American Revolution - Week 6

Today we learned about SPYS from the American Revolution including Nathan Hale.  We also touched on Marquis de Lafayette.  Neither of these men had to do what they did, but they felt compelled to give what they could to the cause. 

"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." -- Nathan Hale's last words

When the government violates the people's rights, insurrection is, for the people…the most sacred of the rights and the most indispensible of duties. - Marquis de Lafayette

Humanity has won its battle. Liberty now has a country.  - Marquis de Lafayette

We were inspired by the sacrifices these men made and the contributions they brought to the cause of liberty!

Each child was given a wax-sealed message last week inviting them to attend a Secret 'Sons of Liberty' Meeting. Participants were admitted using the password "Liberty or Death".  All of us played a part in the Reader's Theater Sons of Liberty Meeting.  (Sorry girls...they were all men!)  Guests included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Patricky Henry, John Hancock, Thomas Young, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, James Otis, Joseph Warren, and Samuel Cooper.  We have wonderful voice actors (and actresses) in our class!  

We discussed several reasons for going to war and what factors played into that decision.  We also talked about the sacrifices that were made to go to war.  We asked ourselves if we personally would go to war, and were challenged to write about that question in our personal Chronicles of the American Revolution.  

It was time to test our Spy skills with a TREASURE HUNT.  For this hunt, we used three types of messages that were used during Revolutionary times.  Encryption (Washington's Cipher Code), Book Code (using a numerical message and duplicate copies of the same book), and Masking (placing a Mask over a letter to reveal a secret message).  How clever our ATLAS kids are!

As a final review, we competed at American Revolutionary Jeopardy where the categories included people, symbols, quotes, and events.  Wow, I was impressed with how much you all know about the Revolution!

We read from UNLIKELY HEROES by Ron Carter (which I highly recommend) the story of...Washington's Secret Spy.  We discussed how seemingly ordinary people did quite extraordinary things during the American Revolution.  I conveyed my belief in each of your children, and expressed that they are indeed the 'American Heroes' of today and will no doubt accomplish extraordinary things in their lifetime.  Each child was given their Silhouette framed by their individual painting of the American Flag with the inscription, "American Hero". 

We brought home our American Revolution Chronicles.  My hope is that these will be a keepsake for your children to add to as they learn and study more about the American Revolution.  I am sure the people of the time felt that they were living in perilous times, quite similar in fact to the times of today, where ordinary people are called upon and inspired to do extraordinary things.  

I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach and learn with your children about our founding fathers and the heroes of that miraculous time.  We learned that even through small means we can accomplish a great and marvelous task. 

Here are a few samples of our work . . .