Design Topic VS.

4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley
Understanding by Design

X Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: __VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony____ Grade Levels: ________4________

Topic/Subject Areas: __Virginia Studies __

Key Words: Colonial Virginia, agriculture, slavery, culture, exchange systems, lifestyles

Designed By: _Kelly Smalley__________________ Time Frame: __Four Weeks______

School District: Regent University School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

This unit focuses on what life was like for people who lived in the Virginia colony during the
pre-revolutionary period. Students will learn about the importance of agriculture to the colony
and how it influenced slavery; the cultures of different people groups who lived in the colony,
like the Native Indians, English, Africans, and German and Scotch-Irish immigrants, and how
those different cultures could be seen throughout the colony; why the capital of Virginia was
moved first from Jamestown to Williamsburg and then from Williamsburg to Richmond; how
people in colonial Virginia bought and sold goods using different forms of exchange, such as
barter, cash, and credit; and what everyday life looked like for people of different ages,
genders, and social classes. For the culminating task, students will write a short story from the
perspective of someone who lived in the Virginia colony during the mid-1700s, incorporating
all elements learned throughout the unit.

Unit design status: X Completed template pages stages 1, 2, 3

Completed blueprint for each performance task X Completed rubrics

Directions to students and teacher X Materials and resources listed

X Suggested accommodations X Suggested extensions

Status: X Initial draft (date: Dec. 9, 2016) Revised draft (date: ____________)
X Peer Reviewed Content Reviewed Field Tested Validated Anchored

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1

Design Topic VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley

STAGE 1 DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: VS.4: Life in the Virginia Colony

Established Goals:

The student will demonstrate knowledge of life in the Virginia colony by

a) explaining the importance of agriculture and its influence on the institution of slavery;
b) describing how the culture of colonial Virginia reflected the origins of European (English,
Scots-Irish, German) immigrants, Africans, and American Indians;
c) explaining the reasons for the relocation of Virginias capital from Jamestown to
Williamsburg to Richmond;
d) describing how money, barter, and credit were used;
e) describing everyday life in colonial Virginia.

Understandings: Students will understand that Essential Questions:

a region's well-being is often dependent on
what goods and services the region can
produce.
people sometimes use immoral means for
personal gain.
communities reflect the different cultures
of the people who live in them.
people move for a variety of reasons.
there are different systems of exchange for
the buying and selling of goods and
services.
all members of a community, regardless of
age, gender, or social class, play a role in
the function or dysfunction of that
community.
How did agriculture make slavery more
attractive?
How might the Virginia colony still have
been successful without using slaves?
How is a region affected by the goods and
services that it produces?
In what ways are the cultures of European
immigrants, Africans, and Native Indians
seen in colonial Virginia?
How is a community affected when the
people who live there have different
cultural beliefs?
Why do people move?
How did the forms of exchange that people
used to buy and sell goods and services in
colonial Virginia affect how they lived?
What is the best form of exchange for
buying and selling goods and services and
why?
How was everyday life in colonial Virginia
different for people of different ages,
genders, and social classes?
How should members of a community
behave to help their community succeed?

Students will know that: Students will be able to:

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 2
Design Topic VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley
agriculture, tobacco in particular, played an
important role in the success of the
Virginia colony.
agriculture in the Virginia colony had an
influence on slavery.
European immigrants and Africans came to
Virginia for very different reasons.
European immigrants (English, Scots-Irish,
German), Africans, and American Indians
influenced the culture of colonial Virginia.
Virginia's capital was moved from
Jamestown to Williamsburg and then from
Williamsburg to Richmond.
money, barter, and credit were systems of
exchange used in colonial Virginia.
there were six different social classes in
Virginia: enslaved field hands, enslaved
house servants, free blacks, farmers,
middling, and gentry.
everyday life in colonial Virginia was
different depending on a person's age,
gender, and social class.
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
explain the importance of agriculture to the
Virginia colony.
explain the influence of agriculture on the
institution of slavery.
give reasons for European immigrants
(English, Scots-Irish, German) and
Africans coming to colonial Virginia.
tell how European immigrants, Africans,
and Native Indians affected the culture of
colonial Virginia.
analyze and interpret maps of colonial
Virginia.
locate Jamestown, Williamsburg, and
Richmond on a map of Virginia.
give reasons for the move of the capital of
Virginia from Jamestown to Williamsburg
and from Williamsburg to Richmond.
describe the systems of exchange in
colonial Virginia (money, barter, and
credit) and explain how they were used.
describe a typical day in colonial Virginia
from the points of view of people from
different ages, genders, and social classes.
3
Design Topic VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:

A Day in the Life (GRASPS)--Students will Quiz #1: Multiple Choice--importance of

play the role of a children's book author who
has been tasked by the director of a Virginia
historical site with writing a book for the gift
shop that depicts everyday life in colonial
Virginia through the eyes of someone who
lived there.
A Better Way--Students will create flyers to
convince plantation owners and farmers that
there are ways to work their fields without
using slaves.
At the Market--Students will be divided into
groups and will create short skits that show the
different ways that different people bought and
sold goods in colonial Virginia.
agriculture and its influence on slavery,
reflection of culture
Quiz #2: Multiple Choice--relocation of the
capital, exchange system, everyday life
Five Minute Writing Prompt--How did the
success of tobacco encourage slavery?
Venn Diagram--similarities and differences
between people of two different colonial
Virginia social classes
Graphic Organizer--pros and cons of
Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Richmond as the
capital of the Virginia colony

Writing Prompt--Who do you believe these

items belonged to and why do you believe it?
(students write one paragraph for each group of
culturally-related items that they are shown)

Test Creation--ten fill-in-the-blank and/or true-

false questions created by each student to
exchange with another student

Map of Virginia--color-code the regions, label

where each group of people lived and why they
moved to a particular region, and label the three
capitals of Virginia, giving reasons for each
relocation
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

K-W-L Chart--Students will start a K-W-L chart at the beginning of the unit and work on it through
the last section of the unit.

Student Journal--Students will complete a daily 2-minute reflection summarizing what they learned
that day, telling what they thought was most important, and writing down any questions and/or
stating any confusion about what was learned.

As I See It Entrance/Exit Tickets--Students will be given sentence starters throughout the unit which
they will briefly complete using their knowledge and personal thoughts.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4

Design Topic VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:
(list by number here and then complete the week-by-week planning calendar below using the same information)

1. Introduce Unit: Give students a brief overview of what they will be learning during the unit, introduce the essential questions, and
tell them what they will be working on for the summative assessment.
2. K-W-L Chart (Rutherford, 2008, p. 113; Houghton et al., n.d.): students will begin by filling in what they know and what they
want to know and then will be instructed to fill in what they have learned as they go through the unit (the "L" may be done in
class when there is extra time; otherwise, students will be reminded to fill it in as homework when they need to add information).
3. Introduce topic: the importance of agriculture and its influence on slavery. Read "Of Human Bondage: Slavery In Old Virginia"
in The Virginia Experience (Marsh, 2000, pp. 25-26).
4. Think-Pair-Share (Rutherford, 2008, p. 112) followed by class discussion: Question from reading--"If you had lived during this
era, which side of the slavery issue do you think you would have been on and why?" (Marsh, 2000, p. 26).
5. Two Minute Journal Entry: Students will write in their journals daily (unless otherwise noted) a reflection summarizing what
they learned or what they thought was important and what they liked or disliked about the lesson, making sure to also write down
any questions or stating any confusion about what was learned.
6. Video: "Eighteenth Century Tobacco Economy" (Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, n.d.).
7. Writing Prompt: How did the success of tobacco encourage slavery? Thought Process Sheet (teacher generated) for students who
need it (thought process sheets give sentence starters to help students of lower ability levels think about how they will answer)
8. Video: "Tobacco Plantations and African Slaves" (Ballard, 2012).
9. Class Brainstorm: What could farmers or plantation owners have done besides use slaves?
10. A Better Way: Students will create flyers to convince plantation owners and farmers that there are ways to work their fields
without using slaves.
11. Homework: Students will interview a family member to find out the origins of the family and why they chose to a) come to the
United States, and b) settle where they did (Alternately, they may tell why their family originally moved to Virginia if prior
country information is unknown).
12. Small group discussion: students will discuss their findings about the origins of their family with their small groups.
13. Whole class discussion: groups will report on similarities and differences in reasons why their families originally came to the
U.S. or chose to live in Virginia. Teacher will make notes of findings on the board for compare/contrast.
14. Introduce topic--The culture of colonial Virginia reflected the origins of European immigrants, Africans, and Native Indians:
Interactive Promethean Board lesson (teacher generated); use Virginia People Groups (Virginia Trekkers, 2013) during lesson.
15. Who Do These Items Belong To? activity/writing prompt (teacher generated): Students will rotate through four stations,
examining artifacts to determine who they believe the artifacts might have belonged to and then write in their journals to explain
their thoughts. Students grouped by similar cognitive ability levels.
16. Quiz #1--Importance of agriculture, agriculture's influence on slavery, culture of major people groups in colonial Virginia
17. Introduce topic--The relocation of the capital: Interactive PPT (teacher generated).
18. Tree Chart (Houghton et al., n.d.): Students will randomly fill in the branches of their tree chart with information on why the
capital was moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg and then from Williamsburg to Richmond.
19. Exit Ticket--As I See It (Henderson County, 2013) (in place of 2-minute journal entry): As I see it, people move to different
countries, regions, and/or cities because...
20. Color-code Tree Chart: in pairs, students will discuss what they learned the day prior and use two different colored highlighters,
one for the move from Jamestown and one for the move from Williamsburg, to color the branches on their tree charts according
to the reasons for moving each capital.
21. Graphic Organizer (teacher generated) whole group exercise: Students will list the pros and cons of each of the three capitals of
Virginia--Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Richmond.
22. Ticktacktoe (Houghton, et al., n.d.): Students will create a "ticktacktoe" board using three facts for each of the three capitals;
boards will be collected and randomly redistributed and students given playing chips labeled with "J," "W," and "R"; teacher will
call out either "Jamestown," "Williamsburg," or "Richmond," and students will cover the given fact with the chip that coincides
with the fact. Game may be played several times with different goals: 3 vertical in a row, 3 diagonal in a row, entire board, etc.
23. Map of Virginia: Students will color-code the regions on a Virginia map (teacher generated) and then fill in the appropriate labels
with a) the different people groups who lived in each region and a reason why they chose that region, and b) the three capitals of
Virginia and the reasons for relocation.
24. Introduction to topic--Barter, cash, and credit: Video, "The Story of Money" (Kellaway, 2012); students will watch video and fill
in notes on a provided graphic organizer (teacher generated).
25. Lesson: Barter, cash, and credit PPT (teacher generated)

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 5

Design Topic VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley
26. Barter, cash, and credit activity (Gallagher & Hopkins, 2010), modified: Students will participate in small group guided practice
buying and selling goods using barter, cash, and credit.
27. Activity (Gallagher & Hopkins, 2010), modified: Students will practice in pairs, without guidance, buying and selling goods with
barter, cash, and credit (Gallagher & Hopkins, 2007)
28. Exit Ticket--As I See It (Henderson County, 2013) (in place of 2-minute journal entry): As I see it, the best exchange system for
buying and selling goods is________because...
29. Introduce topic--Everyday life in colonial Virginia: Video, "Life as a Child in the 18th Century" (Colonial Williamsburg, 2011).
30. Jigsaw (Rutherford, 2008, p. 242): Students will be separated into groups of four and each group member given a topic --man's
role, woman's role, children's role, role of enslaved--from Colonial Life Lesson Plan (Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, n.d.).
Group members complete their assigned reading, disperse to meet with others who have the same reading to discuss and fill their
section of a Four Column Chart (Houghton et al., n.d.) then go back to their original groups to share their knowledge on their
topic and fill in the other topics on their charts.
31. Computer Lab--webquest (teacher generated): Students will work in pairs to complete a webquest about food, clothing, housing,
and social class in colonial Virginia, filling in a provided graphic organizer (teacher generated) as they work. Advanced students
will be paired with and read aloud to students who may have difficulty getting through the webquest in the allotted time due to
reading ability (those students will be expected to follow along with the reading).
32. Class Discussion: findings of web quest. Teacher will take notes on the board so that students can fill in any missed information.
33. Venn Diagram (Rutherford, 2008, p. 230; Houghton et al., n.d.): Students will draw from a hat two strips of paper that have
people of different social classes on them and then use a Venn diagram to show the similarities and differences between the two
people that they chose.
34. At the Market: Students will work in groups to create a short skit showing their understanding of how barter, cash, and credit
worked for different people in colonial Virginia (combination activity that incorporates two topics--exchange systems and
everyday life). Teacher will ensure that students are cooperating with one another and all are participating.
35. At the Market: Students refine and begin presenting skits to the class.
36. At the Market: Students finish presenting skits to the class.
37. Quiz #2: Relocation of the capital, exchange systems, and everyday life
38. Exit Ticket--As I See It (Henderson County, 2013) (in place of 2-minute journal entry): As I see it, people in colonial Virginia
played active roles in their community by...
39. Student Q&A: Students will pose questions that they still have about the unit or state what is still confusing to them. Other
students and/or teacher will provide responses.
40. Student Test Creation: Students will create a test with 10 fill-in-the-blank or T/F questions that span the unit. Each student will be
assigned a number to write on the upper right corner of the test instead of his or her name.
41. Brainstorm and Outline: Students will begin to work on their GRASPS (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, pp. 157-159) summative
assessment by brainstorming the ideas that they will use in their story and creating an outline to work from. Story Map
(Houghton et al., n.d.) for those who need it.
42. Partners Crossword Puzzle (teacher generated): Students will work in pairs on a crossword puzzle relating to agriculture,
agriculture's affect on slavery, and different cultures of colonial Virginia. Differentiated--clues more or less challenging
depending on skill level of student.
43. Work on GRASPS rough draft.
44. Dilemma sorting game (Barkley, Cross, & Major, 2005), modified: Students will work in pairs playing a sorting game related to
characteristics of the capitals of Virginia, exchange systems, and people's roles. Cards will be in a deck, face down, and students
will take turns drawing cards, reading aloud, and placing in the appropriate space on the game sheet.
45. Work on GRASPS rough draft.
46. Team Jeopardy (teacher generated on Promethean Board)--Students will be divided into 4 teams to play a game of Jeopardy that
has questions covering the entire unit.
47. Work on GRASPS final draft.
48. Take Peer Generated Tests: Tests that students created will be randomly distributed for peers to take and then given back to test
creator for grading.
49. Work on GRASPS final draft and present completed projects in a book showing if time permits.
50. Finish K-W-L Chart (Rutherford, 2008).

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 6

Design Topic VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley
Monday
1.
1. Introduce Unit: EQs, GRASPS
2. Begin K-W-L Chart
3. Introduce Topic--Importance of
agriculture & influence on
slavery: Read "Of Human
Bondage"
4. Think-Pair-Share & class
discussion: Which side of the
slavery issue would you be on?
5. 2 minute journal entry
6.
17. Introduction of topic--
Relocation of the capital:
Interactive PPT
18. Tree Chart on reasons for
moving the capital
19. Exit Ticket: As I see it, people
move to different countries,
regions, or cities because... (in
place of 2 minute journal
entry)
11.
31. Computer Lab: webquest and
graphic organizer on lifestyle
and social classes
*2 minute journal entry
16.
41. Brainstorm & outline
GRASPS assignment using a
Story Map if needed
42. Partners Crossword Puzzle on
agriculture, slavery, and
culture
*2 minute journal entry
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Stage 3 Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
Tuesday
2.
6. Video: "Tobacco Economy"
7. Writing prompt: how did the
success of tobacco encourage
slavery?
*2 minute journal entry
7.
20. Color-code tree chart
21. Graphic organizer-Pros and
cons of 3 capital locations
22. Ticktacktoe using capital facts
*2 minute journal entry
12.
32. Class Discussion: Findings
from webquest
33. Venn Diagram--compare two
people of different social class
34. At the Market: student groups
create skits on exchange
systems
*2 minute journal entry
17.
43. Work on GRASPS rough draft
44. Dilemma sorting game on
capitals, exchange systems,
and lifestyles
*2 minute journal entry
Wednesday
3.
8. Video: "Tobacco Plantations
and African Slaves"
9. Class Brainstorm-What could
farmers have done besides use
slaves?
10. A Better Way flyer creation
11. Homework: student interview
of family members
*2 minute journal entry
8.
23. Map of Virginia-regions,
people groups, capitals
24. Introduction to topic--
Barter/cash/credit: Video,
"The Story of Money"
25. Barter/cash/credit PPT
26. Barter/cash/credit guided
practice activity
*2 minute journal entry
13.
35. At the Market: Students refine
and begin presenting skits.
*2 minute journal entry
18.
45. Work on GRASPS rough draft
46. Team Jeopardy on all topics of
unit
*2 minute journal entry
Thursday
4.
12. Small group discussion on
origins of students' families
13. Whole class discussion on
origins of student's families
14. Introduce topic - Reflection of
culture: Interactive
Promethean Board lesson &
Virginia Trekkers
*2 minute journal entry
9.
27. Barter/Cash/Credit
independent practice activity
28. Exit ticket: As I see it, the best
exchange system for buying
and selling goods is________
because... (in place of 2
minute journal entry)
14.
36. Students finish presenting skits
37. Quiz #2
38. Exit Ticket: As I see it, people
in colonial Virginia played
active roles in their
communities by... (in place of
2 minute journal entry)
19.
47. Work on GRASPS final draft
48. Take peer generated tests;
students correct test they
created
*2 minute journal entry
Friday
5.
15. Who Do These Items Belong
To? Center Activity/ Writing
Prompt
16. Quiz #1-Importance of
agriculture, influence on
slavery, people groups (culture)
*2 minute journal entry
10.
29. Introduce topic--Everyday life:
Video, "Life as a Child in the
18th Century"
30. Jigsaw (Expert Groups) on
roles of different people in
colonial Virginia
*2 minute journal entry
15.
39. Student question and answer
session
40. Student test creation
*2 minute journal entry
20.
49. Finish GRASPS final draft and
present if time permits
50. Finish K-W-L Chart
7
Design Topic VS.4 Life in the Virginia Colony Subject(s) Virginia Studies Grade(s) _4_ Designer(s) __Kelly Smalley

"A DAY IN THE LIFE" G.R.A.S.P.S. PROJECT RUBRIC STUDENT NAME:________________________________

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: Students will play the role of a children's book author who has been tasked by the director of a Virginia historical
site with writing a book for the gift shop that depicts everyday life in colonial Virginia through the eyes of someone who lived there.
Criteria
Quality & Content (40%)
My handwriting is neat and
readable, my illustrations are
colorful, my story has a lot of
details and descriptions, all of
the historical facts are
accurate.
Following Instructions
(40%)
I followed all instructions for
the assignment.
Grammar & Punctuation
(20%)
I have checked my work and
have corrected any mistakes
in grammar and punctuation.
Teacher Comments:
Pts. 3--I did my best work!
_/3 My handwriting is neat and
readable.
My illustrations are colorful
and are placed in proper spots
in the story.
My story is written with a great My story is written with some
amount of detail and
description.
All historical facts are accurate.
_/3 I followed all instructions for
designing the cover and placing
the correct number of pages
and illustrations inside of my
book, and my final product
looks like the example.
I stated my character's social
class early in the story, and I
told the story in first person.
I discussed all required topics.
_/3 My final product has correct
grammar and punctuation
throughout with very few, if
any, errors.
2 --I did a little less than my
best.
My handwriting is mostly neat My handwriting is messy and
and readable.
My illustrations are not very My illustrations are not
colorful, but are placed in
proper spots in the story.
detail and description.
Almost all historical facts are
accurate.
I followed most of the
instructions for designing the
cover and placing the correct
number of pages and
illustrations inside of my book,
but my final product still looks
similar to the example.
I stated my character's social
class late in the story, and I
told the story mostly in first
person.
I did not discuss one or two of
the required topics.
My final product has mostly
correct grammar and
punctuation with some minor
errors that do not make it
difficult to read.
1--I did not do my best work.
unreadable.
colorful at all and are not
placed in proper spots in the
story.
My story is written with very
little detail and description.
Several of the historical facts
are inaccurate.
I followed very few of the
instructions for designing the
cover and placing the correct
number of pages and
illustrations inside of my book,
and my final product does not
look like the example.
I did not state my character's
social class, and I did not tell
the story in first person.
I did not discuss three or more
of the required topics.
My final product has several
grammar and/or punctuation
errors that make it difficult to
read.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 8