Causes of the Revolutionary War - History Alive Lessons 10 & 11

Lessons:
1. Create an Interactive Timeline of the Causes of the Rev. War.
2. Write a Dialogue between a Patriot & a Loyalist.
3. Create a Visual Background for our Videos.
4. Record a Conversation about the Causes of the Revolution.

Lesson 1:

We need to learn about the causes of the Revolutionary War: What made us declare a war on such a powerful country, like England???  We'll get our information from History Alive - Lesson 10.  While we complete the activities for History Alive 10, we will create a timeline of these events to embed in our ePortfolios (see example above).

Resources for your timeline:

• Our Timeline Template (you need to make a copy of this document): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bZvCd7nYj1VfllxPwozxMdv--Y8cnc7Se9Kp0OzvPyE/edit?usp=sharing
• Timeline JS (Skip to Step #3): https://timeline3.knightlab.com/
  

Directions:

1. Start reading History Alive - Lesson 10.
2. After each section, complete the activities that are assigned.
3. After each section, summarize the event on your timeline under the column entitled, "TEXT."
4. Go onto the next section and repeat the above directions.
5. When you are finished with the assignments and the timeline, embed your timeline onto a portfolio entry and answer the following questions:

                1. Which cause that you reported on would have made you most frustrated if you lived during this time  
                    period? Why?
                2. Can you describe how the American colonists must have felt at this time, having all of these laws and
                    rules put on them without them having a say? Why do you think they'd feel that way?
                3. One of the "causes" that you summarized on the timeline was actually not a cause of the war at all, but
                    it was actually an effect.  Can you identify which event wasn't a cause of the Revolutionary War?

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Lesson 2:

Now that History Alive Lesson 10 is complete and our timeline has been embedded into a blog entry, we should know something about the causes of the Revolutionary War!  It's now time to show off what we know...

Directions:

1. Choose your two topics you will discuss while walking (Image above)(we will do this together as a class here). (I will pull sticks for partnerships, but you can choose which two events you focus on.)
   
2. THIS IS TRICKY: Create one Google Doc that the two of you will share.  Share it with Mr. Solarz at [email protected].  Call it "Colonial Boston Script - (Topic 1) / (Topic 2) - (Name 1) & (Name 2)" Example: "Colonial Boston Script - French & Indian War / Boston Massacre - Paul & James"
   
3. Remind each other which of you is the loyalist and which is the patriot (based on the Google Spreadsheet).
4. Research each topic well using your History Alive book and any other resources, until you both consider yourselves experts.
5. Complete History Alive Lesson 11 assignments and reading.  This will probably take several periods.  Skip the Panel Debates - Our green screen videos will replace those.
   
6. Discuss how the conversation might sound.  The topics need to be explained VERY WELL from one character to the other.  The patriot should also try to convince the loyalist to consider seeing it their way.  If the patriot is convincing, the loyalist should consider their point.  But remember that you are friends and have respect for each other.
7. Type the script on the Google Doc, so it looks something like the picture below.  Here are the steps:

            1. Make each person's lines a different color. (Be careful of fancy fonts! They'll mess you up while recording!)
            2. Start your script with a greeting, saying each others' names.
            3. Ask each other how their job is going & answer them appropriately. (The picture below did not do this.)
            4. Start talking about one of your events, pretending that it is recent news!
            5. Between the two of you, explain everything important about that event.
            6. Share your opinions as patriots and loyalists.
            7. The patriot needs to POLITELY try to convince the loyalist that their opinion is the correct one.
            8. If the patriot's arguments are convincing, the loyalist should consider supporting declaring independence.
            9. Switch to the other topic and do steps 4-8 for that one!
            10. Wrap it up & say goodbye in a way that makes sense!

Once you think your script is the best you can make it, get it approved by Mr. Solarz.  If you have done a solid job, you will be allowed to do the next step:

Find images (on Google Images) of buildings that might have been around in Boston in 1768.  We will use those images to help us draw the background of our movie.  When you find those images, create a slideshow of them on your ePortfolio. We'll be deleting that blog post later, but we'll need the photos to create our background posters.

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Lesson 3:

We are going to create a background for some videos that we are creating.  When we record ourselves in front of the green screen, it will look as though you are walking along a street in 1773 Boston. 

Research what houses and businesses looked like during this time period by researching online.  When you have at least 5 photos of buildings from this time period, ask Mr. Solarz if you can start to draw those buildings on a piece of butcher paper.  I will give you more direction at this point.

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Lesson 4:

Time to have some fun with the green screen! :)

Directions:

1. Go to the LMC with Mr. Solarz and your partner.  Bring an iPad with your script on it.
   
2. Choose a costume to wear for your scene.
3. Get all set up and ready to go.  Mr. Solarz will scroll the dialogue on the iPad so you can read it while fake walking.
4. Do your performance.  (Make sure Mr. Solarz is recording.)
5. Give back the costume & wait to watch the final product!
   

Click here if you'd like to watch some of our older videos!