Lesson Plan
On the Mayflower: Exploring History at the Primary Level by ECSDM
Subject
English Language Arts (NYS P-12 Common Core)
Grade Levels
Elementary, 1st Grade
Description
Students will explore events and ideas surrounding the Mayflower, Pilgrims, Native Americans and the history behind Thanksgiving. Upon reading On the Mayflower, students will complete small group activities to further comprehend the topic.
Duration
This lesson will take approximately three days.
- 55-minutes on Day 1
- 45-minutes on Day 2
- 60-minutes on Day 3
Materials
- On the Mayflower by Kate Waters
- Computer with Internet capabilities and SMART Board set-up
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Chalkboard with chalk
- Lined paper
- Crayons
- Construction paper
- Popsicle sticks
- Cardboard pieces
- Glue
Scope and Sequence Connections
Social Studies: Quarter 2
- Families lived in other places and at different times
- Folktales, biographies, oral histories, and legends relate family histories
- People exchange elements of their cultures
Learning Objectives
- Students will state ideas learned through the reading of On the Mayflower by Kate Waters.
- Students will listen to the history behind the Mayflower's voyage through the use of the website.
- Students will create a diary in the life of a pilgrim child coming over on the Mayflower.
- Students will build a house from the culture of a pilgrim or Native American.
Procedure
**Students should have prior knowledge with journal writing and diary entry format.
Day 1:
- Students will begin on the rug for whole class instruction.
- Teacher will start a KWL chart using the attached SMART Notebook file with the class to access their prior knowledge on the topics of Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and how they all interconnect.
- Teacher will read the story On the Mayflower by Kate Waters.
- Exploration:
- Teacher will direct conversation to develop a graphic web on the SMART Board. The graphic web should contain all of the ideas that the students have gathered from the text.
- Teacher will introduce the website to the students. Students will be given time to explore the website and listen to the history of the Mayflower voyage at http://teacher.scholastic.com/thanksgiving
*Website Instructions:
- Step 1- Address the images on the first screen. Assign a student to be the "clicker" to allow further interaction with the SMART Board and the website.
- The teacher might ask the students, "What has our class already discussed that you recognize in these photos?" and "What new questions do we have now that we have seen these photos?"
- Step 2- Begin with the Voyage on the Mayflower: As one clicks on the blue dots, create a list of feelings, reactions, new information, etc. on a SMART Notebook file (keep the slide minimized at the bottom of the screen to easily access throughout the lesson).
- Step 3- Tour the Ship- Have students come up and click on the different parts of the ship and identify where they are located and why they are important to the voyage.
Day 2:
- Continue Exploration of the website.
- You should use the SMART Board Notebook file that was started on Day 1.
- Create 6 graphic organizers to begin the Daily Life portion of the website. Venn Diagrams would be great to organize the information provided (house, food, school, clothes, chores, and games). Remember to keep the SMART Notebook file minimized for easy access throughout the lesson.
****In upper grades or in classrooms with multiple computers, this would be a good small group learning experience. Each group can explore this portion of the website on a computer. Students will be assigned one of the six areas: house, food, school, clothes, chores, games, and they will create a group Venn diagram or graphic organizer based on their group findings and research.
Day 3:
- Students will be given 30 minutes to complete each group assignment. Students will switch groups after the 30 minute time.
- Teacher will explain all activities to the students. Students may use the text or website to refer to during the activity time. The activities are as follows:
- Task #1: Students will be given lined paper (if desired paper can be arranged in book form or in a book/small journal) to complete a dairy entry for a week on the Mayflower during the voyage. Students should use information and knowledge attained through the lessons provided Day 1 and as reviewed on Day 2.
- Task #2: Students will use popsicle sticks and glue to create a wetus (Wampanoag house) or an English Cottage (Pilgrim house) on a piece of cardboard. Students should write a few sentences describing how they built their house and about their life as a Wampanoag or Pilgrim.
Closure:
Teacher will have students present ONE project to the whole class. Students will share what they did, tell the class one thing that they learned, and share what they liked best about the activity.
Teacher will complete the KWL chart that was started on Day 1 at the SMART Board with student input.
***Possible addition: View the Thanksgiving Feast portion of the website then celebrate in your classroom using the traditions and styles mentioned in the website's presentation.
Assessment
Teacher should use a rubric to assess the projects completed through this lesson. (See document link below for pre-made rubric.) Rubric may vary depending on personal expectations of students.
Sample Rubric:
- Building A Structure : Making a Home
- Teacher Name: Ms. Moniz
- Student Name: ________________________________________
SCORES 4 3 2 1
- Plan
- 4=Plan is neat with clear measurements and labeling for all
- 3=Plan is neat with clear measurements and labeling for most components.
- 2=Plan provides clear measurements and labeling for most components.
- 1=Plan does not show measurements clearly or is otherwise inadequately labeled.
- Construction -Materials
- 4=Appropriate materials were selected and creatively modified in ways that made them even better.
- 3=Appropriate materials were selected and there was an attempt at creative modification to make them even better.
- 2=Appropriate materials were selected.
- 1=Inappropriate materials were selected and contributed to a product that performed poorly.
- Construction - Care Taken
- 4=Great care taken in construction process so that the structure is neat, attractive and follows plans accurately.
- 3=Construction was careful and accurate for the most part, but 1-2 details could have been refined for a more attractive product.
- 2=Construction accurately followed the plans, but 3-4 details could have been refined for a more attractive product.
- 1=Construction appears careless or haphazard. Many details need refinement for a strong or attractive product.
- Journal/Log - Content
- 4=Journal provides a complete record of planning, construction, testing, modifications, reasons for modifications, and some reflection about the strategies used and the results.
- 3=Journal provides a complete record of planning, construction, testing, modifications, and reasons for modifications.
- 2=Journal provides quite a bit of detail about planning, construction, testing, modifications, and reasons for modifications.
- 1=Journal provides very little detail about several aspects of the planning, construction, and testing process.
- Journal/Log - Appearance
- 4=Several entries made and all are dated and neatly.
- 3=Several entries are made and most of the entries are dated and neatly entered.
- 2=Several entries are made and most of the entries are dated and legible.
- 1=Few entries are made AND/OR many entries are not dated or very difficult to read.
- Rubric for Mayflower.doc
- Rubric_for_Mayflower.rtf
Grade(s)
1
**Assignment can be modified to meet the needs of grades 3 & 4
Examples for modification would be:
