The American Revolution in the Elementary Classroom

Resources to Help You Teach and Learn Wherever You Are!

Revolutionary War Resources for the Elementary Classroom

This page offers a curated collection of web-based resources designed to help teachers introduce elementary school students to the American Revolution in an engaging and age-appropriate way. It includes curriculum materials, lesson plans and ideas, educational videos, kid-friendly articles, and printable activities. These materials support classroom lessons by bringing historical events, key figures, and revolutionary ideals to life, while encouraging students to think critically about America’s founding story, and will serve as a complement to the themes and events covered in The American Revolution series from Ken Burns. 

Granite State Challenge Online Quiz
Test your knowledge of the American Revolution with quizzes for elementary, middle, and high school students.

Our New Hampshire – American Revolution: Loyalties
April 21, 1775, a post rider gallops into the busy New Hampshire town square to announce the urgent news about the battles of Lexington and Concord (Mass.) to the gathering crowd. The men in the astonished and agitated crowd begin to sign up for the militia. They even shout down one man who tries to speak in defense of the king's troops. Teacher Guide

Our New Hampshire – American Revolution: Contrasts
video.nhpbs.org/video/our-new-hampshire-american-revolution-contrasts/
New York has fallen, and there is a vital need for reinforcements in New Jersey. Eben and many of his friends become recruits. The new soldiers join the regiment, which is marching to New Jersey. As the regiment nears New Jersey, Eben soon faces the hardships and realities of war. The scarcity of food becomes more and more serious, and Eben and his friend Isaac must forage for food. Teacher Guide

Liberty’s Kids
This animated historical fiction television series was produced by DIC Entertainment Corporation and originally aired on PBS Kids.  It tells of young people in dramas surrounding the major events in the American Revolution and features Walter Cronkite as Benjamin Franklin.

Elementary Curriculum: American Revolution
You’ll find lesson plans, activities, videos, and PD resources at this site from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

American Revolution Teacher’s Guide
This guide for fourth grade from the Core Knowledge Foundation uses art and literature to explore the Revolutionary period. You can download the student resources here.

A More Perfect Union
This site from the National Endowment for the Humanities features lesson plans and activities that explore the founding of our nation.

The American Revolution Collection
This collection of resources from I-Civics contains everything you need for students to understand 
how the American colonies’ resistance to laws fueled the American Revolutionary War.

Professional Development
Social Studies free online workshops and classroom video practices libraries from Annenberg Learner.

Daily Learning Themes for Grades PreK-12  from NHPBS  with a focus on the Revolutionary War Period

THE BILL OF RIGHTS

THE CONSTITUTION

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

THOMAS JEFFERSON

GEORGE WASHINGTON

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

ABIGAIL ADAMS

 


More Learning Resources

Looking for some super cool crafts to do with your kids? Or maybe you need some expert parenting resources to help raise your child? You can find it all right here:

PBS KIDS CRAFTS & PBS PARENTING TIPS

PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia

NHPBS and PBS have curated FREE, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for educators. You can also create your own lessons and assignments to meet the needs of your students.

Annenberg

Annenberg Learner

Searchable online video courses and interactives across the curriculum and grade levels in areas like chemistry, literature, music, the visual arts, social studies, world languages storytelling, spelling and lots more.

Brainpop

Brainpop

Features over 1,000 animated shorts and quizzes for students in grades K-12 covering science, social studies, English, math, the arts, health, and technology.  The service is free to schools closed due to COVID-19.

Scholastic

Scholastic Learn At Home

Everyday Scholastic will feature four learning experiences, built around a story or video.

Storyline Online

StoryLine Online

A series of imaginatively produced videos featuring celebrated actors reading children's books.


Local Learning Resources

The best of NH learning resources from around the state.

  • Cheshire County Historical Society

  • New Hampshire Public Radio:

    • Civics 101 -  Tons of great (and free!) audio, activities, resources, and lessons to help you stay engaged with civics.
    • Ask Sam - Ask Sam features Outside/In host Sam Evans-Brown answering listener questions about the mysteries and quirks of the natural world.
  • Seacoast Science Center in Odiorne Point State Park

    • Learning Connection - Even though their doors are closed, we’re still here to connect you to the inspirational powers of nature and engage you in learning. 
  • Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

  • Strawbery Banke Museum

    • Online Learning - Virtual Tours, the Virtual Classroom, artifacts of the week, featured items from the Collections, Horticulture Learning Center materials, and more.
  • Tiger Takes On

 


PBS KIDS!

PBS Kids for Teachers/Caregivers/Parents

  • PBS for Parents
    A guide of PBS resources targeted for parents teaching kids, features a great activity finder
  • PBS Education
    The greatest teachers ignite a love of learning and a sense of possibility that motivates students to reach their full potential.
  • PBS Teachers' Lounge
    This site has great teaching tips, ideas, resources and support for teachers.
  • PBS KIDS Games app
    Offers nearly 200 educational games, which can be downloaded for offline play anytime, anywhere.