Packing the Pilgrim's trunk: Personalizing history in the elementary classroom
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=400
A lesson plan for Grades K–1 English Language Arts and Social Studies
About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- K–1
- Subjects
- English language arts (listening comprehension, literature, reading, writing), social studies (United States history), thinking skills (information literacy), diverse learners (multiple intelligences)
- Provider
- IRA/NCTE
Legal
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This theme exploration helps students explore who the Pilgrims were, learn about their journey aboard the Mayflower, and discover how they adapted and built new lives at Plymouth Colony. After participating in an activity that activates prior knowledge about Pilgrims, the teacher reads one of several books about the voyage on the Mayflower and the group’s first year in America. Students connect with the literature by discussing their own stories of moving and by writing in their journals. Then, the class is challenged to bring in items they would most likely take if they were going on a long voyage. After engaging students in an activity to decide what would be necessary to take on the trip, students narrow the list of items they initially thought would be important for the journey. Once the teacher has read another book about the Pilgrims, they sort items into two bins, one for the earlier time period and one for modern day. Over the next few class sessions, while the teacher reads more stories about Pilgrims and the Mayflower, students continue to think about the items they would take if they were moving and why they would take them. As students learn more about the lives and roles of Pilgrim children, they begin to plan a harvest festival of Thanksgiving. Using recipes for foods the Pilgrims would have had at their Thanksgiving festival, students work together to create a meal and then share the things for which they are thankful. Following the activity, students are engaged in a critical thinking activity to determine the benefits and detriments of being a Pilgrim child. Readwritethink provides recipes, sample assignments, letters that explain the project to families, and lists for books that can be used for the lesson. This lesson plan also suggests extension activities and provides web resources for further investigation.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 1
- Goal 1: The learner will analyze how individuals, families, and groups are similar and different.
- Objective 1.03: Compare and contrast similarities and differences among individuals and families.
- Objective 1.04: Explore the benefits of diversity in the United States.
- Goal 4: The learner will explain different celebrated holidays and special days in communities.
- Objective 4.03: Recognize and describe the historical events associated with national holidays.
Kindergarten
- Goal 1: The learner will investigate how individuals, families, and groups are similar and different.
- Objective 1.04: Recognize that families and groups have similarities and differences.
- Goal 4: The learner will explain celebrated holidays and special days in communities.
- Objective 4.01: Explore how families express their cultures through celebrations, rituals, and traditions.
- Objective 4.02: Identify religious and secular symbols associated with famous people, holidays, and specials days of diverse cultures.
- Objective 4.03: State reasons for observing special, religious, and secular holidays of diverse cultures.
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 1
- Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.03: Read and comprehend both fiction and nonfiction text appropriate for grade one using:
- prior knowledge.
- summary.
- questions.
- graphic organizers.
- Objective 2.04: Use preparation strategies to anticipate vocabulary of a text and to connect prior knowledge and experiences to a new text.
- Objective 2.07: Respond and elaborate in answering what, when, where, and how questions.
- Objective 2.03: Read and comprehend both fiction and nonfiction text appropriate for grade one using:
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.01: Elaborate on how information and events connect to life experiences.
- Objective 3.04: Share personal experiences and responses to experiences with text:
- publishing non-print texts.
- discussing interpretations.
- recording personal responses.
Kindergarten
- Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.03: Use preparation strategies to activate prior knowledge and experience before and during the reading of a text.
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.02: Discuss concepts and information in a text to clarify and extend knowledge.
- Objective 3.04: Use speaking and listening skills and media to connect experiences and text
- listening to and re-visiting stories
- discussing, illustrating, and dramatizing stories
- discovering relationships.
