The Declaration of Independence Break Up Letter Activity
In this concise yet creative exploration of the Declaration of Independence, delve into its historical significance and enduring impact on the American nation. From its pivotal role in ending a brutal relationship to shaping the country's principles from the beginning, this lesson unveils a creative way to teach students how to better understand the profound importance of this foundational document. How is the Declaration of Independence a break up letter? Continue reading to find out how you can explain to your students why this foundational document was the biggest break up letter in all of history!
Introducing the Declaration of Independence
Early United States history is one of my favorite eras of history to teach. There’s just something intriguing about a relatively small societal group that has a vision to take on the world power of its day, create their own government from scratch, bring conflicting political opinions together, and eventually form a nation that will bring individual freedoms to so many. This historic influence is something the world had never seen before.
Like any other subject, just because I love the content, doesn’t mean my students necessarily enjoy the subject. I’m always wanting to make sure my passion for a topic translates into some level of student interest, engagement, and ultimately knowledge of that subject matter. One thing I always ask myself is WHY is this important? If I don’t know why the information I am teaching is important, students will come to that same conclusion, and it’s going to be difficult for me to relay any information in a valuable way. Teaching the WHAT of any subject is information, but examining the WHY and HOW leads to transformation, and eventually, student engagement. Why Study History is one of my favorite lessons to begin any history class.
When it comes to teaching the beginnings of the United States, the Declaration of Independence is really the foundational document, or birth certificate, that begins the formation of the most influential nation in modern history. It solidifies the colonists’ vision to begin a new life. Every person that is studying the United States, must have a knowledgeable understanding of the Declaration. So, how does a teacher help an uninterested class of eighth grade students in the 21st century, enjoyably understand this historical and scholarly document from the 18th century? Shared experiences. Teachers must always know their audience and come from a position that their students can relate to or experience. The shared experience in this lesson is relationships and break-ups! Students know this stuff and can relate for sure!
REVEALING The BIGGEST Break Up Letter IN HISTORY!
The day that we start learning about the Declaration of Independence, I begin the lesson by letting students know that I am a bit disappointed because I have been finding a lot of trash, litter, and garbage around the room. I proceed to explain, “This morning I found a very interesting piece of trash. When I went to open it up, I realized that this was no ordinary piece of garbage, but rather an entertaining piece of literature. It seems to me like we have a love letter in our midst.” Now I’ve got them, and the students are intrigued. With demands by students to read it, and playful denials by myself that I probably shouldn’t, I finally give in!
If you haven’t figured it out by now, this letter was planted by me, the teacher, prior to class. The crumpled piece of notebook paper is my hook. The students are zoned in, and I’ve got them on the edge of their seats. I proceed to read the letter which was written to K.G. and it was from A.C.
To K.G.
Hey there! I’m not quite sure how to start this note, but we really need to talk! It’s kinda hard for me to even think about it actually. We’ve been together for a long time. Fun times. Sad times. Real times. We’ve been so close, and everyone thinks we’re the perfect match….
The letter continues with detailed relationship issues, dramatic pauses by me, reasons why I shouldn’t be reading this private letter, and demands from the students that I must continue. As the students are all-in, they begin to hear that this love letter turns into a juicy, break-up letter. It’s so good! They’re trying to figure out who in their school would have written this. They’re dying to know as students continue listening in on one of the best break-up letters of all times.
When I’ve finally read the entire break-up letter, and students have finished guessing who it could be, I finally give in and reveal that I think I know who it is. It was written to K.G. (King George) and it was from A.C. (American Colonists). The students are so disappointed and the moans start setting in. They were hoping for so much more! 😂 Though the letdown is a bit of a surprise to them, the students are now all-in on learning about one of the biggest break-up letters in all of history!
Once the dramatic introduction is complete, our class begins the process of learning about the details within the original “break-up” letter called the Declaration of Independence. We read through the introduction, discuss the grievances, and reflect on the ultimate goal. I even give students a chance to write their own break-up letters with a few text messaging prompts to get them going.
This is definitely a student favorite, and they talk about it for years to come! This resource has even been featured on the TeachersPayTeachers Facebook page as well as We Are Teachers Instagram!
“Best lesson all year! The kids were squealing for me to read the ‘break-up’ note I found, and their texts to King George were priceless! I look forward to using this lesson for YEARS to come! ”
Final Thoughts
If you would like to use this Declaration of Independence Breakup Letter lesson idea in your classroom, I would highly recommend it! This resource includes a full set of teacher instructions, the full break-up letter, a texting assignment, link to a video, and even more. You may also be interested in a more in-depth resource entitled Declaration of Independence Activity: A Primary Source Analysis. This lesson gives students the chance to dive even deeper into the document and analyze the main ideas by exploring the full primary source.
I love both of these lessons for various reasons, and I know you will too. How about you? Have you used these lesson ideas in your classroom? What other creative ideas do you like to incorporate as you learn about the Declaration of Independence? Drop your advice in the comments below or contact me! I’d love to hear from you!
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