Foreign Allies: Lafayette and France U.S. History Mini Reader Lesson for Grade 5-8

This U.S. History Reading Resource “Mini Reader” explores Foreign Allies: Lafayette and France (1777–1778)—how a young French nobleman and a wise American diplomat changed the course of the Revolution. Lafayette joined Washington’s army, fighting bravely without pay, while Benjamin Franklin worked tirelessly in France to win military and financial support. Their efforts led to the 1778 alliance that brought French ships, soldiers, and supplies to America, paving the way for victory at Yorktown.

Students follow Abigail and Benjamin as they witness Lafayette’s arrival, Franklin’s diplomacy, and the celebration of French aid that turned the tide of war. Through this story, readers learn how courage, trust, and friendship across oceans shaped America’s fight for independence.

This resource is meant for grades 5-8 students and should take about ~20 minutes to read depending on your classroom's level. An extra ~25 minutes for prep, discussion, vocabulary or short answer comprehension questions should also be planned.

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The Mini Reader is structured to create an engaging narrative, styled like a mini-novel with a strong plot and vivid details to draw students in. These sections encourage chunking and helps students build mental models and schema of the historical topic, making complex events easier to understand. Introduction (setting the scene and hook)

• Rising Action (building events and tensions)
• Deeper Insights (explaining key concepts and motivations)
• Climax (peak event with suspense)
• Falling Action (consequences and reactions)
• Resolution and Reflection (tying to significance with thought-provoking questions).

This product includes a zip file consisting of:

Mini Reader Text ~1800 words (PDF, DOCX, Google Docs)

• Print Version (4 pages including 8 short answer questions)
• Digital Version (4 pages, text only, use slides worksheet)

Student Worksheet (PPT, Google Slides, PDF print)

• 5 Vocabulary Words
• 4 Short Answer Recall/Comprehension
• 4 Higher Order Application Questions

Teacher’s Guide & Answer Key (PDF, DOCX, Google Docs)

• Themes & Discussion Question Prompts
• Standards Alignment Guide
• Answer Keys for Vocab & Short Answer Questions

Multiple Choice Exit Quiz (Google Forms)

• 20 Multiple Choice Questions (Self-Grading)

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