The Second Continental Congress 1776 U.S. History Mini Reader Lesson for Grade 5-8

This U.S. History Reading Resource “Mini Reader” is based on The Second Continental Congress and it tells the story of how delegates from all thirteen colonies gathered in Philadelphia in 1775 to face the growing crisis with Britain. After the battles at Lexington and Concord, the colonies could no longer rely only on local militias and polite complaints. Inside the meeting hall, leaders debated whether to form a Continental Army, who should lead it, and whether there was still any hope of making peace with King George III.

The mini reader follows Abigail and Benjamin as they watch carriages arrive, listen for news outside the hall, and learn that the delegates have chosen George Washington of Virginia as Commander-in-Chief. Students see how the Congress reaches for both peace and protection by forming a united army while also sending the Olive Branch Petition, a respectful message asking the king to stop the fighting and listen to colonial complaints. When the king rejects the petition and calls the colonists rebels, the tone of the story shifts, showing how hopes for a gentle compromise begin to give way to a harder determination to defend their rights.

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 ~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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