Subject: Individuals & Societies Unit Title: Trimester: 2

Colonial
Year: 2 Grade: 7 Duration: 3 weeks
America

Inquiry

Key Concept Related Concept (s) Global Context

Development Resources Globalization &

Sustainability
Communities

Statement of Inquiry:
How do geographic factors and resources influence the sustainable
development of a community?

Inquiry Questions:

Factual Conceptual Debatable

What resources do What can resources To what extent do
people need? utilized tell us about a resources impact how
culture? cultures are different
Where should they look
from one another? How
to find them in a new
they are the same? How
place?
they trade? How they
interact?

Outline of Summative Assessment(s)

The project goal is to understand how geographical factors and resources

influenced the development of the American colonies by creating an
illustrated presentation. Students will work in collaborative groups to
research one of six possible locations for the Jamestown settlement and
create an illustrated presentation explaining why their site is the best choice.

How Summative Assessment(s) Relate to Statement of Inquiry

The students will better understand why the choices communities make
on where they settle affects their long-term sustainability by
recognizing the factors that led to successful colonies versus the ones
that were unsuccessful.
 Criteria Assessed Throughout Unit

IB Objectives CCLS/GLES Standards

IB Assessment Strands - Collaboration, Responsibility &

Accountability, Decision-
B. Investigating
making
i. The student
- Information & computer
formulates/chooses a
technologies literacy, creating
clear and focused
displays
research question and
- Formulating historical
explains its relevance
questions, obtaining data,
ii. Formulates and effectively
supporting interpretations
follows a consistent action
with evidence,
plan to investigate a
- Using appropriate
research question.
geographical tools and terms
iii. Uses methods to collect
to identify and describe
and record appropriate
significant places and regions
and varied relevant
in American history.
information
D. Thinking Critically
ii. Summarizes information to make
consistent, well-supported arguments

Learner Profile Traits ATL Skills

Knowledgeable
Thinker
Communicator
Reflective

Learning Process/Teaching Strategies

Step 1: Project Introduction

Tell students that for this assignment, they will serve as land surveyors
helping the first colonists decide where to locate the Jamestown settlement.
Explain that students will work in groups to research one of six possible sites
on the East Coast. They will then create an illustrated presentation for
colonial leaders explaining why their site is the best choice. Finally, students
will provide a bibliography documenting their research.

Activate Background Knowledge: Briefly review early colonization of

America. Encourage students to consider settlers’ needs and the geographical
characteristics they would have found advantageous or problematic. Discuss
what points students will need to address—climate, accessibility, natural
resources, and so on.

Briefly discuss possible settlement sites, such as the following:

- on Manhattan Island in what is now New York, NY
- near the Delaware River in what is now Philadelphia, PA
- near the Chesapeake Bay in what is now Baltimore, MD
- near the Chesapeake Bay in what is now Norfolk, VA
- on Roanoke Island in what is now Dare County, NC
- near the harbor at Charles Town in what is now Charleston, SC

Step 2: Plan the Presentation ATL Skills

1. Organize Groups
Organize students into groups of 3-5 members for the duration of the
project.
2. Discuss the Project Plan
- Read Worksheet 1 to each group and review the project steps.
- Read through Worksheet 2 with students. Point out that although
students will argue for the merits of their assigned site, it is also
important to be realistic and acknowledge potential drawbacks.
- Discuss sources students might use to conduct research, such as the
following websites related to:
a. Kids.gov (links to various resources about states)
b. NOAA: Earth Systems Research Laboratory: U.S. Climate Page
c. National Atlas.gov: Printable Maps
d. Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies: Colonial
America
e. National Park Service: Fort Raleigh National Historical Site: The
First English Colony
f. National Park Service: Colonial National Park: Historic Jamestown
g. If students will be using electronic presentation software, review it
as needed.
h. Review bibliographies and Worksheet 3 with students
3. Discuss the Presentation Assessment
Distribute Worksheet 4 and review the rubric with students. This project will
be graded based on the overall quality of the presentation, the thoroughness
of the research and proper use of sources, and the strength of students’
arguments. Each student will also be graded by personal contribution and
performance.

Step 3: Share Presentations ATL Skills

Students should have time to deliver their presentations and explain why the
site they chose is the best place to locate the Jamestown settlement.
Consider the following options for extending the activity:

- Include a brief question-and-answer session at the end of each

presentation, in which each group addresses questions (or possible
drawbacks) raised by other groups.
- After all presentations are completed, review the main points raised by
different groups. Have the class vote on which site would be the best
choice.
- Have students compare their sites to the actual site where Jamestown
was established.
- For geography skills reinforcement and presentation support, please
visit the Reference Library on the Student Center and Teacher Center.

Summary

Technology Skills Service Learning Resources

Opportunities
Use functions of web- Textbook- Discovering
based program to insert Student initiated our Past: A History of
text, graphics, images through class the United States
and multi-media styles discussion & list Primary and Secondary
Use menu tools to creation source documents -
proofread and edit text student copies
(spell check, thesaurus) Museum
Format text/paragraphs
to change spacing

Reflection Prior to Reflection During Reflection After

Teaching Teaching Teaching