Tim Was Caught in the Middle of War. . .

My Brother Sam Is Dead

Web Quest

Developed by Mrs. McCabe

Wilbur Wright Middle School

Overview|Introduction|Quest(ions)|Process|Evaluation|Conclusion

Overview

My Brother Sam is Dead begins in 1775, when the New England colonies were just beginning to join forces in rebellion against their ruler, the mighty British government. Since their founding, the colonies had paid taxes to the King of England, retained many British customs, and often followed the Anglican religion. By the time when this story takes place, the movement for independence had begun to spread through the land, gaining great following at the universities, including Yale, where the fictional character Sam Meeker is a student. The Boston Tea Party had happened, exciting the rebel Patriots and offending the Tories, New England men who remained loyal to England. The colonies were beginning to divide in their loyalty. The makeshift rebel militia, the Minutemen, rose under the leadership of George Washington and defeated the British forces in the battle of Lexington and Concord, an event Sam notes in chapter one. Even with so much pro-Patriot sentiment, Redding, Connecticut, where the Meekers live, was a Tory town. It is a historical fact that Redding inhabitants endured aggression and the stealing of their guns and cattle, partly out of wartime desperation for goods, and partly out of animosity toward the Loyalists.

Overview|Introduction|Quest(ions)|Process|Evaluation|Conclusion

Introduction

In this web quest, each student will be responsible for obtaining information to create a newspaper front page from the late 1700’s.  The American Revolution was a difficult time in American history.  Colonists fought against their own government to secure independence in order to create the United States of America.  Your task will be to design a newspaper that highlights several important aspects of the American Revolution.  Your stories should be based on facts from researching this time period.  All articles will answer the questions; who, what, when, where, and why.  You must be able to collect a significant amount of information to complete these articles.

Overview|Introduction|Quest(ions)|Process|Evaluation|Conclusion

Quest(ions) and the Task

Your first task will consist of using the Internet and encyclopedias to research the history and find facts about Colonial New England and the Revolutionary War.  This information will help you form an idea of what life was like during this time in American history. 

Take a look at the following web sites.   Review the criteria for each section below and write a story for your newspaper after researching the various topics.  You may use this information, or information you find on your own at the library to begin writing your articles.  Complete the worksheet that answers who, what, when, where, and why questions.  Remember:  if you cannot answer these questions, you need to do more research, or choose another topic!

 The following links are only suggested as a starting point for your research.  You are not required to select your information from one of the links below.  You are welcome to do an Internet search for your topic, consult the resources in our library, and/or utilize your social studies textbook.

Overview|Introduction|Quest(ions)|Process|Evaluation|Conclusion

Process

Newspaper Project Directions:

    First, choose a side.  Will you be writing on behalf of the Patriots or the Tories?  Your perspective should be from one side.

        My Brother Sam is Dead is a historical fiction novel, a novel set among actual events of a specific period in history.  We will be completing a project that illustrates the fictional and nonfiction aspects of a historical novel.  Each student will create a newspaper that will be written in the prospective of a Patriot or Tory supporter in Colonial New England during the late 1700’s.  The requirements for the newspaper are as follows:

 Title of Newspaper:  Create a title that relates to our novel MBSD or the time period of the Revolutionary War.               

Date:  Choose a date that relates to the time period of the novel.

Front Page Picture:  The picture can relate to the novel or the general time period.  It should be colored.  For example, it can be a detailed battle scene, or a simple map; depending on your artistic ability.

Main Article 1 - Headline:  Your first article will be a main article about the fictional novel MBSD.   Choose an event from the story and write a newspaper article about it.  Please use at least two quotations from the text.  Act as though you are a reporter conducting an interview.  Remember to answer: who, what, when, where, why, and how.  Come up with a catchy, creative headline for the article.

Revolutionary War Battle Story:  Choose one of the major battles of the Revolutionary War and write a summary that includes:

·      a title

·     answers to the 5 "W" questions (who, what, why, when, where)

·      a description of the action

·      key participants from the American and British side

·      date and specific location of the battle

·      which side won the battle

Suggested Battles:

Lexington and Concord                         Fort Ticonderoga                           Bunker Hill

Long Island                                                            Trenton                                          Princeton

Brandywine                                                         Saratoga                                      Monmouth

Savannah                                                             Yorktown

Revolutionary War Leader Story: 

Choose one of the leaders of the Revolutionary War and write a summary that includes:

·      which side the leader supported

·      a summary of their major accomplishments

·      a description of how their life ended

·       locate a photo and write a caption that will describe the leader.

        Suggested Leaders:

George Washington                   Joseph Martin                  John Burgoyne

Edward Braddock                     Benedict Arnold          Charles Cornwallis

King George III                             Samuel Adams             Nathaniel Greene

Ethan Allen                                 Thomas Jefferson               John Paul Jones

Unsung Hero Story:  Choose a group or an individual that played a key role during the American Revolution that may not have received the attention they deserved. Describe the key people that were involved and any accomplishments they are remembered for.

          Suggested topics:

 Women                                 Native Americans               African Americans

Revolutionary War Facts:  Based on your research, choose ten facts about the war that you think others may learn from and find very interesting. Your facts should be written in complete sentences and provide specific details that carefully describe your selection.

Revolutionary War Quotations:  Choose two quotations and their authors that will be remembered during the American Revolution.

Extras:   Please include at least three “extras” from the era.  Use your imagination and creativity to add coupons, cartoons, rebus games, advertisements, etc. 

Overview|Introduction|Quest(ions)|Process|Evaluation|Conclusion

Evaluation

Conclusion

Great work!  You have examined many aspects of the Revolutionary War, how they affected the history of the United States, and how the characters in the novel My Brother Sam is Dead dealt with this difficult time in history.  Congratulations, you are finished with this Web Quest!

Written by: Mrs. McCabe

Wilbur Wright Middle School

Last updated 11/17/08