The Green Mountain Boys and Bunker Hill U.S. History Mini Reader Lesson for Grades 5-8

This U.S. History Reading Resource “Mini Reader” is based on The Green Mountain Boys and the Battle of Bunker Hill and it tells the story of how early colonial victories and sacrifices in 1775 changed the course of the American Revolution. After the first shots at Lexington and Concord, colonists knew that words alone would not protect their homes. Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys carried out a daring nighttime raid on Fort Ticonderoga to capture British cannons and control a key route to Canada, while British leaders prepared to crush resistance around Boston by seizing the high ground.

The mini reader follows Abigail and Benjamin as they hear news of the surprise attack at Fort Ticonderoga and watch soldiers dig defenses through the night on Breed’s Hill. Students see how Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, and Colonel William Prescott make tough choices under pressure and how ordinary farmers and workers stand up to one of the strongest armies in the world. The Battle of Bunker Hill ends with the British taking the hill but suffering terrible losses, turning what looks like a defeat into a powerful symbol of courage. These early battles give the colonies new confidence, set the stage for George Washington to take command, and move the struggle for independence into a full-scale war.

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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Free Download! The Boston Tea Party & Intolerable Acts Mini Reader

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 ~1400 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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