How to run 1776 — Should We Declare Independence? as Problem-Based Learning: your role, the pre-planning maps, pacing, role cards, sources, and debrief prompts. The golden rule — guide, don't tell. In PBL the students should feel they, not you, planned the investigation.
| Phase | What you do | What you resist |
|---|---|---|
| ① Surface | Teach vocabulary and the road to 1776 efficiently; run the jigsaw; check acquisition. | Rushing to the problem before facts are secure. |
| ② Deep | Facilitate the cause→effect map and source routine; model claim + evidence. | Giving your own interpretation of the sources or telling students how to decide. |
| ③ Transfer | Read the problem well; hold the KWHL chart; answer questions with questions; point to sources. | Answering the “Need to know” questions yourself. |
The Surface phase uses a four-topic jigsaw (The road to 1776) — a high-leverage move (d ≈ 0.92) because every student must teach. The flow: expert groups each study one topic and take notes → students re-mix into home groups with one expert per topic → each expert teaches → an individual check for understanding holds everyone accountable.
The per-expert-group source links (articles + sites) live on the Surface page, one set per topic. Confirm access through your district before class.
Before teaching, brainstorm every direction the 1776 problem could branch — so you can steer discussion and decide, in advance, which threads are productive and which are too sensitive or off-topic for your class and community.
| If students investigate… | They are working toward… |
|---|---|
| taxation, the Boston Tea Party, Lexington & Concord | §113.16(c)(2)(A) |
| Founding Fathers & Patriot heroes (Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, Sons of Liberty, Washington) | §113.16(c)(2)(B) |
| the results of the Revolution | §113.16(c)(2)(C) |
| early self-government (Mayflower Compact, House of Burgesses) | §113.16(c)(13) |
| the purpose & importance of the Declaration of Independence | §113.16(c)(14)(A) |
| using and questioning sources; points of view; claim + evidence | §113.16(c)(23)(A–H) |
| defining the problem, weighing options, choosing & evaluating a solution | §113.16(c)(26)(B) |
Confirm access through your district's approved catalog before class. Vetted, free starting points:
Aligned to (not reproduced from) 19 TAC Ch.113 §113.16.