13 Colonies Unit Lesson Plan

Darius Harrell
December, 2014

Activities
SOL: USI.5b Introduction to New England
Colonies

Procedures, Comments, and Notes

1) Brief Introduction

1) Introduce students to the New England

colonies. Inform them of the present day
states formed the New England colonies.
Give them a basic summary of the colonies.
2) On the large U.S.A. map students will assist
me in locating the New England colonies.

2) Opening Activity: Colonies Maps

1) Distribute 13 colonies maps to each student.

2) Inform students that we will keep a map of
the colonies we are studying. We will color
the colonies in as we cover them.
3) Students will color in the correct New
England colonies on their maps. I will lead
them in choosing the correct colonies.

3) Guided Textbook Reading

1) Students will read from pages 188-191 in

their textbooks as instructed.
2) I will lead students through the pages
introducing them to each section before
they read.

4) Comparison Triangle

1) Distribute comparison triangles to each

student.
2) Explain to students how we will use the
triangles to compare the similarities and
differences of the colonial regions.
3) Have students find examples of
characteristics specific to the New England
colonies. When they have found them I will
write their ideas on the board. Students will
copy down the New England characteristics
on their triangles.

5) Closing Discussion

1) Ask students what they have learned about

the New England Colonies.
2) Ask students how life in New England would
have been. Would they have enjoyed it?

Activities
SOL: USI.5b New England Colonies #2

Procedures, Comments, and Notes

1) Brief Introduction

1) Welcome students to class and inform them

of the agenda for the day.
2) Quickly review with students yesterdays
introduction to the New England colonies.

2) Opening Activity: Short Video

1) Direct students to the carpet area to view

the History Channels Life in Plymouth.
2) Inform students that the video will cover life
in Plymouth and what challenges the early
pilgrims faced in America.
3) Play video.

3) New England Foldable

1) Distribute proper supplies for the New

England Foldables.
2) Walk with students step by step instructing
them how to create their New England
foldables.
3) After students have completed making their
foldables have them write down the
resources, specializations, social life, political
life, and equality of the New England
colonies.

4) Closing Discussion

1) Ask students to look at their foldables and

find three surprising characteristics of the
New England Colonies.
2) Lead a class discussion around what
students found to be interesting about the
New England Colonies.

Activities
SOL: USI.5b New England Colonies #3

Procedures, Comments, and Notes

1) Brief Introduction

1) Welcome students and inform them of the

agenda for the days instruction.
2) Quickly review with students the key
characteristics of the New England Colonies.

2) Opening Activity: Pros and Cons

1) Distribute Pros and Cons sheet to each

student.
2) On the smart board record the students
ideas on the pros and cons of the New
England colonies.
Note: Only add pros and cons to the list that fit
properly with our focus of instruction.
3) Have student follow along and write down
the pros and cons on their sheets as I write
them on the board.

3) Dramatic Skits

1) Students will choose on the religious groups

of the New England colonies to portray in a
skit.
2) I will break students into groups for the skits.
3) Students will have to display social life,
political life, and work life in their skits.
4) Students have 12 minutes to write scripts for
the skits.
5) At the end of time each group will share
their skits.

4) New England Colonies Closing

Discussion

1) Briefly discuss the skits with students and

how they portrayed New England life.
2) Inform students that tomorrow we will
move into the Mid-Atlantic colonies.

Activities
SOL: USI.5b Introduction to the MidAtlantic Colonies

Procedures, Comments, and Notes

1) Brief Introduction

1) Introduce students to the Mid-Atlantic

colonies. Tell them what states fall in these
colonies, and give them a basic summary of
the Mid-Atlantic colonies.
2) On the large U.S.A. map students will assist
me in locating the Mid-Atlantic colonies.

2) Opening Activity: Colonies Maps

1) Students will take out their colonies maps to

color in the Middle-Atlantic section.
Note: Before student s begin coloring the maps
have them dot the correct states on their maps so I
can make sure they are coloring in the right places.

3) Textbook Reading

1) Students will read from pages 192-196 in

their textbooks as instructed.
2) I will lead students through these pages
introducing them to each section before
they read.
Comment: Make sure to stop after each section to
discuss the important points.

4) Comparison Triangle

1) Pass out comparison triangles to each

student and explain to them how they work.
2) On the board list things we know that are
unique about the New England and MiddleAtlantic colonies.
3) Have students copy down what I have on the
board

5) Closing Discussion

1) Ask Students: How does life in the MiddleAtlantic colonies compare to life in the New
England colonies?
2) If you were alive then which colony would
you rather be a part of?
3) How could the Middle-Atlantic colonies be
interdependent with New England?

Activities
SOL: USI.5b Mid-Atlantic Colonies #2

Procedures, Comments, and Notes

1) Kick Start: Mid-Atlantic Colonies

Trivia

1) At the start of class each table will be given

two Mid-Atlantic colonies trivia questions.
2) Students will have five minutes in their
groups to come up with the correct answers.
3) After the time limit is up each group will
read their questions and answers to the
class.

2) Mid-Atlantic Foldable

1) Transition into craft and give each student a

piece of construction paper.
2) Lead students in creating their foldables.
3) Once students have finished making their
foldables have them write down the five key
areas of Mid-Atlantic life on their foldables.

3) Closing Discussion

1) Using their foldables, have students find two

characteristics that stand out of them.
2) Lead a class discussion around the students
interests in the Mid-Atlantic Colonies.

Activities
SOL: USI.5b Mid-Atlantic Colonies
3#/Intro to Southern Colonies

Procedures, Comments, and Procedures

1) Brief Introduction/Review

1) Greet students and inform them of the

agenda for the day.
2) Let them know that there will be a quiz on
the Mid-Atlantic Colonies followed by an
introduction to the Southern Colonies.
3) Do a quick review of the main characteristics
of the Mid-Atlantic Colonies.

2) Opening Activity: Comparison

Triangle

1) Have students take out their comparison

triangles.
2) Have students find characteristics specific to
the Mid-Atlantic colonies.
3) On the big board list characteristics students
find. Have students write down
characteristics on their comparison triangles.

3) 13 Colonies Maps

1) Students will choose a third color to

complete their 13 Colonies maps.
2) Allow students around 10 minutes to
complete their maps.

4) Southern Colonies Facts

1) Introduce the Southern Colonies by

explaining the ways of life in the colonial
south.
2) Have students identify states on the large
map as I point to them.

5) Study Guide Reading

1) When students finish coloring their maps

they will read page 14 in their study guide.
2) Discuss study guide reading and talk about
the differences in the south compared to
New England and the Mid-Atlantic Colonies.

Activities
SOL: USI.5b Southern Colonies #2

Comments, Notes, and Procedures

1) Brief Introduction/Review

1) Explain to students the agenda for the day.

2) Briefly review yesterdays material by
locating the Southern states on the large
map and going over the things that were on
page 14 in the study guide.

2) Guided Reading

1) Students will get their textbooks for a guided

reading.
2) I will introduce students to each section of
the southern colonies before they silently
read on their own from pages 199-204.

3) Short Video

1) Students will transition to the carpet for the

history channel video on the 13 colonies.
2) At the end of the video we will discuss the
video and answer any questions the
students may have.

4) Southern Colonies Wheel

1) Students will create a wheel of the southern

colonies displaying the main characteristics
of the states.
2) Instruct students step by step how to
construct their wheels.

5) Closing Discussion

1) Talk about life in the southern colonies. Ask

students which colony they would most
want to live in and why? Ask them what
stands out the most about the southern
colonies.

Activities
SOL: USI.5b Southern Colonies #3
1) Kick Start: Sothern Colonies Trivia

Procedures, Comments, and Notes

1) At the start of class each I will distribute two

Southern Colonies trivia questions to each
group of desks.
2) Students will have three minutes to come up
with a written answer to both questions.
3) After they have answered each group will
read their questions and answers to the
class for review.
Note: Any unanswered questions can be answered
by others students.

2) Big Map Review of All Colonies

1) After trivia I will lead students in locating all

13 original colonies on the large map.
2) A different student will come up to find each
state.

3) Southern Colonies Postcard

1) Two students will assist in passing out

Southern Postcards to each student.
2) Students will have the remainder of class to
complete the Southern Colonies postcard.
Each postcard needs to illustrate evidence of
economy, geography, and social life.
3) If students do not finish they should be able
to use their I.E. time to complete the post
cars. If not, it then becomes homework.

4) 13 Colonies Map Homework

1) Students who finish their postcards early will

be able to start on their homework.
2) Students will cut out and paste all 13 state
names with their proper location on the
map.
3) Students will cut out and paste all 13 state
names with their proper location on the
map.

Activities
SOL: USI.5b Southern Colonies #4/ 13
Colonies Wrap Up
1) Brief Introduction And Review

Procedures, Comments, and Notes

1) Welcome and great students as they come

in the door. Inform them of the agenda for
the day, and also collect homework.
Note: Make sure to notify them that this is the last
day of southern colonies and there will be a quiz
tomorrow.
2) I will lead students in a review of the
southern colonies. Each student will write
down five facts about the southern colonies.
Note: Students can use their books in assisting them
to come up with five facts.
3) I will allow ten minutes for students to come
up with five facts. At the end of the time I
will allow some students to share their facts.

2) 13 Colonies Worksheet

1) I will choose two students to pass out

worksheets to the entire class. Students will
have 15 minutes to complete the worksheet.
2) At the end of the time I will go over the
correct answers, and students will have the
opportunity to correct their answers. I will
take the worksheets up for a grade.

3) Creative Writing

1) Students will have the remainder of class to

write about what colonial region they would
want to live in. Students would have to write
why they chose their region, and what they
would do there.