American Revolution Books by Jean Fritz

Activities, lessons, web resources, and references to teach Jean Fritz's American Revolution books.
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American Revolution Books by Jean Fritz

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?What's The Big Idea, Ben Franklin?Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May?

Jean Fritz is often asked where she finds the ideas for her books. Her answer is always this: she doesn't find the ideas; the ideas find her. Ms. Fritz's American Revolution books have given children an adventurous look into the lives of George Washington, King George, Paul Revere, Ben Franklin, Sam Adams, John Hancock, and Patrick Henry. Explore America's past with great lessons and activities that complement this award-winning series of books.

Enrichment Activities
Internet Resources
Books by Jean Fritz


Enrichment Activities

  • Exploring Feelings
    Ask some of the students who were in your classroom last year to make up rules that your current students must follow for two days. At the end of the "experiment," discuss with your current students their feelings about having to follow the rules of "outsiders." Compare their experience with what the Colonists experienced just before the Revolution.

  • Famous Figure Museum
    Assign pairs of students to focus on one of the famous people in Jean Fritz's Revolutionary War books. Have the pairs collect or create personal belongings that the famous figure might have had, and display them in a museum setting. As a fun bonus feature, have the students dress up like their famous person.

  • Jean Fritz American History Books
    Penguin Putnam has provided this collection of creative ways to incorporate Jean Fritz's books into your Revolutionary/Colonial Era curriculum.

  • Paper Weaving
    Fabric weaving was a popular and essential way to make clothing and bed linens during the Colonial Era. Use this lesson plan to teach students the art of paper weaving, an activity similar to the one used in the Colonial Era.

  • Revolutionary War Newspaper
    Have students divide up into teams and produce a class newspaper that might have been published during the Revolutionary War. At least two teams should do "hard news," with appropriate headlines. Other teams could write ads, household hints (cleaning tips and recipes), and editorials. Don't forget to choose a name and design a masthead for your paper.

  • Unfair Taxation
    Develop a token system of rewards for work or good behavior. Tell students that they can use the tokens to buy items during a classroom auction. When most students have a few tokens, begin taxing them to use the bathroom, drinking fountain, paper, and so on. Compare their feelings to those of the Colonists.

Internet Resources

Timeline of the Revolution
Grade Levels: Primary, Intermediate
This PBS site has a complete timeline of the conflict between the British and the Colonists.
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_timeline.html

Books by Jean Fritz

121 Pudding Street
And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
Around the World in a Hundred Years: From Henry the Navigator to Magellan
Back to Early Cape Cod
Brady
Brendan the Navigator
Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt!
Bunny Hopwell's First Spring
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
Champion Dog, Prince Tom
China Homecoming
China's Long March: 6000 Miles of Danger
Country Fair
Early Thunder
Fish Head
George Washington's Breakfast
George Washington's Mother
Growing Up
Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher Preachers .
Help Mr. Willy Nilly
Homesick: My Own Story
How to Read a Rabbit
Hurrah for Jonathan!
I, Adam
Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln: The Story of the Gettysburg Address
Leonardo's Horse
Magic to Burn
Make Way for Sam Houston!
San Francisco
Shh! We're Writing the Constitution
Stonewall
Surprise Party
Surprising Myself
Tap, Tap Lion, 1, 2, 3
The Animals of Doctor Schweitzer
The Cabin Faced West
The Double Life of Pocahontas
The Good Giants and the Bad Pukwudgies
The Great Adventure of Christopher Columbus: A Pop-up Book
The Great Little Madison
The Late Spring
The Man Who Loved Books
The Secret Diary of Jeb and Abigail: Growing Up in America, 1776-1783
The Train
The World in 1492
Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?
Where Do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus?
Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May?
Who's That Stepping on Plymouth Rock?
Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams?
Why Not, Lafayette?
Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?
You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton?
About the author

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