Elizabeth Wilcox
TE 803 Section 3
Unit Plan
Final
Part I: Lesson Overview and Instructor Background Knowledge
a). Unit Title: Difficulties and Successes of Building Colonies in America
b). Rationale:
In this unit, students will be learning about why England wanted to colonize in North America and how difficult and dangerous it was for the first colonists to come and settle in a new land. Given the obstacles, one may wonder why someone would want to leave their home in Englandand travel across the ocean to settle in an unknown land. Revealing to students that religious freedom proved to be a driving force behind colonists’ desire to take this risk, opens students up to a main aspect of life in our country: freedom of religion. Religious freedom not only motivated people to leave their homes for the new land, but also led to the founding of new colonies and later became part of our constitution and rights as Americans. Thus, it is important for students to understand how important this freedom that we may take for granted is and that not every country has this same freedom. Another part of this unit discusses the early settlers’ relationship with Native Americans. It is important for students to understand that we were in fact not the first people to live in North America. People had been living on this land years prior to the colonial establishments. Another concept of significance brought up in this unit is the failures and struggles of colonization. Settlers risked their lives and lived under harsh conditions when they first came to America. The founding and early development of our country was not an easy endeavor. All these topics combine together and build on the idea of life in Colonial America and then later on the Revolution and founding of America as we know it today. It is important to lay this foundation for students as it is the earliest glimpse of how our country came to be. In order to be knowledgeable and informed citizens of America, it is imperative that students understand our country’s earliest beginnings.
c). Unit Objectives:
* Number(s) in parentheses indicate what lesson(s) from the textbook the objective is grounded in
- I can recognize the obstacles and struggles of building a colony in America. (1)
- I can identify the first English settlements in America. (1)
- I can explain why the English wanted to establish colonies in North America. (1,2,3,4)
- I can identify reasons why people of England would want to come to America. (1,2,3,4)
- I can compare and contrast the Pilgrims and the Puritans. (3)
- I can identify reasons why the different English colonies were founded. (4)
- I can locate and identify the original 13 colonies and their 3 regions. (4)
- I can explain how the quest for the Northwest Passage led to the discovery of new colonies in North America. (2)
- I can identify explorers/founder who discovered new lands/colonies. (1,2,3,4)
- I can explain the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Indians and how it led to the first Thanksgiving. (3)
- I canexplain the different governments formed by the colonists including the House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact. (1,3)
d). Unit Standards or Grade Level Content Expectations:
- Describe significant developments in the Southern colonies, including
• patterns of settlement and control including the impact of geography (landforms and
climate) on settlement (National Geography Standard 12, p. 167)
• establishment of Jamestown (National Geography Standard 4, p. 150)
• development of one-crop economies (plantation land use and growing season for rice in
Carolinas and tobacco in Virginia) (National Geography Standard 11, p. 164)
• relationships with American Indians (e.g., Powhatan) (National Geography Standard 10, p. 162)
• development of colonial representative assemblies (House of Burgesses)
(National Geography Standard 5, p. 152)
• development of slavery
(Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, 5 – U2.1.1)
- Describe significant developments in the New England colonies, including
• patterns of settlement and control including the impact of geography (landforms and climate)
on settlement (National Geography Standard 12, p. 167)
• relations with American Indians (e.g., Pequot/King Phillip’s War) (National Geography Standard
10, p. 162)
• growth of agricultural (small farms) and non-agricultural (shipping, manufacturing) economies
(National Geography Standard 15, p. 173)
• the development of government including establishment of town meetings, development of
colonial legislatures and growth of royal government (National Geography Standard 13, p. 169)
• religious tensions in Massachusetts that led to the establishment of other colonies in
New England (National Geography Standard 13, p. 169 C, E
(Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, 5 – U2.1.2)
- Describe significant developments in the Middle Colonies, including
• patterns of settlement and control including the impact of geography (landforms and climate)
on settlement (National Geography Standard 12, p. 167)
• the growth of Middle Colonies economies (e.g., breadbasket)
(National Geography Standard 7, p. 156)
• The Dutch settlements in New Netherlands, Quaker settlement in Pennsylvania, and
subsequent English takeover of the Middle Colonies
• immigration patterns leading to ethnic diversity in the Middle Colonies
(National Geography Standard 10, p. 162, C, E)
(Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, 5 – U2.1.3)
- Use case studies of individual explorers and stories of life in Europe to compare the goals, obstacles, motivations, and consequences for European exploration and colonization of the Americas (e.g., economic, political, cultural, and religious). (National Geography Standard 13, p. 169, C, E (Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, 5 – U1.2.2)
- Locate the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies on a map. (National Geography Standard 3 p. 148 (Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, 5 – U2.3.1)
e). Social Studies Content:
The unit I am teaching sets the stage for many important topics in American history. Having refamiliarized myself with the content after carefully reading the unit, I realize that while there are many things I do know about the topic, I still have many questions and topics I would like to learn more about. For instance, I know that the potential for gold and natural resources were main reasons why the English (and other countries) wanted to colonize in America. Because of this desire, England made a first attempt to colonize at Roanoke Island, which failed and is now referred to as “The Lost Colony.” However, I still have questions about this first attempt. Who were these first colonists? What was there push factor to leave England for America? How long was their voyage? Are historians still trying to solve this mystery?
I am also familiar with future attempts for colonization and the tribulations that followed. While the textbook briefly discusses the role of charters that allowed colonists to settle on land, it does not provide much detail and leaves me with many questions. What did the charter look like? Was it easily obtained?
The book further discusses indentured servants, but it simply defines what an indentured servant is. What were the reasons indentured servants left England? I also would like to know more about the House of Burgesses and the role this government played in Virginia. I know about other topics like the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, the first Thanksgiving, and the Puritans and how religious freedom was their motivation to settle in a new land. I am also familiar with the thirteen original colonies, their regions, and how they came to be. While I am curious to continue learning more about colonial life, I realize that we will be able to delve deeper into this in the next unit.
There are many different ways I can learn more about this content. Looking at online resources can help widen my understanding on these topics. Also, resources my CT has given me will help me supplement the knowledge I have from the book so that I can share it with the class.
One challenge I foresee is revealing to students what a vast voyage and risk these colonists took by leaving their homes in England. Living in modern times, I see it being difficult for them to go back in time and imagine sailing for over 60 days to reach a completely undeveloped land. I also think students may have a difficult time understanding the persecution certain religious groups felt in England and how it was serious enough for them to leave their homes behind.
The essential understandings for this unit are that England as well as other countries wanted to colonize in America in hopes of finding gold and natural resources; colonization was a difficult and dangerous endeavor; colonists fled to America in search of religious freedom; and religious freedom was the basis for the founding of several other colonies. The big idea for this unit is that despite the difficulties of colonization, the quest for religious freedom and England’s desire to colonize led to the founding of the thirteen original colonies. Many concepts in the unit deal with cause and effect relationships. For example, groups of people like the Pilgrims came to America and new colonies were founded because of religious persecution and the quest for religious freedom. Further, in search of the Northwest Passage, new European colonies in North America were discovered. Charters were granted so that colonists could travel to the new land and settle. These different concepts all relate and build off each other to finally create the original 13 colonies. One of the most important understandings my students need to develop about this topic is that colonization, in general, and actually living life as a colonist was extremely difficult. They need to understand that life was not easy for the colonists, that many people died because of the hardships, and that the colonists were traveling to an unknown land. Another important understanding about this topic is that colonies were founded and established for specific reasons; especially in New England. These are related in that the founding of America’s original thirteen colonies was not something that happened over night or by chance; many obstacles had to be overcome and many factors played into the founding of each colony.
f). Key Concepts:
- House of Burgesses: The House of Burgesses was the new government or lawmaking assembly formed by the colonists in Virginia. All members of the assembly had to be white males who owned land.
- Colony: A colony is a settlement that is far from the country that rules it. Colonies in America were far away from the country that ruled it, England.
- Religious Persecution: Religious persecution is when someone or a group of people are treated unfairly because of their religious beliefs. Many colonists faced religious persecution in England so they fled to the colonies for freedom. Pilgrims, Puritans, and Separatists are all groups of people who faced religious persecution.
- Charter: A charter is a document that allows colonists to settle on land claimed by their ruler. For example, in England, if someone wanted to come and settle on land in America, he or she would need a charter that is approved by his or her ruler, the King.
- Northwest Passage: The Northwest Passage is a waterway connecting the Atlantic and PacificOceans. Explorers were eager to find the Northwest Passage because it would make trade between Europe and Asia much easier. In searching for the Northwest Passage, Samuel de Champlain founded new colonies in North America.
- Cause and Effect: Effect tells us “what” happened and the cause tells us “why” it happened. In the statement, “The Pilgrims left England because they were being persecuted,” the effect or “what” happened is that the Pilgrims left England and the cause or “why” it happened is because they were persecuted. Many cause and effect relationships led to the founding of new colonies in America.
Part 2: Resources
a.) Resources, Preparation Materials
Materials for whole class: / Materials for groups: / Materials for individual students: (be sure to indicate how you are going to provide resources needed for any students with special needs)Social Studies: Building a Nation Textbook
Chapter 5 packets
You Wouldn’t Want to be an American Colonist 1 copy read aloud for class
You Wouldn’t Want to Sail on the Mayflower 1 copy read aloud for class
…If You Sailed On The Mayflower in 1620 1 copy read aloud for class
Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740 A History of US Book 2 1 copy read aloud for class
The First Americans: Prehistory-1600 A History of US Book 1 1 copy read aloud for class
- Discovery Education: United Streaming:
The New England Colonists: The Pilgrims and Puritans
Google Earth
Colonial Life for Children videos
The Dutch and New Amsterdam
The French and Colonial Quebec
- Think, Pair, Share Handout for each individual student
- Computers on Wheels and Jamestown Online Activity handout for each individual student link:
chart paper
think, pair, share handout
Chapter 5 packets / RTI at risk student leaves class for interventions during Social Studies
Copies of notes taken in class for student with an anxiety disorder
b). Annotated Bibliography:
Boyd, C. D., Berkin, C., & Scott, Foresman and Company. (2003).Building a
nation. Scott Foresman Social Studies. Glenview, Il: Pearson Education.
This is the informational textbook students will be reading from throughout the unit. It is a 5th grade textbook and thus is the respected reading level. The unit students will be pulling from covers four short lessons. The text is well organized with headings, subheadings, highlighted key words, and summaries. Pictures, maps, captions, and review questions also accompany the reading. The text is straightforward and easy to follow however, it could be more informative. The text is written from the viewpoint of Americans, so a potential bias exists with the colonists relations with Native Americans.
Cook, P., Whelan, K., & Salariya, D. (2005).You wouldn't want to sail on the Mayflower!: A trip that took entirely too long. New York: Franklin Watts.
This is an informational children’s picture book that provides information on what it would be like to sail on the Mayflower. The book is written in a narrative style and is a 3rd grade to 6th grade reading level. The book provides a plethora of interesting facts about sailing on the Mayflower. The text is accompanied by numerous illustrations that help students create an image in their mind. There are also little captions and speech bubbles that offer even more information. The text is written from the viewpoint of a Pilgrim, so a potential bias exists with how indentured servants, sailors, or others on the Mayflower may have felt.
Google Inc. (2009). Google Earth (Version 5.1.3533.1731) [Software]. Available from
Google Earth is a resource that allows you to “travel” to different places around the world. In going to different places, one is able to see where this particular place is located, what surrounds it, uploaded pictures of the actual area, and any parks or museums in the area. Google Earth provides very accurate information of a place’s general location and information about surrounding areas. People can also upload pictures from the area (perhaps monuments or landscapes) which help one feel like they are actually there. Since anyone can upload pictures, it is important to check the pictures prior to be sure it is accurate. This is the only bias I see existing. In the lesson, we are going to use Google Earth to locate Roanoke, Jamestown, Plymouth, New France, and New Netherland. Students will be able to see where these places are located in America as well as what the monuments and replicas.
Hakim, J. (2005).The first Americans. New York: OxfordUniversity Press
This is an information text that provides additional information about Roanoke Island (Chapter 37) and the Battle of the Spanish Armada (Chapter 38). It is a 4th to 6th grade reading level. The book has a significant amount of text on each page that makes it look like a textbook, but it is much easier to read. There are some black and white pictures that supplement the text along with interesting facts about the time period in the margins. The text makes for a great read aloud and window for discussion in the classroom. Since it is written from the viewpoint of Americans, a bias may exist concerning relations with Native Americans and Spain.
Hakim, J. (2005).Making thirteen colonies. New York: OxfordUniversity Press.
This is an information text that provides additional information about John Smith (Chapter 5), starvation in Jamestown (Chapter 6), the success of Jamestown (Chapter 9), Roger Williams and the founding of Rhode Island (Chapter 17), and Anne Hutchinson (Chapter 18). It is a 4th to 6th grade reading level. The book has a significant amount of text on each page that makes it look like a textbook, but it is much easier to read. There are some black and white pictures that supplement the text along with interesting facts about the time period and people in the margins. The text makes for a great read aloud and window for discussion in the classroom. Since it is written from the viewpoint of Americans, a bias may exist concerning relations with Native Americans.