary war timeline.

Need more interactive units? Explore my popular units:

• Age of Exploration
• 13 Colonies
• Declaration of Independence
• Civil War