Lesson Plans

Did you know there were spies in the Revolutionary War? Download these activities to become one of Washington's agents, decoding and sending messages. Make the messages extra secretive by writing them with invisible ink.

A post-distance learning program activity where students will explore three different Washington-owned chairs to explore different ways technology was used to solve problems in the 18th century. Students will explore simple designs, analyze the technology used, and compare them to modern inventions that make life easier today. 

This infographic tells the stories of people who fought in the American Revolution through visuals, graphics, and primary sources. It reads at an upper-elementary level, perfect for struggling readers, emerging English speakers, visual learners, or the average student. 

Created by LifeGuard Teacher Fellows Shawnel Padilla and Trevor Bliss.

The Battle of Lexington and Concord took place on the morning of April 19, 1775. At the time, no one knew this marked the beginning of an eight-year war for independence. However, in the immediate aftermath and the centuries that followed, artists created songs, poems, paintings, and more about this famous event. In this activity, you can explore Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Concord Hymn" and practice writing your own poems. 

Spies in the American Revolution used tools like cipher wheels to secretly pass messages that were crucial to the war effort. One of the most important spies for the Continental Army was James Lafayette, an enslaved man from Virginia that served as a spy for the Marquis de Lafayette.

Use this activity to learn about James Lafayette, cipher wheels, and spies in the American Revolution! 

Coats of arms have been used for centuries, especially by monarchs and prominent families in Europe. An important coat of arms present during the American Revolution was that of Louis XVI and his ancestors. As the King of France, his decision to aid the Continental Army was crucial to American victory. 

At the end of the First Continental Congress, delegates planned to reconvene with the Second Continental Congress the following spring in case Parliament did not respond. However, as war had broken out in Lexington & Concord, they also became the head of
the war effort. Explore some well-known and not-so-well-known delegates to the Second Continental Congress through this matching activity. 

After the Boston Tea Party occurred in December of 1773, Parliament retaliated with the Coercive Acts, punishing not only Massachusetts but all of the Thirteen Colonies. To address this with a united front, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in September and October of 1775. This activity explores notable delegates to Congress and other primary sources.

Spies in the American Revolution used invisible ink to secretly pass messages that were crucial to the war effort. This activity teaches you to make your own invisible ink and write your own secret messages!