Colonial America | 13 Colonies | 17 Days of Lesson Plans and Assessment

The 13 (Thirteen) Colonies - 14 days of lessons, full unit word wall, and 3 possible assessments to engage your students and develop their critical thinking skills + review and an assessment!

Each one of these lessons targets CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS while also engaging students with fun, creative, and historically authentic activities. This unit is meant for busy teachers who know they want to teach history through engagement, authenticity and true history - but who don't have the time to create all of their own lessons! My goal with all of my lessons is to instill critical thinking skills, while also encouraging students to develop their love of history. 

Included in this Resource:

Week 1 - The First English Colonies - Plymouth and Jamestown

• Jamestown - article about settlement of the Jamestown colony with text-based comprehension questions
• Jamestown Inquiry - activity where students will examine evidence discussing the deaths at Jamestown - they will then weigh and compare evidence
• Race-Based Slavery - article discussing the development of race-based slavery and text-based comprehension questions
• Analysis of Laws relating to slavery - analysis of laws relating to slavery - students will analyze how they helped or harmed specific groups
• Plymouth - article with text-based comprehension questions discussing the development of the Plymouth colony

Week 2 - The 13 Colonies

• The English and the Wampanoag - analysis of why the relationship between the English and the Wampanoag broke down before King Philip's War
• Journey through the 13 Colonies - activity where students create a historical character and follow their travels through the colonies
• Journey - New England - students "travel" through the colony of New England and learn about NE's religion and their social and economic characteristics (Puritans, Salem Witch Trials, the Massachusetts Bay Colony)
• Journey - the Middle Colonies - students "travel" through the middle colonies and learn about their religions and their social and their economic characteristics (Quakers, the Dutch, fur trading)
• Journey - the Southern Colonies - students "travel" through the southern colonies and learn about their religions and their social and their economic characteristics (Bacon's Rebellion, the House of Burgesses, slavery, tobacco)

Week 3 - Colonial Trade

• The Atlantic Slave Trade - stations activity discussing the products exchanged on the Triangular Trade, statistics of the trade, the experience of Africans who were kidnapped and sold into the slave trade, and the impact on the African continent.
• The Atlantic Slave Trade - finish stations activity and practice the historical thinking skill of historical context by examining primary sources
• Mercantilism - slideshow discussing the concept of Mercantilism, the Navigation Acts and the triangular trade
• Mercantilism Simulation - students to experience trade during the age of mercantilism - students get to move around the room, trade goods, maximize their profits, and potentially smuggle

Week 4 - Review and Assessment

• Option 1 - review handout with direct ties to lessons and two versions of a skill-based assessment included
• Option 2 - One-pager assessment discussing the world of the 13 Colonies

Also Included:

• A pacing guide that lays out the unit day-by-day
• Detailed lesson plans for the implementation of each activity
• Answer keys for each lesson
• A 40 term Word Wall for all of the major terms relating to the Unit
• Printable handouts and Google Slides versions linked in the lesson plans
• The ability to edit all lessons!

What teachers are saying about this unit:

"Overall, this unit by Peacefield History is a GAMECHANGER! This is how history should be taught. Not only did my students absolutely enjoy it, I enjoyed teaching it too. It is a very skill-based unit, in which students are actively being true historians. My students absolutely loved their Journey through The 13 colonies. I highly recommend buying this unit, as it has not only made my life easier but it actually serves the purpose of challenging your students and giving them an engaging education that they can enjoy." - Felix J.

"This unit was jam-packed with awesome content. The activities were highly engaging. It was money well spent." - Rachel M.

"I love this unit which covers the majority of the high points I wanted to get through in class while keeping activities varied and interesting. Also, the use of critical thinking skills and writing practice is great to challenge my students!" - Michele G.

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