Curated OER
American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins
Students research how early colonists lived. They investigate late 17th century colonist's lives from Massachusetts and Delaware. Using their research, students write historical fiction in the form of friendly letters between the two...
EngageNY
Building Background Knowledge: Colonial Craftspeople
In the first lesson plan of this unit on colonial trade, fourth graders gain background knowledge of different jobs performed by early colonists. The class begins with a slide show presentation that includes a variety of great...
Curated OER
Colonial Rules
How did Colonists react to British rule prior to the American Revolution? Give your high schoolers a taste of oppression with this role-play activity, then let them come up with a revolution of their own. This excercise is intended to...
Curated OER
Colonial Identity
Young scholars research and discuss the origins of the American colonies and explore how colonists were still influenced by English culture. As a follow-up project, students produce a portrait of an individual.
Curated OER
Early American Woodworking
Students compare and contrast tools used in colonial America to modern ones. They create a bootjack, coat rack, or candleholder based on actually using the tools. The students also compose a description of a colonial woodworker based...
Curated OER
Legacy of Colonialism
Pupils explore the extent of colonialism from the early periods in the 1500's to the later years in the mid 1900's. They explain how colonization differed in regions around the world and examine the lasting effects on the colonized...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Differences Among Colonial Regions
Classes look at and analyze primary source images to explore the differences between the colonial regions during the Revolutionary era. They break into groups to tackle each region and then present their findings to the class. A final...
Curated OER
Early Agricultural Knowledge Crossword Puzzle
In this agricultural history worksheet, students use the 25 provided clues to complete the crossword puzzle about early agricultural practices in colonial America.
Elizabeth Murray Project
The Education of Women in Colonial America
What educational opportunities were available to women during the colonial era in American history? How did the opportunities available to women differ from those for men? To answer this question, class members examine a series of...
Curated OER
America’s Early Colonies: John Smith and Jamestown, Va
John Smith's 1616 letter to Queen Anne of England offers ELLs an opportunity to learn about a bit of early American history. The four-page packet includes the full text of the letter. In addition, the packet includes a worksheet...
Curated OER
Colonial History: Fearless and faaithful
Students discuss reasons why early europeans immigrated to North America. Working in groups, they complete Internet activities on the PBS Website. They take a simulated voyage to the new world and rercord their actions on worksheets. ...
Curated OER
Colonial America Introduction
Students watch a teacher presented Readers Theater about Colonial America to introduce the students to the topic. In this Colonial America lesson, 4th graders recreate a timeline of early American history, using...
Curated OER
American Colonists Protest Song
Middle schoolers explore the role of protest songs. In this early American history lesson plan, students research the acts passed by the British that angered colonists. Middle schoolers then listen to protest songs from contemporary...
Curated OER
Colonial America: Causes of the American Revolution
Fourth graders analyze colonial rule and policies with regard to the causes of the American Revolution. In this Colonial America simulation instructional activity, 4th graders role play in an Independence Game, reacting to a variety of...
Curated OER
Colonial Writing Project
Fourth graders write from the perspective of a child in the colonial period. In this writing lesson, 4th graders create a fictional character living in the colonial period and write about daily life from their perspective.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Early English Settlements History Detectives
Young historians play the role of history detectives as they investigate some primary source texts and images related to the early colonization of America, The Jamestown Settlement, and the Mayflower Compact.
Curated OER
Interpreting Foundation Documents of the American Republic
Explore early American documents that qualify as primary sources. Tenth and eleventh graders use the provided worksheets to analyze the texts of the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation,...
Curated OER
Early America: Jeopardy Game
Fifth graders can put their knowledge of early American life, the 13 colonies, and maps to the test when they play this Jeopardy game. The game covers terminology, famous people, and geography related to Colonial American times. Note:...
Curated OER
Spanish Influence on United States Currency: The Origins of the "Dollar"
Sixth graders research the Spanish influence on early colonial America and the process of establishing the present U.S. currency. They read and discuss an informational handout in small groups, and take a short quiz. Students then...
Curated OER
Jamestown's Economy
Students identify items made in Jamestown and draw conclusions about their economy. In this Jamestown economy activity, students use the internet to complete a worksheet which required them to look at photographs of goods made in and...
Curated OER
A Royal Charter From the King
Fifth graders explore the many decisions that early colonist had to make when coming to North America. In this royal charter lesson plan, 5th graders work in teams to create a proposal for the King of England to establish a new colony in...
Curated OER
Modern Interpretations
To conclude an eight-lesson study of the events that occurred in the early colonial period in Deerfield, Massachussetss, class members evaluate the point of view and bias found in late 19th and early 20th century retellings.
Curated OER
What They Left Behind: Early Multi-National Influences in the United States
Students research the impact of European voyages of discovery and colonial influence on different aspects of American culture. They access a number of online sources and reference maps to trace the influences of England, France, Holland,...
Curated OER
"Pray, Why Speakest Thou Thusly?"
Examine popular language and slang and how they have changed over the course of American history. Conduct Internet research, use an online interactive Colonial House website to translate 17th century language into 21st century language,...