TeachersFirst's Resources Related to the Revolutionary War
Take your students back in time to the late 1700s, as the 13 colonies began their quest for freedom from British rule. These resources share information and tools to engage your students as they learn how the colonies came together to form the United States of America. Resources are shared for all grade levels and include classroom use ideas.
Are you looking for more resources? Explore this list for additional resources related to the American Revolution.

26 Results | sort by:
History Maps - Nono Umasy
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), china (81), civil war (138), explorers (65), japan (57), maps (218), medieval (33), religions (94), russia (35), south america (40), timelines (55), vietnam (38), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Share these maps and information on your whiteboard during classroom discussions as a visual tool for students to understand the geographic location of events and use it to provide context for relationships between different events. As students study history, ask them to create interactive timelines using Timeline JS, reviewed here, which includes images, videos, and documents to detail events. Extend learning by asking groups of students to create presentations using different multimedia tools to provide an overall understanding of the content. For example, ask one group to create a timeline and another to create an interactive map using Zeemaps, reviewed here, and have another group use Adobe Express Free Video Maker, reviewed here, to create a video presentation.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The British Are Coming! Using Literature to Bring the American Revolution to Life - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), book lists (166), colonial america (95), colonization (21), franklin (12), heroes (24), virtual field trips (120), washington (28)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site with ideas about the American Revolution to engage students through literature. Some books and activities include links to lessons and teachers' guides that provide additional information and classroom support. Use Curipod, reviewed here, to quickly create engaging lessons and activities related to your book studies. For example, Curipod can create slides with themes such as lesson hooks, what do you infer? and exit tickets; use any of these options to generate ideas for discussion questions based on the theme of any books shared in this article. Enhance student learning by creating timelines based on information in the books read. ReadWriteThink Timeline, reviewed here, is easy for students of all ages to use for creating and sharing timelines.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Journalism in Action - PBS Newshour Classroom
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), 20th century (62), american revolution (82), civil rights (201), civil war (138), immigrants (34), immigration (68), journalism (73), mental health (47), presidents (135), Research (85), vietnam (38), womens suffrage (51), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
This site is a must-have for middle and high school social studies teachers. Allow several days for students to complete individual case studies; if time is an issue, assign portions of a case instead of completing the entire activity. Another option is to share a case study as an ongoing flipped learning activity to complete over two or more weeks or as a supplement for gifted students to use as an independent learning activity. If assigning as a long-term activity, ensure students complete the registration and save their work. Then, as students complete the final activity of writing a news story, share their articles as a PDF using PDF Convertor, reviewed here, then upload all of the PDFs to the PDF to Flipbook Converter, reviewed here, to create a flippable magazine that includes all student-written articles.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Evaluating Art as Historical Evidence - Digital Inquiry Group
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), art history (99), artists (83), assessment (144), china (81), civil rights (201), civil war (138), colonial america (95), comics and cartoons (55), declaration of independence (15), egypt (56), france (41), japan (57), mayans (14), mexico (31), native americans (108), nazis (8), thanksgiving (24), womens suffrage (51)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this list for use throughout the year with many different history lessons. Include these art activities to provide context and visual perspective to important events. Use a curation tool such as Padlet, reviewed here, to create an ongoing resource for students to use for review and as a guide for understanding history through a wider lens. For example, when using Padlet, choose the timeline feature and add a piece of art onto the timeline. Upload videos, text, and additional images to create an interactive timeline that tells a story through art. As a final project, ask students to share their learning using Sway, reviewed here to write a reflective piece on the use of art throughout any period in time. Have students include student work, images, links, maps, and more in Sway projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Unsung Hero Projects - Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), civil rights (201), civil war (138), heroes (24), Project Based Learning (23), STEM (290), vietnam (38), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students to learn more about the "everyday" people involved with historical events. Consider starting a project-based learning activity for your students. Learn more about project-based learning at the TeachersFirst Special Topics Page devoted to project-based learning, found here. Help students organize resources found in their research using Wakelet, reviewed here. Create Wakelet collections for each project that includes links to articles, videos, and other relevant information to be used in their project. As students prepare to complete their projects, share a storyboard creation tool such as Storyboarder, reviewed here, to help plan videos, podcasts, websites, or plays.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Hamilton Education Program Online - Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), poetry (192), songs (46), washington (28)
In the Classroom
Include this resource with your remote learning resources for teaching social studies. Engage students in learning about the founding of the United States through the music and words of Hamilton. Include activities available through this site along with your selected videos, documents, websites, and more to create a complete online lesson using ActivelyLearn, reviewed here. Have students use Canva Edu, reviewed here, to create posters for the play using information learned from the primary sources included with this site. Extend learning even further by challenging students to write a play about the American Revolution using ActiveTextbook, reviewed here, to create an interactive experience with videos, images, and more. For students who prefer drama and music presentations, ask them to share their learning with podcasts using Buzzsprout, reviewed here. Have students create podcasts telling the story as if they were a participant in the revolution and share their stories from different points of view.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The 1619 Project Curriculum - Pulitzer Center
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): 1600s (20), american revolution (82), civil war (138), colonial america (95), slavery (78)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the wide variety of materials included in this curriculum as part of any lessons on slavery, civil war, and early American history. As you introduce the 1619 Project to your students, ask them to work with a partner or in groups to highlight and identify important information. Many of the student materials are available as PDF documents, have students work in groups to highlight important information or information that needs additional clarification. If you work with older students, use a digital annotation tool like Hypothesis, reviewed here, to add and share notes for discussion. As students become familiar with the content found in the 1619 Project, ask them to demonstrate their understanding of the materials through their choice of multi-media tools. Suggestions include asking students to create a newsletter with the arrival date of the first enslaved African-Americans using Smore, reviewed here, or use Preceden, reviewed here, to build and customize a timeline of events featured in the article. Use the information found on the site to extend learning further and help students make real-life connections to the material by asking students to use the information learned to direct and act out different events in history. Consider asking different groups to create a series on ongoing podcasts using Spotify for Podcastors, reviewed here, to tell the story of American history beginning in 1619 and share their podcasts using school social media accounts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Race to Ratify - iCivics
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): 1700s (36), american revolution (82), branches of government (64), colonial america (95), constitution (93), game based learning (196)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the basic concepts of the challenge on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then allow students to play on their own on the whiteboard or classroom computers, keeping a log of their actions and results. Enhance learning by having students share interactions from the game in comic form using ToonyTool, reviewed here. Ask students to use ToonyTool to create a conversation with the game's character trying to persuade an anti-Federalist or another opponent on the virtues of the Constitution. Use the game as inspiration for students to extend their learning by creating their own history game using Scratch, reviewed here. For ideas and inspiration, use the search feature in Scratch to find examples of history games created by other users.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Be Washington - George Washington's Mount Vernon
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), presidents (135), washington (28), white house (16)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce your unit on the American Revolution. Follow the instructions to create a multiplayer game for your classroom using small groups. Instead of written reports, extend student learning by asking students to research the different points of view provided by advisors within the game. Then modify learning by having them create a website either individually or in small groups using Carrd, reviewed here, to share information backing up their final decision within the game including links to research sites and their supporting writing activities. As a class project, use student research to modify learning and create an interactive book using Book Creator, reviewed here. Have students enhance their learning by using Be Washington as a model to create podcasts using Spotify for Podcastors, reviewed here, to reenact the challenges faced by George Washington.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Project Look Sharp - Project Look Sharp, Ithaca College
Grades
K to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), climate change (94), critical thinking (123), environment (246), martin luther king (45), media literacy (107), middle east (49), nutrition (137), OER (43), presidents (135), russia (35), social media (48)
In the Classroom
Become acquainted with these free curriculum kits and lessons to integrate media literacy within content already taught in the classroom. As you teach lessons found on the site, incorporate technology to enhance learning and build student understanding by using Word Ahead, reviewed here, or WordSift, reviewed here, to introduce and develop vocabulary as a prereading strategy or older students can use either as they are reading. Incorporate images with annotations to help students understand "big picture" ideas using Image Annotator, reviewed here. For younger students create a Image Annotator as a class to add text, video, and more to images. Ask older students to create their own Image Annotator sharing information learned throughout your lessons. Be sure to share all of your images on your class website for students to view at any time. To transform classroom technology use and as a culminating activity, use a digital book creation tool like Book Creator, reviewed here, as an alternative assessment to quizzes or tests. Include student-created writing, Annotated images, and add videos with student commentary within each book. Be sure to provide students with your rubric to use as a guide before turning in digital books. Find many ideas for implementing rubrics for assessment along with examples and online tools at TeachersFirst Rubrics to the Rescue, reviewed here. Whether students work individually or in groups, be sure to share your new digital library related to your lesson topic with students to review and revisit at any time!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Mr. Moore's Classroom - Matt Moore
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), 20th century (62), advanced placement (26), american revolution (82), aztecs (9), civil rights (201), civil war (138), debate (42), industrial revolution (22), industrialization (11), speech (68), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save Mr. Moore's Classroom as a supplement to your current social studies teaching materials. Find new ideas for Debate Team. Take advantage of the free materials and planning information offered on this site. Share this site with colleagues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
TomRichey.net - Tom Richey
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): advanced placement (26), american revolution (82), colonial america (95), europe (84), greece (47), israel (14), medieval (33), native americans (108), primary sources (117), renaissance (38), romans (52)
In the Classroom
Tom Richey has put together an excellent resource for any secondary level history teacher. Take advantage of the many free materials to supplement your current curriculum. Share a link to videos and review information on your class web page for student use at home or view together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to share with students as they prepare for AP exams.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Highlighting Our History: American Revolution Read-alouds PLUS for the Common Core - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 6tag(s): american revolution (82), book lists (166), commoncore (74), writing prompts (61)
In the Classroom
Mark this article in your Favorites and take the book suggestions with you to the school library (or search for interlibrary loans). Consider using this as part of a "Then and Now" or "Past and Present" focus in kindergarten or first grade, or with middle elementary students as part of a unit related to the Revolutionary War. Take a look at the suggestions for connecting the read-alouds to CCSS-aligned writing prompts or for short, focused research projects to include as follow-up.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Totally History - totallyhistory.com
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): american revolution (82), art history (99), civil war (138), presidents (135), religions (94), vietnam (38), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Totally History offers a starting point to find basic facts and information on many topics. Use material from the site to introduce any topic such as presidents or events in World or American History. Share with students to use as a resource for classroom projects and reports. Have students create timelines using Timeline JS, reviewed here. Timeline JS also offers the option to upload and add photos, videos, audio, Tweets, and Google Maps making it interactive. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president or any person or event in history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
CurriConnects Book List - Colonial America - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): book lists (166), colonial america (95), independent reading (83)
In the Classroom
Make history more real during your unit on Colonial America. Have students choose a book from this list and present their impressions from it in the form of a blog post from the times. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Tumblr, reviewed here. Collect the links to all the student posts on your class web page for students to browse and gather a "human" experience of history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
History Labs - A Guided Approach to Historical Inquiry in the K-12 Classroom - UMBC Center for History Education
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): african american (110), american revolution (82), civil rights (201), civil war (138), colonial america (95), colonization (21), great depression (30), iran (8), jefferson (19), kennedy (20), native americans (108), roosevelt (15), slavery (78), washington (28), womens suffrage (51), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use with any American History topic as a complete lesson or to offer another angle on current lessons. Enhance learning by having students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Venngage reviewed here. Before beginning a unit, have students brainstorm or collect ideas on a collaborative bulletin board like Stickies.io, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Revolutionary War Animated Maps - American Battlefield Trust
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1700s (36), american revolution (82), map skills (62), maps (218)
In the Classroom
Illustrate Revolutionary War battles on an interactive whiteboard or projector during a lecture or class discussion. This site might also be useful as a link students can explore from home as part of a homework assignment or enrichment activity. Have students research this site and other information about their "battle" and create a multimedia project. How about enhancing learning with a "talking map" indicating where a battle took place with audio recordings? Use a tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here, to create a map of local landforms (with audio stories and pictures included)! Extend learning for your group of talented future animators by challenging them to envision similar animations for battles that are not already included, and use Animatron, reviewed here, to create and share them with you and their peers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
U. S. History Images - Karen J. Hatzigeorgiou
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1800s (75), american revolution (82), civil war (138), colonial america (95), colonization (21), emancipation proclamation (12), images (260), industrial revolution (22), industrialization (11), lincoln (66), native americans (108), pioneers (9), states (124), transportation (31), washington (28)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site to share during classroom lessons on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Share with students as a place to explore and to "get the picture" of early events in American History. As an alternative a traditional report and to enhance learning, create a newspaper using a site such as Printing Press, reviewed here, to report on Civil War events. This site is a wonderful source for students to find raw materials for multimedia projects in general. Be sure to provide a mini lesson on how to cite their image sources!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
America in Class - The National Humanities Center
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): abolition (7), american revolution (82), civil war (138), colonial america (95), colonization (21), democracy (23), native americans (108), primary sources (117), religions (94), slavery (78), women (146)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to help your class learn the background information and read the material through once. Work through the lesson together; then consider assigning groups of four students to go through the readings again, discovering the answers to the essential questions. Have students post the group's answers on a back-channel chat program such as YoTeach!, so all groups can see all answers. Where answers differ, have students go back into the reading and cite evidence to support their answer on Today's Meet for all to see.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Reading Like a Historian - Digital Inquiry Group
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), civil rights (201), civil war (138), cold war (30), colonial america (95), colonization (21), emancipation proclamation (12), new deal (5), reading strategies (96), slavery (78), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for American history lessons throughout the year. The final segment of each lesson, the "Central Historical Question," has been noted as the most important part. If you don't have time for the full lesson, incorporate the historical question into your lesson plans as part of your classroom discussion, or journal activities. Perhaps you can use it as an essential question for your unit. Challenge students to create a talking avatar using a photo or other image (legally permitted to be reproduced). The avatars can be used to explain the central historical question. Use a site such as Blabberize, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form