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Four 45-minute sessions and time for center work
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| Overview |
In this lesson, students explore the life and legend of Paul Revere. Revere, an American patriot during the Revolutionary War period, was immortalized 85 years later by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in a poem featuring Revere’s daring ride to warn countrymen “the British are coming!” After reading the poem, students explore websites that describe Revere’s life, his well-known ride (as well as an earlier one), and his occupation. They then talk about what was accurate—and what was not—in the poem. Information from all the sources students explore is then used for center activities and projects.
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| From Theory to Practice |
Ford, M., & Opitz, M. (2002). Using centers to engage children during guided reading time: Intensifying learning experiences away from the teacher. The Reading Teacher, 55(8), 710–717.
- Centers have curricular relevance, reinforcing and extending learning. Suggested activities in this lesson plan could be used to maximize literacy learning that can and needs to occur during independent learning time.
- Centers offer an equitable use of activities matched to students’ interests and needs. They also give the teacher an opportunity to focus on individuals or small groups while other students are meaningfully engaged.
- It is important for directions to be clear and for learners to have an opportunity to present their work. The learner must also perceive that the task is something that he or she can accomplish and that the products will be valued.
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| Student Objectives |
Students will
- Gain knowledge by reading and discussing a variety of resources about Paul Revere and by taking notes related to their purpose for reading (e.g., main idea, details, comments, and reactions) and orally sharing information from their reading selections in small groups
- Demonstrate comprehension and critical thinking by completing a variety of activities related to the reading including sequencing events, comparing fiction to fact, completing a cloze activity, and sharing information orally with classmates
- Apply the knowledge they have gained about Paul Revere by writing a short essay and completing a variety of related center activities
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| Instructional Plan |
Preparation
| 1. |
Using a large sheet of chart paper, create a K-W-L chart.
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| 2. |
If you do not have classroom computers with Internet access, arrange sessions in your school’s computer lab. If possible, arrange to use a computer with an LCD projector during Sessions 1 and 3.
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| 3. |
Visit and familiarize yourself with the websites in the Resources list. If possible, bookmark them on computers students will be using. If students will be unable to read online, print off the appropriate pages for each session.
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| 4. |
Read “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and prepare to share it with students. You will need either a transparency of the poem or the ability to show it online using an LCD projector.
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| 5. |
Make one copy of the Sequence of Events chart, Compare–Contrast Worksheet, and the Paul Revere: Cloze Activity for each student in your class.
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| 6. |
Print off the Bio-sketch, Character Traits, Picto-map, and Paul Revere Rap worksheets and review. Assemble materials and make copies as necessary for use during center time.
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Session 1
| 1. |
Show students the Paul Revere K-W-L chart (see Preparation, Step 1). If students are unfamiliar with this type of chart, tell them that they will start by filling in the What I Know (K) section together. They will also start the What I Want to Know section (W), but they may have additional wonderings to add as they read, discuss, and listen to presentations. Explain that they will also begin the What I Learned (L) column and will continue to add to this column.
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| 2. |
Ask students if they have heard of Paul Revere. Fill in responses under the K column. Students may “challenge” a peer’s statement that they think is not quite accurate. As the reading is done, check the challenges. Be sure that students are aware that statements are open to revision when information supports changes or clarification in thinking.
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| 3. |
Using an LCD projector or a large monitor, go to the interactive map, Paul Revere’s America. Have the class view and move through the interactive map of Boston during Paul Revere’s time. Read or have students read the caption with each screen.
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| 4. |
Go to Paul Revere: Messenger of the Revolution, which features a brief introduction to the situation that led up to the famous ride of Paul Revere with vivid images, narration, and sound effects.
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| 5. |
Have students follow along as you dramatically read the poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Project the poem on the screen or have students follow along with a copy of the poem.
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| 6. |
Ask students if they think statements in the K column need to be revised based on the information they have been presented with so far. Discuss responses and make appropriate revisions.
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| 7. |
Work with students to collaboratively complete the Sequence of Events chart. Students will suggest responses for each section and discuss and rephrase responses until there is a consensus on the wording. Fill in the transparency of the chart as students fill in their copies.
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| 8. |
Ask students to share a wondering or question they have with a partner—something they Want to Know about Paul Revere. Discuss these with the whole class and record them in the W column of the chart.
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| 9. |
Ask students to share statements that they feel are appropriate for the What I Learned column of the chart. What information have they gained from today’s sources? Record these responses in the L column. Help students clarify statements for accuracy when appropriate.
Note: Hang the K-W-L chart in the classroom and add additional information to the L column as the sessions continue.
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Session 2
| 1. |
Begin this session by rereading “Paul Revere’s Ride”. Draw students’ attentions to the K-W-L chart and the overhead of the Sequence of Events chart from Session 1. Explain that you are going to explore how closely the poem follows what actually happened on that night in April.
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| 2. |
Go to Exhibit Hall 2 of the Midnight Rider: A Paul Revere Virtual Museum website. Read The Historic Paul Revere and The Real Midnight Ride, making changes and additions to the K-W-L chart as necessary.
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| 3. |
Distribute the Compare–Contrast Worksheet: Two Views of the Midnight Ride. Have students suggest responses for each section and discuss and rephrase responses until there is a consensus on the wording. Fill in the transparency of the chart as students fill in their copies.
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| 4. |
Talk about the differences between the poem and what really happened. Ask students why they think Longfellow changed the facts like he did. Does understanding these differences change their impressions of Paul Revere? Why or why not? You may want to spend some time talking about the word legend and why historical figures often have exaggerated stories told about them.
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Session 3
| 1. |
Review what students want to know or learned about Paul Revere from the K-W-L chart.
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| 2. |
Project American Revolution.org: Paul Revere or give copies to students and read the passage it contains together. Discuss the description of events using the keywords who, what, when, where, why, and how. For example, “Who is Paul Revere? Who are other key figures connected to this event? What did they do? What did they accomplish? When did this occur? Where?”
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| 3. |
Form three groups. Students will read and record main ideas and details in their learning logs and then share their findings in their groups.
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| 4. |
Have students set up a page in their log by drawing a line down the page. One-third of the page should be on the left of the line and two-thirds on the right. On the smaller section should be the heading Main Ideas, and on the larger section, the heading Details.
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| 5. |
Assign each group of students a different resource from the following list:
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| 6. |
Tell students to record main ideas and details from their reading. When they are finished, they should write the heading My Comments and Reactions on the notebook page. Next, they should review their notes to reflect on what they have just read. Then, they should write a paragraph (or more) about their reactions and reflections on the reading. While students are working, circulate to provide assistance as needed.
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| 7. |
Have students share their learning log entries within their group. They should identify main ideas and details and then share personal comments, reactions, and reflections.
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| 8. |
Groups should choose a reporter who will share key ideas from the group’s reading in the next session.
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Session 4
| 1. |
Ask the group reporters to share the main ideas, details, and reactions from their group’s reading. Classmates can ask questions of group members. Add information to the L column of the K-W-L chart as appropriate.
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| 2. |
Have students complete the Paul Revere: Cloze Activity with a partner. Go over responses with the whole group to check and review.
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| 3. |
Have students respond to the following question in their learning log:
Did Paul Revere demonstrate patriotism in his family life, his work as an engraver, and/or in his membership in the Sons of Liberty? Explain your answer.
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Center Work
These activities can be done in the language arts, social studies, or independent work time block. Previous lessons have prepared students to work with relative independence on center tasks. They should have sufficient background knowledge to creatively complete tasks.
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Review appropriate behavior and procedures for center work. Students check off the activity they have completed and submit their work in a designated place for teacher review and evaluation. A checklist might look like this.
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Name |
Bio-sketch |
Revere Rap |
Character traits |
Picto-map |
| Billy M. |
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X |
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| Jamie L. |
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X |
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| Tom P. |
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X |
| Nancy T. |
X |
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| 2. |
Students will be given time to work at the centers as assigned. They will be required to complete any number of activities. If not completed during the time allotted, students can use the center before school or during independent work time.
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| 3. |
Have students perform center activities by following instructions on the Bio-sketch, Character Traits, Picto-map, and Paul Revere Rap worksheets.
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Extensions
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When center work is completed, a Big Book can be compiled and presented to the library. Final “publication” of written work for each activity can be done on paper cut to make a Paul Revere form as directed on the Bio-sketch worksheet. Have students sign up for a time to be available in the library to present the Big Book to other students in the school.
- Have students use the online Bio-Cube tool to summarize what they know about Paul Revere or another historical figure from the Revolutionary Period.
- Have students read books from the Paul Revere Booklist to explore Revere further.
- Have students use the Compare & Contrast Map to compare Revere’s legend to his real life.
- Have groups select another American patriot from the Revolutionary Period and construct a Big Book for that person.
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| Student Assessment/Reflections |
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1 - Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
3 - Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4 - Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5 - Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
7 - Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8 - Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
12 - Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
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