Lesson 2: Life in the Middle Colonies

Big Ideas of the Lesson

The Middle Colonies had a longer growing season and richer soil than the New
England Colonies.
Cash crops like wheat, corn, and rye were very important.
There was a diversity of people in the Middle Colonies.
There was significant religious diversity in the Middle Colonies.
Market towns were important.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson, students build on what they learned about the early settlement patterns and
development of the Middle colonies as they examine life in the Middle Colonies region. In small
groups, students complete a chart of what they have learned about this region in previous
lessons. Students then assume one of the following roles: geographer, economist, political
scientist, or anthropologist and gather information about life in the Middle Colonies region based
on their perspective. They share information in small groups and then work in pairs to create a
Venn diagram comparing the New England and Middle Colonies.

Content Expectations
5 U2.3.1: Locate the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies on a map.

5 U2.1.3: Describe significant developments in the Middle Colonies, including:

the growth of Middle Colonies economies (e.g., breadbasket).
(portions omitted)
5 U2.3.2: Describe the daily life of people living in the New England, Middle, and Southern
colonies.

Common Core State Standards:

SL.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-

one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and
texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
 a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied
required materials; explicitly draw on that preparation and
other information known about the topic to explore ideas
under discussion.

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out

assigned roles.

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making

comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on
the remarks of others.

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in

light of information and knowledge gained from the
discussions.

Key Concepts
culture
economic activities
government
regions

Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
12 X 18 drawing paper for Venn diagrams
Chart paper
Overhead projector or document camera/projector

Student Resource
Bower, Burt, et al. Americas Past, Social Studies Alive Program. Palo Alto, CA:
Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2010 (or a similar fifth grade social studies textbook). Pp.
89-90, 95.

You Be the Historian. Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Hands on

History Room. 1 December 2011 <http://americanhistory.si.edu/kids/springer/>.

Web links for the Middle Colonies. 1 December 2011

<http://www.kidinfo.com/american_history/colonization_mid_colonies.html>.

Teacher Resource
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2). Teacher-made material.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative, 2011.
 Thomson, Melissa and Ruth Dean. Life in the American Colonies. San Diego: Lucent
Books, 1999.

Lesson Sequence
1. Using Word Card #10, and the same colonial map region you used in Lesson 1, review
the location of the Middle Colonies and the four colonies that made up that region.

2. Divide students into groups of four and provide each group with a copy of Middle
Colonies Chart #1, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2). Tell students
to work together to fill out the chart. Give groups time to discuss and write and then have
groups share their ideas with the whole class. Make a master class list of ideas on chart
paper. Note that a chart showing possible answers has also been included in the
Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2).
Pimp my unit: Allow the students to create their chart through a shared google doc, with
each group being a different color. Allow the students to then share what they wrote in the
document with the class.

3. Explain to students that they will now be working in small groups to gather information
about life in the Middle colonies using their textbook. Review the four social scientists
(geographer, economist, political scientist, and anthropologist) that were used for research
roles in the previous lesson. Explain that each member of the small group will be assigned
to one of these roles.
Pimp my unit: Allow students to use other resources to find the reliable information about life
in the middle colonies. Using the source list given with the unit to provide examples of sites
they are able to use.

4. Using the same groups as Step 2, assign students to one of the four roles and give them
the appropriate Role Card, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2), to
place on their desk.

5. Ask students to take out their Reading for Information Reference Sheet they used in
Lesson 1 and review the key ideas and key words associated with the role they have been
assigned. Note that another copy of the sheet has been included in the Supplemental
Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2).

6. Tell students to read the section in their textbook on the Middle colonies as their
assigned social scientist and take notes on what they learn.

7. Give students time to read and take notes. Then, have each student complete the
Information Gathering Chart, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2).
Note that this chart requires students to identify the three most important things they learned
about life in the Middle Colonies based on their particular perspective.
 8. Have the small groups meet again. Have each group member share what they have
learned from the reading regarding their perspective and role. Have the group record what
they have learned from each group member on the Middle Colonies Chart #2, located in
the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2).

9. Discuss life in the Middle colonies by having groups share their charts with the whole
class and make a composite chart of their ideas on chart paper or an overhead. Note that a
Teacher Reference Sheet showing Important Ideas about the Middle Colonies, has been
included in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2). Use this as a guide to discuss
any important information about this region that students may have missed.

10. Note that if time permits you may wish to extend the research portion of this lesson by
having students gather information from other sources besides their textbook. The Internet
sites listed in the Student Resources contains links to many useful websites for this.

11. Divide students in pairs. Tell pairs to work together to compare and contrast the New
England Colonies and the Middle Colonies by creating a Venn diagram on a large sheet of
paper. Note that a list of possible similarities and differences has been included in the
Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 2).
Pimp my unit: Allow the students to create their venn diagram on their computer/ipad if
available. Remind students that they must label the two sides of the diagram.

12. Give students time to work and then match two pairs up to form a group of four. Have
the pairs in each group exchange their Venn diagrams and compare them. As a large group
discuss differences and similarities between the two colonial regions.

13. As an enrichment activity, have students visit the following website which features an
investigation of a real family, the Springers, living in Delaware during the mid to late 1700s:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/kids/springer/ . At the website students work as history
detectives to analyze artifacts the family left behind. Note that if you had students complete
the suggested enrichment activity in Lesson 1 on the Daggett family of Connecticut you can
now have students compare and contrast the two families.

Assessment
The Venn diagrams created in Step 11 can be used as an assessment. As an additional
assessment you may wish to have students create a web or write a descriptive paragraph
describing life in the Middle Colonies.

Pimp my unit: Have the students write a descriptive paragraph describing life in the middle
colonies, using their venn diagram as a source.