Comparing the Colonies

Name: Hannah Bruesehoff

Grade level: 5th grade
Date: October 5, 2017
Length of lesson: 1 hour (1-20 minute lesson and 1-40 minute independent activity)

Title/theme/focus of lesson: Comparing the Colonies

Common Core State Standards​:

5.4.1 Understand the influence of location and physical setting on the founding of the original 13 colonies, and
identify on a map the locations of the colonies and of the American Indian nations already inhabiting these
areas.
5.4.5 Understand how the British colonial period created the basis for the development of political
self-government and a free-market economic system and the differences between the British, Spanish, and
French colonial systems.

Essential lesson question(s): ​Why did the early colonists settle in different regions? How can factors such as
geography, economy, and religion affect where someone will live?

Learning outcomes/objectives​: The learner will be able to outline the between in economy, weather, and people
in the Northeastern, Middle, and Southern colonies during the colonial age.

Vocabulary:​ cash crop, plantations, lumber, swampland, craftsman

Assessment​: Formative assessment throughout the lesson by checking student work and input.

Materials: List the lesson materials/supplies that both the teacher and learners will need.
Images of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies
Anchor chart paper (1)- prepared with topic headers
Markers
Student worksheets (13)
Writing notebooks
Pens for students
3 Table tents (labeled New England, Middle, and Southern colonies)
Slips with randomly assigned reasons for moving to America (economic, religious, opportunity, etc)
Bowl

Room environment: Describe the seating arrangement or anything to be prewritten on the board.
● Desks are in 3 groupings with space on the floor for gathering together
● Objective and key vocabulary will be written on the board

Accommodations & Modifications for all learners​:

· English Learners: the visuals will help students to greater understand these regions and see the
differences between them. Student(s) may be paired with a bilingual student to assist with translation. Key
domain specific vocabulary words are frontloaded to increase comprehension.
· Special Needs (504, IEP): we will fill out an anchor chart together with key points to review and provide
clarity on confusing concepts. Student may write a shorter letter or use a computer so they can write faster.
· GATE and/or Multiple Intelligences as needed: Student can complete additional research through
additional readings or the Internet on these regions to get a more complex understanding of these regions.
Their additional research can be integrated into their letter if they choose.

​Instructional Procedure: Include these elements in your teaching though the order may vary
depending on the lesson:

Anticipatory Set/Orientation​: Acknowledge the differences between the colonies and orally explain how different
each colony was from one another.

Guided Practice and Monitoring​: Give each student a handout and tell them that they will explore the colonies
in groups of 2 or 3. The point of this activity is not correct information, rather about making predictions through
exploration. Give each station 4 minutes of exploration of photos and to fill out worksheet.

Teaching/Instructional Process (input and modeling):​ After groups have gone through every station, we will
meet back together and fill out an anchor chart with the information gathered. Students can fill in their
worksheets with any missing information.

Monitoring/Check for understanding​: Students will be sharing information they gathered at every station. Every
group will need to contribute information gathered for each colonial region.

Closure​: Reinforce major points from the lesson and assign reading from Social Studies Alive! textbook to
deepen knowledge on the topic and fill in their notes chart more thoroughly.

Independent Practice​: The next class session, Students will be assigned types of work they are trained to
complete which will pulled at random. Based off the information gathered about the colonial regions, students
will write a persuasive letter to their family back in England about which colony they should move to and why.

Sources:​ Dr. Mullen, “Introducing Canada Activity” ; Dawn Vinas, Anchor Chart; Bert Bower and Jim Lobdell,
History Alive! America’s Past