American Revolution Battles Scavenger Hunt Stations

Educator Instructions:

• Print a set of readings for each station—four in all – and the visuals for each station
  • There are 2 options for each reading to scaffold for younger students or struggling readers.
• Make sure each student has a copy of the Lesson 3 Explore #1 Scavenger Hunt Worksheet.
• Set a timer for each station for 10 minutes, or another time that works for your classroom and student population.

Student Instructions:

• Read the source at the station.
• As you read, look for the scavenger hunt items for each American Revolution Battle.
• Record your responses to the prompts on your handout.
• Move to the next station when your teacher gives the cue that time has finished.

Station 1- Lexington and Concord

Option A:

Lexile: 1050
Word Count: 347
Vocabulary: militiaman, repel, colonist, courageous, accidental, ignite, defy, aftermath, patriot

In 1775, a spark ignited in Massachusetts that changed the course of history. Before America had even declared Independence, courageous colonists faced the first battles of the American Revolution in Lexington and Concord. Let’s dive into the story of how the colonists defied the mighty British, won victory, and set the stage for the birth of the United States.

The Battle of Lexington

As dawn broke on April 19, 1775, the British marched into Lexington, on the hunt for two Patriot rebel leaders, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Led by Captain John Parker, a small group of about 80 militiamen faced the British “Redcoats” when they arrived. An accidental shot rang out—historians still debate who fired it—and chaos erupted. In the confusion, the British attacked the American militia. Some colonists were wounded or killed; the rest ran away.  Though a small battle, it marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

The Battle of Concord

The British continued to Concord, looking to find hidden weapons and to crush the colonist resistance in Massachusetts. The local militia watched, growing in numbers, and then confronted the British Redcoats at the North Bridge. The colonists successfully repelled the British, forcing them to retreat back to Boston.

The Aftermath and the American Victory

The battles left a lasting impact. The American militiamen faced fewer losses than the British soldiers. As the British retreated, they faced continuous attacks from the militiamen along the road to Boston. The colonists’ victory led to many new patriots ready to fight for liberty and greater unity among them. Facing and defeating the British gave them courage to continue. The battles of Lexington and Concord marked the official beginning of the American Revolution.

In the face of adversity, the determination of the colonists in Lexington and Concord ignited a flame that would shape the destiny of a nation. The Battles of Lexington and Concord were not just conflicts; they were the first steps towards the birth of the United States—inspiring a movement toward independence.

Option B:

Lexile: 790
Word Count: 242
Vocabulary: gunshot, courageous, colony, courage, liberty, beginning, surprise, hide, British, battle

In 1775, something important happened in the colony of Massachusetts. Courageous people wanted to protect their liberty, so they stood up against strong soldiers from Britain. They had battles in two towns, Lexington and Concord, that started a big change.

Battle of Lexington

On April 19, 1775, the British soldiers came to the town of Lexington. They were looking for two leaders, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Captain John Parker led a small group of about 80 men, and they faced the British soldiers. There was a gunshot, and nobody knows who fired it, but it made the British soldiers fire at the colonists. Some men were hurt and killed, and the rest ran away. This small fight was the beginning of a big war.

Battle of Concord

After Lexington, the British soldiers went to Concord. They wanted to find hidden weapons and stop the people who were against them. The local men saw the British and fought them at the North Bridge. The local men won, and the British ran away.

What Happened After

These battles were important. The colonists lost fewer men than the British. When the British were trying to leave, the local men kept surprising them on the way. More and more people wanted to fight for liberty because of these battles. The battles of Lexington and Concord gave people the courage to fight for liberty and started a big war called the American Revolution.

 

 

Station 2- Bunker Hill

Option A:

Lexile: 1000
Word Count: 353
Vocabulary: bravely, colonist, courageous, disagreement, unfold, quest, silly, courage, adventure, fort

In Boston, Massachusetts, something important was happening. It was a time known as the American Revolutionary War, and the British and the Americans were fighting. During this, a battle called the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775.

The Battle of Bunker Hill

In the beautiful hills near Boston, there were two hills the British wanted to take to have an advantage in the war – Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill. Even though the battle is called the Battle of Bunker Hill, most of it actually happened on Breed’s Hill. Silly, right? The American heroes, led by Colonel William Prescott, heard about the British plan and rushed to defend the hills.

The night before the big battle, the American heroes quietly moved onto the hill and built forts in the dark. When the sun rose, the British realized what had happened and attacked three times, led by General William Howe. The Americans fought back bravely, but during the third attack, they ran out of bullets. The British won the hill, but they lost many soldiers, many more than the Americans. Even though the American heroes did not win, they showed everyone that they were strong and would not give up!

What Happened After

After the courageous Battle of Bunker Hill, something important happened. Even though the British won, they realized it was not going to be an easy war. They lost many soldiers, and the Americans gained courage. The Americans may not have held on to the hill, but they won something more important – the belief that they could stand up to the British in battle. It showed that the victory at Lexington and Concord was not just luck.

Many more people joined the American army after this battle, and the fight for liberty became even stronger. The Battle of Bunker Hill inspired the Americans to organize and train so they could be an even stronger fighting force. Two weeks later, a general named George Washington would take command of the new “Continental Army”. And so, the colonists marched on, ready for more battles in their quest for liberty.

Option B:

Lexile: 930
Word Count: 302
Vocabulary: courageously, colonist, quest, silly, courage, shortly, adventure, fort, liberty, bullet

Shortly after the first battle of the American Revolution, another big fight called the Battle of Bunker Hill happened on June 17, 1775.

The Battle of Bunker Hill

There were two hills, Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill, near Boston. The British wanted to take these hills to have an advantage in the war. Even though it is called the Battle of Bunker Hill, most of it happened on Breed’s Hill. Silly, right? American heroes, led by Colonel William Prescott, heard about the British plan and quickly went to defend the hills.

The night before the big fight, the American heroes quietly went to the hills and built forts in the dark. When the sun came up, the British saw what happened and attacked three times. The Americans fought back courageously, but during the third attack, they ran out of bullets. The British won the hill, but they lost many soldiers, more than the Americans. Even though the American heroes did not win, they showed everyone that they wouldn’t give up!

What Happened After

After the Battle of Bunker Hill, something important happened. Even though the British won, they saw the war would not be easy. They lost many soldiers, and the Americans gained courage. Now everyone knew their last win was not just an accident. The Americans did not hold on to the hill, but they won something more important – they believed they could stand up to the British.

More people joined the American army, and the fight for freedom became even stronger. The Battle of Bunker Hill inspired the Americans to organize and train to be a strong fighting group. Two weeks later, a general named George Washington took charge of the new “Continental Army.” And so, the colonists marched on, ready for more battles in their quest for liberty.

 

Station 3- Yorktown

Option A:

Lexile: 1120
Word Count: 283
Vocabulary: outnumber, pave, siege, clever, officially, surrender, colony, tactic, retreat, fate

The Battle of Yorktown was the last big fight during the American Revolutionary War. It was a battle that made a big difference and paved the way for the birth of a new nation—the United States of America.

 

The Battle of Yorktown

In the fall of 1781, six years into the Revolutionary War, things were tough for the British Army. General Nathanael Greene’s clever tactics in the South had caused the British Army to retreat to the East Coast. At the same time, General George Washington and his troops were marching down from the north, and the French Navy, who were helping the Americans, had defeated the British Navy, and were moving towards the coast near Yorktown. The British Army, under General Charles Cornwallis, found itself surrounded.

The British were outnumbered by the French and American troops, and for 11 days, the American forces tried to break through the British fort. The Americans did not let anything in or out of the fort during the fight. This is called a siege. General Cornwallis eventually had to surrender on October 19, 1781. This surrender was an important event, with around 8,000 British troops giving up in Yorktown. This defeat made the British government think that continuing the war was not worth the cost.

What Happened After

The surrender of the British at Yorktown changed the fate of the colonies, paving the way for the United States of America to become an independent nation. The British surrender marked the end of British rule in the colonies and set the stage for the birth of the United States of America. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, officially ending the war.

 

Option B:

Lexile: 910
Word Count: 187
Vocabulary: siege, clever, officially, surrender, fighting, courage, fort, liberty, super, surround

The Battle of Yorktown was the last big fight in the American Revolutionary War. This battle was super important and made a big difference for our country, the United States of America.

The Battle of Yorktown

In 1781, after six years of fighting, things were tough for the British Army. General Nathanael Greene and General George Washington had clever plans, and the French Navy helped a lot. They surrounded the British Army under General Cornwallis at Yorktown.

For eleven days, the American forces tried to break through the British fort. They did not let anything in or out and fired weapons at the fort. This is called a siege. Finally, on October 19, 1781, General Cornwallis surrendered. Around 8,000 British troops gave up. This American victory made the British government think about ending the war.

What Happened After

After the battle, everything changed! The United States became its own country. The British surrender meant the end of British rule, and soon the two sides signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783 to officially end the war. The courage of American soldiers at Battle of Yorktown helped our country have liberty.

 

Station 4- Ride of Paul Revere

Option A

Lexile: 1080
Word Count: 329
Vocabulary: mile, silversmith, engraving, iconic, tyranny, colonist, narrowly, ambush, militia, safely

In 1775 the British Army was getting ready to try to capture two of the leaders of the American Patriots and hidden weapons at Concord. A group called the Sons of Liberty were keeping a close eye on the British to warn everyone if they started to attack. There were no phones or internet, so the Patriots trained horse riders to spread important messages.

A man named Paul Revere was a silversmith in Boston, and he was part of the Sons of Liberty and the militia. He had already done important things, like making engravings about the Boston Massacre. Between 1773 and 1775, he rode thousands of miles to help different areas communicate and respond to the British.

The Ride of Paul Revere

Paul Revere and another rider named William Dawes, had an important job. They needed to warn two important people, Samuel Adams and John Hancock, who were in Lexington that the British were coming to arrest them. Paul Revere would go across the Charles River to Charlestown and then to Lexington. William Dawes would take a longer, different route. They hoped that at least one of them would get there safely to warn Adams and Hancock. Along the way, they told other riders, so the warning would spread.

On April 18, 1775, Revere’s midnight ride became an important story of the Revolution as he narrowly escaped a British ship and, with other riders, warned Adams and Hancock in Lexington. Despite being attacked, they managed to spread the alarm, marking the beginning of the American Revolution.

What Happened After?

The warning given by Paul Revere helped the colonists and the militia be ready and fight off the first attack by the British army at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Paul Revere’s commitment to the American cause helped unite the colonists. His courage on the midnight ride and his actions in the years leading up to it played a big role in the fight for liberty.

Option B

Lexile: 1060
Word Count: 207
Vocabulary: colonist, narrowly, militia, safely, unite, rider, midnight, courage, alarm, liberty

In 1775, during the American Revolution, the British Army wanted to capture two important leaders of the Patriots. The Sons of Liberty, a group watching the British, used horse riders to spread messages since there were no phones or internet.

The Ride of Paul Revere

A man named Paul Revere, had a special job. He, along with another rider, needed to warn leaders in Lexington. Revere rowed across a river to a place called Charlestown and then rode a horse toward Lexington, while another rider named Dawes took a different way. Their goal was to make sure at least one of them would reach the leaders safely to warn them. Along the way, they told other riders to spread the warning.

Revere’s ride became famous. He warned the leaders that the British were coming.

What Happened After

After the warning, colonists and the militia were ready for the first British attack at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Revere’s actions helped unite the colonists, and his courage in the midnight ride played a big role in the fight for liberty.

 

 

Station Visuals:

Station 1- Lexington and Concord

 

Image Source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/pga.00995/
Militiamen v. The British at Lexington

The colonist militiamen can be seen trying to defend Lexington from the British. The British had more men, better weapons, and more training than the colonists. The militiamen were willing to fight anyway, they were also called minutemen for their ability to be ready to fight quickly.

 

Station 2- Bunker Hill

Image source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/pga.00085/
A Battle for the Hills

At the Battle of Bunker Hill, the fighting was different than Lexington and Concord. Winning the hill would give a good view of what was going on in the city of Boston so both sides fought their hardest. It was clear after this battle there was going to be a real war.

 

Station 3- Yorktown

 

Image Source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/ds.00687/
Siege and Surrender

After days of being surrounded and knowing the support needed was not coming because of the siege, the British surrendered to the Continental and French troops. British General Cornwallis is not the one pictured here handing his sword over, instead he sent another official. General George Washington can be seen in the background watching as British leaders officially admit they have lost at Yorktown.

Station 4- The Ride of Paul Revere

Image Source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.paulreveretorchb00mos/?sp=16&st=image
Ready to Ride and Spread the Alarm

Paul Revere borrowed a horse to warn as many people as possible that the British were on the move. He made it to Lexington where he was able to warn Sam Adams, John Hancock, and others of British plans. He did not make it to Concord but the message he was sending did! Thanks to plans the patriots had in place, this system of spreading messages between people was able to send word more than twenty-five miles.