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French and Indian War Activities for Fourth Grade

Fourth graders studying the history of America are typically introduced to the French and Indian War. This war, taking place before the War of Independence, ended the French influence in the new world and developed the fame of George Washington, who would later be influential in the war against the British. Use a variety of activities to appeal to different learning styles when teaching this piece of American history to your fourth graders.
  1. Map Making

    • Give students a map of North America that has no boundaries filled in. As you teach about the French and Indian War, have them make notes in pencil on the map about where major events take place. Then create a large map of the area on a bulletin board, marking where the battles took place. Have each student contribute one point on the map, whether it is a border, the location of a tribe, a disputed river or the name of the region and who controlled it.

    People of the French and Indian War

    • Make a list of people who were involved in the French and Indian War. This can include George Washington, General Edward Braddock, Benjamin Franklin, Pierre-Joseph Céloron, Charles le Moyne de Longueuil, Paul Marin de la Malgue and Governor Robert Dinwiddie. Ask each student or group of students to choose a name off the list. They should research and make a presentation about that person. The presentation can be a poster, a letter from that person to the class, a comic strip or a speech. Welcome any creative approaches your students might come up with, as long as they include basic facts about the person and his involvement in the French and Indian War.

    Storytelling

    • Divide students into small groups and have each one tell a story about the French and Indian War. Give each group three different prompts such as, "You are a Native American child from the Iroquois whose chief just decided to side with the British. Describe the meeting;" or "You are a French trapper whose land is being threatened by the British. Explain why this land is important to you;" or "You are a British soldier who just got off the boat in this new land and are being sent to war against people you've never met." Have each group develop a five-minute story in which all members of the group tell part of it. If they'd like, they can make it a puppet show or tell the story in song or poetry. Encourage them to be creative.

    Game Play

    • Divide students into small groups. Tell each group they are responsible for creating a game about the French and Indian War. It can be a war game, in which players try to gain control of areas of the map that were in dispute during the war. It can be a political game, in which players try to win influence and build alliances through cards and chance events. It can be a trivia game, for students to review facts about what they have learned. Give each group a few days in class to design their came, create it and then teach it to another group.

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