Grades K-2 Lesson Plan - Paul Revere's Ride

Map 13 Main Page

Core Map B:: J. De Costa, A Plan of the Town of Boston and Harbour and the Country adjacent with Road from Boston to Concord (London: J. Hand, 1775). Newberry Library call no. Map 2F 3701.S3.111 (Printable PDF version of Core Map B)

Resources related to Map 13.
Curator's Notes for Map 10a.
Curator's Notes for Map 10b.

Overview
This lesson explores the political situation in Boston in 1775, using Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" to introduce the beginning of the American Revolution.

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. identify the major places mentioned in Longfellow's poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."
2. describe who Paul Revere was.
3. describe why Revere's ride was important to the American cause on the eve of the American Revolution.

Materials
Computer image or overhead of Core Map B, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, drawing paper or copies of the core map, crayons or colored pencils

Time
Approximately 60 minutes.

Getting Started

1. Set up the lesson by having students access a picture of Paul Revere by selecting Revere Portrait from the menu on the core map. Identify Revere and ask how many students know who he is.

2. Introduce Longfellow's poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" to your students. Have your students try to identify when the event took place. Have your students tell what Revere was doing on the ride, and where he was before and during the ride. Make a list of the answers for future use.

3. Discuss Revere's ride and why it was important. Explain that it warned the Americans that the British army was coming, leading to the first battles of the American Revolution.

4. Explain that the following activity involves using maps to trace Revere's ride and that students will then draw their own map of the ride.

1. Access core map B and orient your students to the map.

2. Select Paul Revere's Ride from the menu on the core map. Go through the list of places from the poem and have students click on the buttons for Old North Church and Charlestown to view those images. Help them read the captions.

3. Continue going through the list, having students click on the buttons for Medford and Lexington. Explain that Revere was captured before reaching Concord so the poem is inaccurate on this point.

4. Pass out drawing paper or copies of core map B and crayons or colored pencils. With the core map as a guide, have students trace the route of Paul Revere's ride on core map B or draw their own maps of Paul Revere's ride on drawing paper.

5. Have students show maps and discuss why we still remember Paul Revere's ride.

a. Computer activity
For 4 points, the student successfully completes all of the above tasks.
For 3 points, the student successfully completes all but 1 or 2 of the above tasks.
For 2 points, the student successfully completes approximately one-half of the above tasks.
For 1 point, the student does not successfully complete any or only a few of the above tasks.

b. Map Drawing
For 4 points, the student successfully draws or traces Paul Revere's ride.
For 3 points, the student successfully draws or traces most of Paul Revere's ride on the map.
For 2 points, the students successfully draws or traces about one-half of Paul Revere's ride on the map.
For 1 point, the student does not successfully draw or trace Paul Revere's ride.

Extensions

1. Using core map B as a reference, discuss the story of the battle of Lexington and Concord.
2. Have students use computer or print materials to find out more about Paul Revere's life so they can draw a picture of Revere and write a short biography of him.