Activity Overview
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in U.S. history, arguably second only to the Constitution itself. A deep understanding of it will illuminate the causes of the American Revolution, and the vision of the Founding Fathers for the new country. For this activity, students will rewrite the Declaration of Independence in their own words. This is a great way for them to demonstrate how much they understood and their ability to parse historical texts.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Write the Declaration of Independence in your own words.
Student Instructions:
- Using the template provided, write the Declaration of Independence using your own words.
- Remember to write it as if it was written today, not many years ago!
Lesson Plan Reference
- CCSS: RI.11-12.8 - Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
- CCSS: RI.11-12.9 - Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 7 Points | Emerging 4 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The writing is clear and uses complete sentences. The worksheet is complete and correct. | The writing is somewhat clear and uses some complete sentences. The worksheet is complete with some incorrect responses. | The worksheet is incomplete or mostly incorrect. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
Activity Overview
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in U.S. history, arguably second only to the Constitution itself. A deep understanding of it will illuminate the causes of the American Revolution, and the vision of the Founding Fathers for the new country. For this activity, students will rewrite the Declaration of Independence in their own words. This is a great way for them to demonstrate how much they understood and their ability to parse historical texts.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Write the Declaration of Independence in your own words.
Student Instructions:
- Using the template provided, write the Declaration of Independence using your own words.
- Remember to write it as if it was written today, not many years ago!
Lesson Plan Reference
- CCSS: RI.11-12.8 - Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
- CCSS: RI.11-12.9 - Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 7 Points | Emerging 4 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The writing is clear and uses complete sentences. The worksheet is complete and correct. | The writing is somewhat clear and uses some complete sentences. The worksheet is complete with some incorrect responses. | The worksheet is incomplete or mostly incorrect. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
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Declaration of Independence
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