Students examine how colonists protested British policies, exploring methods of protest, Britain’s responses, and the effectiveness of each, with a deeper look at the Sons and Daughters of Liberty.
Students examine how colonists protested British policies, exploring methods of protest, Britain’s responses, and the effectiveness of each, with a deeper look at the Sons and Daughters of Liberty.
Students examine an image of colonial opposition to British laws and read introductory text about how people have historically expressed disagreement with governments. They respond to a discussion wall prompt describing ways people can protest or show disagreement when they think something is unfair, then review the lesson objectives about colonial resistance and its impacts.
Teacher MovesPreview key vocabulary as needed to support comprehension. After students post to the discussion wall, facilitate a conversation that draws out different protest methods and use these ideas to generate predictions about how colonists might have responded to British laws. Record student predictions for later comparison and review the lesson objectives, explaining that students will test their predictions in upcoming scenes.
Students read Resistance in the Thirteen Colonies to learn how colonists organized petitions, boycotts, and public protests to challenge British laws and to examine the impacts of these actions. They complete a graphic organizer categorizing each type of activism and describing its purposes and effects on both the colonies and Britain.
Teacher MovesClarify that students are investigating how colonial activism developed into a broader movement. After students complete the graphic organizer, review their entries to ensure they understand the distinct purposes and impacts of petitions, boycotts, and public protests. Highlight that activism took multiple forms and built momentum toward conflict. Conclude by leading a brief discussion in which students predict how Britain might respond to each method of resistance, preparing them for the next scene.
Students read The British Response to Resistance in the Thirteen Colonies to investigate how Britain reacted to colonial petitions, boycotts, and protests. They answer a series of multiple-choice questions about actions such as repealing the Stamp Act, passing the Declaratory Act, and sending troops, then respond to a discussion wall prompt evaluating whether colonial resistance was effective, using evidence from the text.
Teacher MovesFrame the reading by explaining that students are examining how Britain balanced easing pressure with maintaining control. After students answer the questions, review responses to check understanding, emphasizing that Parliament both repealed some taxes and asserted authority through measures like the Declaratory Act. Use the final questions to model how to connect a claim to strong supporting evidence. Then facilitate discussion of the wall prompt, guiding students to see that colonial resistance had mixed results—achieving some goals while also provoking tighter British control and rising tensions.
Students read The Sons and Daughters of Liberty to explore how these groups encouraged ordinary colonists to join the resistance. Working in small groups, they complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting how the Sons of Liberty and the Daughters of Liberty resisted British rule and inspired others, then answer a poll about which approaches likely reached more everyday colonists.
Teacher MovesExplain that this scene extends learning by focusing on how resistance reached people’s daily lives. After groups complete the Venn diagram, review their work to confirm understanding of similarities and differences between the two groups’ methods. Lead a discussion in which students identify strengths of both the more aggressive tactics of the Sons of Liberty and the more domestic, nonviolent strategies of the Daughters of Liberty. After the poll, prompt students to justify their choices and connect different strategies to their potential impact on everyday colonists, emphasizing how varied forms of activism helped unite colonial opinion against British control.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.