Siege of Yorktown 1781

Introduction:
Discuss the Siege of Yorktown and its importance in the American Revolutionary War.
Introduce today’s keywords: Siege, Surrender, Treaty of Paris.

Video Task:
Watch a video on the Siege of Yorktown.
Write a short summary of the events of the battle based on the video.

Timeline Activity:
Sort the timeline cards into the correct chronological order, covering key events from September 28 to October 19, 1781, including the arrival of French soldiers, the naval blockade by Admiral de Grasse, and the surrender of General Cornwallis.

Primary Source Analysis:
Read primary sources about the Siege of Yorktown.
Complete the guided reading activity by subtitling each paragraph, writing down three key facts, and looking up any unknown words.

Causes and Consequences:
Categorize the provided statements into causes and consequences of the Siege of Yorktown.
Discuss how each event influenced the outcome of the battle.

Relay Activity:
Work in groups to relay information about the events of the battle using a diagram with icons.
Ensure everyone has a complete and accurate set of maps in their books.

Hamilton Musical Analysis:
In pairs, read the script for the song “Yorktown” from the musical Hamilton.
Highlight sections that make sense now and annotate them with explanations.
Discuss why the British soldiers chose to sing “The World Turned Upside Down” as they marched out of Yorktown.

Storyboard Activity:
Create a storyboard for a video game featuring the Siege of Yorktown.
Include images/ideas for each stage of the game, considering the environment, characters, and actions.

Writing Task:
Write two PEEKA paragraphs explaining two consequences of the Siege of Yorktown.
Use the PEEKA planning sheet and sentence starters for guidance.

Peer Assessment:
Read through your partner’s paragraphs and highlight each PEEKA section in a different colour.
Provide constructive feedback focusing on history skills/content.

Class Discussion:
Share and discuss the PEEKA paragraphs.
Reflect on the significance of the Siege of Yorktown and its impact on the American Revolutionary War.

Recap Quiz:
Participate in a recap quiz to reinforce key points from the lesson.

Resources:
Video link on the Siege of Yorktown
Timeline cards
Primary source documents
Hamilton script
Storyboard templates
PEEKA paragraph guidelines and planning sheet