When faced with the decision of loyalty or liberty, what would you decide?

1. When faced with the decision of loyalty or liberty, what would you decide?

2. INTRODUCTION MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD by James & Christopher Collier Imagine yourself traveling back through time. It’s 1775. You arrive in a land called New England, a land where you hear talk of colonists and Kings. Your family immigrated here from England and your father is still loyal to the King. Your older brother calls himself a rebel and talks of independence and fighting for the cause. You’ve always looked up to your brother but you don’t want to disappoint your father. “Loyalty or liberty?” they ask. What will you decide?

3. MATERIALS • You will need the following materials: • My Brother Sam is Dead by James and Christopher Collier • George Vs. George by Rosalyn Schanzer • Reading Response Journal and a pen/pencil • Internet Access to the following sites Perspectives on Liberty • Voices of the American Revolution • Colonial Williamsburg • Empty shoe box filled with items to remember Sam by (may be actual or virtual- in the form of a Powerpoint presentation)

4. BEFORE READING • 1. Visit Perspectives on Liberty. Explore what daily life in the colonies was like and read about the different military perspectives from Revolutionary War soldiers. Use the information you’ve learned to decide if you will side with the Patriots or Loyalists. Write about your decision and give at least two reasons to back up your thinking. • 2. Visit Colonial Williamsburg. Click on the colonial characters to learn how everyone played an important role in a colonial village. Discuss some of the characters you found interesting with your group. • Make a prediction about the main character in the story. Tim lives in Redding, Connecticut and comes from a loyalist family. His parents are loyalists but his brother is a Patriot. His brother Sam even joins the Patriots as a member of the Rebel Army. When the battle reaches Redding and Tim has to decide what side to be on, what side do you think he will choose? Use what you have learned and what you know about Tim’s family to make a prediction. • Examine the Cyber-lesson rubric so you know how your work will be scored.

5. DURING READING 1. As you read, jot down some of the dialogue that Life and Sam say that exemplify how passionate they are about their beliefs. Keep a double entry journal. On one side list quotes from Life and Sam and on the other side reflect on what the words make you think and feel. (See sample on next page.) 2. Keep a delicious words page. Add the new or interesting words you find as you read. If you don’t know the meaning be sure to look up the definition as well. (See sample on next page.)

6. DURING READING

7. DURING READING

8. AFTER READING Please choose one of these activities to complete. 1.On the cover of the book, it says, “Tim was caught in the middle of war.” Explain the double meaning behind this line. Be sure to use at least three examples from the text to support your thinking. 2.Write about the theme of this book. Use at least three pieces of text evidence to support your conclusion. (To get yourself thinking about theme, think about what the authors are saying about life or people in general.) 3. Tim lost his older brother in the war. If you were Tim, what items would you put into a memory box and keep to remember Sam by? Create this box and include at least three items (it can be actual or virtual) and explain the meaning behind each item.

9. BEYOND READING Please complete two of the following activities. Read George Vs. George by Rosalyn Schanzer. Compare and contrast the two different perspectives on the American Revolution. Use a Venn Diagram to write about the ideas of King George the 3rd and George Washington. Then pick an idea that connects to one of Life’s or Sam’s quotes. Explain how the ideas connect. Then visit Voices of the American Revolution and read about Benedict Arnold. Take notes on what you learn about him. Write a letter from either Life or Sam to Benedict Arnold. In the letter show Life’s or Sam’s opinion on Arnold’s decision to trade to the British side. Think back to your original decision about choosing a side during the Revolution. Did your learning in this cyberlesson change your mind at all? Explain why or why not.

10. EVALUATION Before Reading Page

11. Teacher Tips Before using this cyber-lesson students should know about the conflicts between America and England in the 1770s. Students will need to understand the following concepts: Tax Acts Boston Massacre and Tea Party Battles of Lexington and Concord They will also need to know that Americans were divided over whether or not they should break away from England. They will need to know the following terms: Tory Lobsterback Patriot Loyalist Turncoat Continental Army *This book is a bit challenging and works best when read with students reading at or above a fifth grade level. The lesson will take about 1-2 weeks to complete when students have 30 or more minutes for daily reading.

12. References Books My Brother Sam is Dead written by James and Christopher Collier George vs. George written by Rosalyn Schanzer Websites http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspectives.html http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/barnold.htm http://www.history.org/kids/ Images www.scholastic.com www.hcsv.org/O_page/PressPage.htm acroixfam.home.comcast.net/.../RevSoldier.gif