Using a grid storyboard, have students analyze excerpts from the Declaration of Independence text. Have students use one axis of the grid to put a specific excerpt, one for their rationale on that excerpt, and finally what it could mean in “modern wording”. By using a grid, students will be able to analyze and synthesize what they think the Declaration is saying, what it means, and what it could mean today.
"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."
If we are going to try and try again to gain rights we've petitioned for, and receive no answer or positive results, we can only define the king as a tyrant. Not only that, but he cannot rule over free people.
Rationale
The rationale of this excerpt is that a ruler who takes on traits indicative of unfit rule (or tyranny), cannot then rule a free people. Despite colonists repeated attempts to democratically ask for change, they've been met with more oppression.
"That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved..."
All of us are in this together! We should declare independence, and have NO ties to Great Britain whatsoever! Therefore, we take back our allegiance, and from this day on, we will be one united, independent, and free nation!
Rationale
The rationale of this excerpt is that the colonies officially are severing ties to Great Britain. They should be free, and more so, independent. Only by cutting ties with their mother country can they be free.
"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them..."
Over time, it becomes obvious two groups must separate; whether it be over ideas or governments. One thing is certain: natural law and powers supersede all. When those are threatened, one must be able to assume their own destiny, as Nature intended.
Rationale
The rationale of this excerpt is that people need to break away from others to preserve laws and rights entitled to them naturally. Therefore, having an independent nation is what will preserve these rights and natural laws.
Have students utilize the same grid storyboard setup for France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man. Using the same ideas, students should break down specific excerpts for the Declaration, and apply to their own rationale. Instead of modern day wording, have students connect each excerpt to the American Declaration by comparing and contrasting it.
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Student Instructions
Create a grid that analyzes and synthesizes various excerpts from the Declaration of Independence.
Promote collaboration by assigning small groups to analyze different excerpts on their grids, then share findings. This deepens understanding and allows students to learn from one another’s perspectives.
Boost engagement by having students take on roles such as note-taker, presenter, or illustrator within their group. Clearly defined responsibilities help all students contribute and stay focused.
Display student work around the classroom and have groups visit each other’s grids. Encourage students to leave questions or comments, fostering peer feedback and reflection.
Consolidate learning by guiding students to share what similarities and differences they noticed between group analyses. This helps reinforce key concepts and connects individual work to class-wide insights.
A connective grid analysis is a teaching strategy where students organize excerpts from the Declaration of Independence in a grid format. They analyze each excerpt by providing the original text, explaining its modern meaning, and giving a rationale for its importance.
Students use a grid storyboard by placing key excerpts along one axis, then adding their own interpretations and rationales. This helps break down complex historical texts into understandable parts, promoting analysis and synthesis.
For example, the phrase "A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people" can be modernized as: If a ruler acts like a tyrant, they can't rule a free nation.
Translating historical excerpts into modern language helps students grasp the core message, relate it to present-day issues, and develop critical thinking by connecting past ideas to current contexts.
Teachers can use the same grid format with other documents, like France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man. Students select excerpts, provide rationales, and compare them to those in the American Declaration for deeper understanding.