Have you ever included a vocabulary activity in your history lessons? While vocabulary is usually associated with Language Arts instruction, these lessons can be a powerful tool for teaching history!
But sifting through the myriad of words used in your history units to find meaningful vocabulary terms? No, thank you! To help get you started, I have created a Revolutionary War vocabulary list – complete with definitions and teaching suggestions!
Why Teach Revolutionary War Vocabulary?
Vocabulary is the key that unlocks understanding. If students don’t know certain words, there are just some concepts they will not understand.
For example, imagine you are teaching a lesson about the precedents set by George Washington’s presidency. If your students do not have a solid understanding of the word precedent, most of your discussion will go right over their heads! Sure, students can use context clues and pull together a meaning. But without being explicitly taught the vocabulary word, they will not be able to grasp the full meaning of the word – with all of its nuances and deeper implications.
In this blog post, Lauren Brown illustrates the power of vocabulary. She said:
Students often whine about vocabulary tests. They just don’t see the point of memorizing a bunch of words that, to them, just mean the same thing as other words they already know. “Why do we need to know squalid,” they ask. “Can’t we just say dirty?”
But the [immigrant] tenements weren’t just dirty. They were, according to one definition of squalid, “extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect.” This seven-letter word speaks volumes about the conditions of the urban poor at the turn of the century in a way that “dirty” or “really bad” just doesn’t convey.
According to Brown, “vocabulary is a tool of thought.” As such, student thought is simplistic if they do not have a rich vocabulary. When students develop a more complex vocabulary, they are able to have more complex thoughts. And more complex thinking leads to greater overall school success!
Tips for Teaching Revolutionary War Key Terms
To develop a wide vocabulary, students need both direct and indirect instruction. In addition, it is important for students to be exposed to the words multiple times. As vocab words are studied repeatedly and in a variety of meaningful contexts, student understanding will increase.
Here are some of my favorite ways to teach vocabulary:
- Teach the meaning of each word using Marzano’s six-step approach. This process includes the following steps:
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- Explain: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.
- Restate: Students restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.
- Show: Students construct a picture, pictograph, symbolic representation or act out the term.
- Engage: Engage students in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms.
- Discuss: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.
- Play: Involve students in games that enable them to play with the terms and reinforce word knowledge.
*This blog post describes some excellent websites and apps that can help you in this six-step process.
- Play games with the terms. Playing games with vocabulary terms will help students understand and internalize word meanings in a fun and non-threatening environment. For example:
- Charades: In this game, students “act out” the vocabulary word without speaking while the other members of their team try to guess what the vocabulary word is.
- Create a Skit: Split up your class into groups of two or three. Give each group one vocabulary word and 5-10 minutes to create a skit that illustrates that vocabulary word. Allow students access to readily available props like paper, desks, chairs, whiteboards, books, etc. Then, students have one minute to present their skit to the class. To make this even more challenging, don’t allow students to talk during their skits!
Why I Chose these Revolutionary War Words
When searching for vocabulary words, I tried to include a mix of words students would experience throughout their study of social studies (like militia) as well as words that are more specific to studying the Revolutionary War (like Continental Congress). I also chose words students would likely encounter multiple times in my Revolutionary War unit!
American Revolution | Revolutionary War Unit | 5th Grade – 8th Grade
15 Revolutionary War Words
- Revolution – The overthrow of a government to establish a new system
- Delegate – A person who is chosen to speak or act for others
- Continental Congress – A gathering of delegates from the thirteen colonies which served as the first governing body for the United States of America
- Declaration of Independence – A document that announced that the thirteen colonies were an independent country separate from Great Britain
- Militia – Citizens who were prepared to fight for their country
- Morale – The confidence and mood of a group
- Military Campaign – An organized series of military decisions intended to achieve a goal
- Parliament – The legislature, or law-making body, in the government of Great Britain
- Monarchy – A form of government led by a monarch (such as a king, queen, or emperor)
- Redcoat – A British soldier during the Revolutionary War
- Treaty – A formal agreement between countries
- Founding Father – The men who created the U.S. government during the 18th century
- Ratify – To officially approve something
- Articles of Confederation – An agreement between the thirteen colonies to form a single government; this was the United States’ first constitution
- Hessian – Soldiers from the German land of Hesse who came to fight in America
Download the FREE Revolutionary War Vocabulary List
I hope these tips and resources help to make vocabulary learning more exciting and meaningful in your classroom.
Download the free Revolutionary War vocabulary list here!
Need more help teaching about the Revolutionary War?
Are you looking for more resources to help you teach the Revolutionary War?
- 3-Week Revolutionary War Unit: This all-inclusive unit provides interactive lesson plans that will keep your students engaged and help them learn the information in a meaningful way.
- Revolutionary War Primary Sources: An outline of 5 primary sources, complete with teaching suggestions. I have also created a compilation of primary sources for several other U.S. History topics as well!
- American Revolution Picture Books: 7 powerful picture books to help bring the colonial era to life in your classroom.
- Revolutionary War Videos: An overview of 5 videos teaching all about the history of the Revolutionary War.
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