5 historic things to do in Lexington and Concord all year

While most people start flooding the area of Lexington and Concord in the Spring, our unit actually originally took us there at the beginning of January. While most of the buildings were closed like the visitors’ center that closes November through March or even some of the historic houses that you can tour, we still were able to use the Park and other locations as a way to reinforce our study of the short heard round the world and the start of the American Revolution.

While we plan to go back on Patriot’s Day in April, we found that kids can be exposed to a variety of sights and learning opportunities at any time in the calendar year!

Lexington & Concord Field Trip Guide

Lexington Battle Green

All around the Battle Green there are places to visit, things to see, and placards to read. We spent time sitting at the benches and running around on the grass just to burn energy. Plus, it was an extremely cold day!

The statue sits at the tip of the field, closest to town center. The Belfry is atop a hill across the street. And across the street on the other side is a battle statue beside the Tavern. Around the edges of the battle green, you’ll find information and a monument marking the re-buried soldiers who lost their lives during the battle.

Lexington Chamber of Commerce

Across the street from the Battle Green is a small white building that is the Chamber of Commerce and a gift shop. Inside, there is a lovely figurine display with a map key of who’s who and what’s what. It really helped my oldest picture the battle because she could see buildings that were there and just envision it in general. We spent a lot of time looking at the map and display even though it was a small piece of our visit.

Minuteman National Park 

This is simply a really great place to go on walks and hikes in any weather. All around the park there are signs with information as well as markers for buildings that are no longer there like the house at Fiske Hill.

You will also find small obelisks with the engraving showing where the battle road was.

Again, during part of the year the NPS visitor center is closed, but the park is still accessible and a wonderful resource. It definitely opens up discussion about guerrilla warfare and the impact of trees on the war.

Paul Revere Capture Site

There’s a small parking lot off of highway 2A with a semi-circle monument area that recounts Revere’s Ride as well as Dawes. It even gives information about a man they ran into in the night and how the three how them handled the British soldiers.

North Bridge  

The location of the first shot of the American revolution, they have rebuilt a replica bridge at the location and also have a visitor’s center, though closed in off-season.

It’s a peaceful location that realy just helps put some of the Revolution into perspective.

Other locations

There are numerous other locations and even in the winter time, you’re free to walk around them, but you won’t be able to enter inside. So the visitor’s centers for Minuteman National Park and the Bridge are both seasonally closed, but the parks themselves are not. Also many of the houses, taverns, etc. that are historic locations are closed during the winter months, but they’re still fascinating to look at, research, and at least drive by! To see how some are all alone in the woods or even  out in the open gives a sense of perspective that kids can’t get from a story or textbook.

Learn more about the locations you can visit in both Lexington and Concord including guided tours, locations, and events.

Learning objectives from studying the Boston Tea Party & Visiting the museum

Students will be able to identify factors leading to the American Revolution

Before visiting the museum, we reading a few books to set the stage and help our children know more about colonials and events like the Stamp Act that had patriots upset.

Topics to discuss:

• Taxation without Representation
• The Tea Act
• The Stamp Act
• Boston Massacre

Students will be able to analyze the significance of Revere and Dawes and their rides to Lexington and Concord

• Why did one go North and one go South?
• What was their objective and why was it important?
• Why do you think we know more about Revere?

Students will be able to trace important routes and put early Revolution events in chronological order

Some events and places to put in order or recount:

• Paul Revere Captured, Shot fired at North Bridge, Battle Road between Lexington and Concord, Lexington Battle Green, etc.
• Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts, Paul Revere’s Ride, Battles of Lexington and Concord, Battle of Hunker Hill, etc.

Students will be able to identify why Concord was an important place for the war to beging

Concord was a place where the militia stored supplies for the Americans. Ask your kids why protecting supplies is important.

Students will be able to evaluate the efforts of early minutemen and patriots.

• What was the American Army able to prove in this battle?
• Though the conflict at Lexington lasted only a few minutes and left several patriots dead, how did it change the course of history?
• Why is it called the shot heard round the world? What did it tell the rest of the world?

Books related to learning about the Boston Tea Party

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• If you lived at the time of the American Revolution by Kay Moore
• Paul Revere’s Ride by Longfellow
• The Colonial Minuteman by Laura Sullivan

Videos

Our favorite video is simply watching the Schoolhouse Rock Shot Heard Round the World video and learning the song. I think it’s a great way for kids to learn since music has a powerful impact on cognition! Don’t forget to correct little details like Revere wouldn’t have said the British were coming, but rather the Regulars were coming.

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