Overview of this Project
Students will actively
engage themselves in the Project Based Learning study of the Colonial period
of American history. In collaborative groups, the students will do
research of their character's particular social group (gentry, middling
class, working poor and enslaved Africans). From that shared group
research, they will then refine further research to their particular character.
They can collaborate further by contacting Colonial Williamsburg reenactors
and email students at a Williamsburg area school through ePals.
Purpose of This Unit
Enduring Understanding: A person's
location in a given social order influences the person's perspective, both
in the past and in today's world.
Essential
Questions
What were some
historical perspectives of the various groups in the 1770's on the issue
of Independence and how does that relate to life in our nation today?
What are the
most important elements of researching primary documents/resources?
Who were the
colonial characters whose narratives were studied?
How does the
historical period effect the experiences related in the narratives?
What are primary
sources and documents?
How are primary
documents useful in studying the past?
In what ways
can historical fact be presented?
How can historical
primary sources be used to develop historical fiction?
What can we
learn from the past that can be useful?
What were the conditions of various
social groups in 1770's Virginia that led to the change from a loyal British
colony to a leading proponent of Independence?
What was life like for people of
the various social groups in that time and place?
Learning Objectives of This Unit
This project will have the following outcomes:
1. Students will understand the daily life of members
of the various social classes which existed in the Williamsburg, Virginia
area in the early to mid-1770's, leading up to the American Revolution.
2. Students will meet Specific
Objectives (from California State History/Social Science
Standards and ISTE) :
California State History/Social ScienceOBJECTIVE
:
The students will understand the political, religious,
social, and economic institutions that evolved in the colonial era.
1. The students will Understand how the British
colonial period created the basis for the development of political self-government
and a free-market economic system (California Social Studies Standards
5.4.5)
2.The students will understand the influence of
location and physical setting on the founding of the original 13
colonies (California Social Studies Standards 5.4.1)
3. The students will describe the introduction
of slavery into America, the responses of slave families to their condition,
the ongoing struggle between proponents and opponents of slavery, and the
gradual institutionalization of slavery in the South.(California Social
Studies Standards 5.4.6)
4. The students will explain the early democratic
ideas and practices that emerged during the colonial period, including
the significance of representative assemblies and town meetings. (California
Social Studies Standards 5.4.7)
LANGUAGE ARTS OBJECTIVES:
1. The students will Create multiple paragraph
expository compositions:
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits
the students'
awareness of the audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions,
supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through the stages
of the
writing process as needed.
Organization and Focus
1.1 Create multiple-paragraph narrative compositions:
a. Establish and develop a situation or plot.
b. Describe the setting.
c. Present an ending.
1.2 Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions:
a. Establish a topic, important ideas, or events in sequence or chronological
order.
b. Provide details and transitional expressions that link one paragraph
to another in a
clear line of thought.
c. Offer a concluding paragraph that summarizes important ideas and details.
Research and Technology
1.3 Use organizational features of printed text (e.g., citations, end notes,
bibliographic
references) to locate relevant information.
1.4 Create simple documents by using electronic media and employing organizational
features (e.g., passwords, entry and pull-down menus, word searches, the
thesaurus,
spell checks).
1.5 Use a thesaurus to identify alternative word choices and meanings.
Evaluation and Revision
1.6 Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing
by
adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and
sentences.
Technology
ISTE National Technology Standards
1.Basic operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding
of the nature and operation of technology systems.
2. Students are proficient in the
use of technology.
3. Technology productivity tools
Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity,
and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing
technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other
creative works |