Colony Unit Overview

Day 1
Standards/Objectives
U3-1 Geography Identify English Colonies in each of the following
regions: New England, Middle Colonies, and Southern Colonies.
U3-2 Geography Describe the land, climate, and natural resources
of each region of the thirteen colonies.
U3-3 Citizenship Explain the impact of religion and dissent in
Puritan communities.
U3-4 History Describe the interactions between American Indians
and settlers in the New England Colonies.
Reading:
Vocabulary:
Growing season
Tidewater
Fall line
Backcountry

Introduce by role-playing colonial girl

- Reading from Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of
Catharine Carey Logan pg.s 3-13
13 Colonies Map
- Students will color and label the map. (Directions will be given
underneath the document camera.
Give students the pre-assessment Colonial Speakers worksheet
Introduce and discuss vocabulary words
Together, we will read and talk about pages 160-163
We will then complete a Venn Diagram on the New England, Middle,
and Southern Colonies.
I will pass out students their suitcases. In these suitcases
students will have a section for each colony, along with all of the
necessary papers they will need for the week.
Students will create a profile of a colonist. They will write their
name, date of birth, a journal, where they live (they will pick New
England, Middle, or Southern) and why, and later, they will choose
and occupation that they will write about.
They will then create a packing list and share with the class if time
permits.

Social Studies New England Geography

Vocabulary:
Town meeting
Self-government
Dissenter
Banish

Show YouTube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=cAZ8QJgFHOg&list=PLAAA5BFDAE2321BA2
Present and discuss vocabulary.
Read pgs 166-164 in SS Book.
Complete Day 1 of their journal. They will list all of the states
included in the New England colony, 3- 5 characteristics of the
geography/climate and reasoning as to why Colonist came to that
particular area.
Complete the Readers Theatre in SS Book.
Homework Practice book, pg. 30.

Day 2 Life in New England

Standards/Objectives:
U3-5 Economics- Describe major industries, especially those related
to the sea, in the New England Colonies.
U3-6 History Identify features of home and community life in New
England.
Vocabulary:
Industry
Export
Import
Middle Passage
Slave Trade

Show video: http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/13colonies-colonial-life-economics-politics.html

I will pass out Hornbooks for each student. On the Hornbook, a
vocabulary word will be on one side and the definition will be on the
back.
We will read pg.s 174-179 together. As they read, they will fill out
their graphic organizer. Also, as they read, when we read each
vocabulary word, students will hold their hornbooks up and we will
stop and discuss the word.
Students will read and complete Children in New England
worksheet.
Students will complete the Pennmanship worksheet.
Students will complete Day 2 of their journal. They will write a
journal entry as if they are reminiscing about their day in Colonial
New England. They must include one vocabulary word, something
about education, and the work they must do throughout the day to
help their families.
Pg. 31 in Practice Book for Homework
*** If there is is time in reading, we will read Ship of Horrors
and the worksheet that goes with it.

Day 3 Middle Colonies

Standards/Objectives:
U3-8 History: Describe the founding and government of New York
and New Jersey.
U3-9 History: Explain the roles of William Penn and Ben Franklin
in the early history of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.
Vocabulary:
Proprietor
Representative
Treaty

I will show the map that is on pg. 240 of the Red Social Studies
book.
I will have students get their maps out. We will look at the physical
features and the climate of the Middle Colonies. We will discuss
pgs. 239-240.
I will turn to pg. 164-165 in their books and we will read about the
Appalachians together.
Students will be split into pairs. They will be assigned to read about
New York and New Jersey or Pennsylvania and Delaware. Together,
they will compile a list of all the important and key ideas in what
they read. Then, we will come together as a class and make a
master list and talk about each group.
While doing so, they will complete their graphic organizer.
Together, we will read about Philadelphia and Benjamin Franklin on
pg.s 190-192.
I will hand out a kite, glasses, or a battery, and students will write
state how Benjamin Franklins inventions made a difference and
improved our lives today.
Students will complete Day 3 of their journals. They will list the
colonies included in the Middle Colonies, three facts about New York
and New Jersey and 2 facts about Pennsylvania and Delaware. They
also must state who founded each colony.

Day 4 Life in the Middle Colonies

Standards/Objectives:
U3-12 Culture Describe and explain the diversity of the Middle
Colonies.
U3-13 Culture Compare life, including work and education, on
farms and in
cities and in the Middle Colonies.
Vocabulary:
Free Market Economy
Free Enterprise
Artisan
Laborer
Apprentice

Students will write what they think people did to make a living
including children, how they were educated, what they wore, etc. in
the Middle Colonies during Colonial Times. They will do this by
writing their thoughts on a piece of paper. They may draw, write one
word, etc. This will complete a class Graffiti Wall that will be
displayed on the board.
We will then discuss their responses.
Together, we will discuss and review the vocabulary.
Next, we will read pages 196-199 together. As we read, students will
complete a Bingo Board. Every time they hear a specific word, they
will mark it off.
I will read aloud pg.s 48-50 in If You Lived in Colonial Times by
Ann McGovern.
Students will then be put into partners and together they will read
through all of the occupations (pg.s 67-77).
When they have read, they will pick an occupation and make a
business card. It must include:
- A catch phrase

- Owner(s)
- A picture
- Address
- An example or picture of product(s)/good(s) that are offered
- Business hours
Students will complete Day 4 in their journals. They will write about
what it is like to live in the middle colonies. They must include 2
vocabulary words, 1 thing about religion, and information about 1
city.
They will also fill out their apprentice resume.
Homework: Pg. 199 #s 2-5

Day 5 Southern Colonies

Standards/Objectives:
U3-14 Citizenship Explain the structure and importance of
Virginias colonial government.
U3-15 History Summarize the founding of Maryland, North and
South Carolina, and Georgia.
Vocabulary:
Plantation
Legislature
Refuge
Debtor

We will complete a true and false activity. I will give students

sentence strips, which they will read out loud. Then, they will
determine if the sentence is true or false and place it under the T or
F column on the board.
Together, we will read Pg.s 202 and 205. While students are
reading, they will complete their graphic organizer.
I will display Colonial Products under the document camera and
we will discuss the different agriculture in each colony. Then,
students will be assigned to two questions to answer (which will also
be displayed under the document camera). Each row will answer
two questions, and then share their answers.
In day 4 of their journal, students will use their New England,
Middle, South colonies chart to make a list/draw pictures of the
characteristics of each region and why those particular colonies
were founded.

Students will answer three questions:

- What are the states in the original Southern Colonies
- What was the House of Burgesses?
- Why was Maryland founded?
They will place these on the Show What You Know Board.
For homework, students will complete the colony chart on Pg. 30 of
the Practice Book.

*** If possible, read Anns Story on pg. 206 in SS book during

reading.

Day 6 Life in the Southern Colonies

Standards/Objectives:
U3-16 Economics - Identify agriculture as the main economic activity
of the Southern Colonies.
U3-17 Culture Compare life on a plantation to life on a small farm.
U3-18 Culture Describe enslaved Africans lives, work, and culture.
Vocabulary:
Indigo
Overseer
Spiritual

As a quick pre-assessment, I will throw a ball around and have

students tell me something that they know about living in the south.
Together, we will read pg.s 210-215. As we do so, students will
complete their graphic organizer.
I will show a map of a plantation on the document camera.
Together, we will discuss and talk about the questions that go along
with the map.
They will be split into 6 groups of 3. We will do a gallery walk where
students will visit 6 different stations which will be labeled with 6
different topics relating to the life in the southern colonies:
Agriculture, Plantations, Family Life, Southern Slavery, Life Under

Slavery, African American Culture. While at each station, they will

be required to write 1 description or characteristic about the topic.
As a whole class, we will come together and share what we have
discovered.
Students will complete the final day (Day 6) of their journals. They
will write a journal entry in the perspective of a slave. They must
include information that they learned about how slaves lived,
survived, what theyre tasks were, etc. They must also be sure to
include their feelings and write in a slaves perspective.
Students will complete the Colonial Speakers worksheet again as a
post-assessment.
Students will complete the quilt activity. Each student will receive a
square. They will pick New England, Middle, or Southern Colony.
They will draw/write 2 interesting facts about the colony, 2 things
about the way of life, 2 things about the geography/climate/how it
was founded.
If time permits, we will play the Train Game.
Pg. 62 in Practice Book for homework.