1 - Teaching American History - Social Sciences



Teacher Name: Robert Carmenate

Employee Number: 260794

School: Merrick Educational Center

1. Title: The ABCs of Colonial America – 8th Grade

2. Overview – Big Ideas:

Enduring Understandings

• Become familiar with the culture, morals and values of Colonial Americans

• Recognize the ways societies transmit their culture through education

• Consider what modern American culture and societal values might include, and what could or should be included in modern curriculums

Essential Questions

• How important was religion in Puritan New England?

• What other lessons did Puritan educators intend to convey to their pupils?

• Which behaviors and/or attitudes were Puritan children encouraged to adopt?

• Which behaviors were discouraged in Puritan society?

• What are modern American values and culture and how are they different? How are they the same?

3. Lesson Objectives

Standards

SS.8.A.1.3 Analyze current events relevant to American History topics through a variety of electronic and print media resources.

SS.8.A.1.7 View historic events through the eyes of those who were there as shown in their art, writings, music, and artifacts. 

SS.8.A.2.2  Compare the characteristics of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies.

4. Key Vocabulary:

New England, Puritanism, Calvinism, sin, salvation, culture, values

5. Evidence of Student Understanding (Assessment) in this Lesson:

What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this lesson?

After completing this lesson, students will have a better understanding of Colonial American culture. They will especially understand the particular preoccupation with sin, salvation and death in Puritan society. Additionally, they will acquire a better understanding and appreciation of modern American society and educational norms.

What will students be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skills?

Students will be able to describe key aspects of Colonial American society by analyzing a primary source document. Students will collaborate to create their own teaching instrument that will reflect an understanding of modern American culture.

6. Materials Needed:

Attachment A: A scanned copy of the “New England Primer”

Attachment B: Primary source analysis sheet

White Paper

Charcoal pencils (or black markers)

7. Steps to Deliver the Lesson:

a. Lesson Opening: Review the history of European migration to New England in the early seventeenth century. Briefly discuss the reasons why separatist Puritans left England for the New World. Ask students to recall how Puritans different from earlier English colonists in Virginia.

b. Read: Have students take turns reading the alphabetical entries found in Attachment A, “The New England Primer.”

c. Analyze: Using Attachment B, have students write down notations regarding each entry. These notations should reflect the students understanding of what particular moral lesson or societal value is being promoted or what facet of the culture is being reflected. Notations can also include questions or key words.

d. Discuss: Using Attachments A and B, discuss the implications of this primary source document on our understanding of Puritan society. Students will see repeating themes of sin, salvation, death, and morality appearing in the “New England Primer.” Explain the connection between these recurring themes and the Puritan’s own Calvinistic theology that discouraged nonconformity. Also remind students that classrooms would have been mixed, and these lessons were aimed at younger and older students alike.

e. Create: Distribute white paper and charcoal pencils or black markers. Assign each student a letter in the alphabet. Have each student create an entry in the style of the “New England Primer” (poem and woodcut-style drawing) that reflects modern American culture and values. Remind students that the nature and extent of religion in the classroom has changed, and this educational norm should be adhered to.

8. Specific Activities: (From Guided to Independent)

a. Some students will not recognize the historic or biblical context of many of the entries in Attachment A (“The New England Primer.”) Use this opportunity to provide background information that will further enrich their historical understanding.

b. During the creative portion of the assignment, students can work together in groups of two or three. This will help insure that all students will benefit from conceptual, verbal and artistic collaboration.

c. If students are having trouble coming up with ideas, model a poem and a design.

For example: “C” “A Credit card makes saving hard” (frugality)

“F” “Stay up in class FCAT you’ll pass” (education)

d. Have students share their completed entries with the entire class.

9. Differentiated Instruction Strategies:

a. Allow non-English speakers to create entries in their native languages. Have students try to guess the theme of the entry based on the illustration.

b. Advanced students can be further challenged by limiting the theme of the student-made entries to specific topics (economics, politics, education etc…)

10. Technology Integration

Students can use the internet to access various versions of the “New England Primer” that have been used throughout American early history (1690-1890).

11. Lesson Closure

After students have presented and compiled their entries, engage the students in discussion regarding the evolution of American culture. The following questions can serve as a starting point:

• What does “The New England Primer” say about Puritan culture?

• What does the class-made primer say about modern American culture?

• To what extent do schools help mold attitudes and behaviors?

• To what extent do schools reflect a societies culture and values?

Attachment A:

|In Adam's fall |[pic] |

|We sinned all. | |

|Thy life to mend, |[pic] |

|God's Book attend | |

|The Cat doth play, |[pic] |

|And after slay. | |

|A Dog will bite |[pic] |

|A thief at night. | |

|The Eagle's flight |[pic] |

|Is out of sight. | |

|The idle Fool |[pic] |

|Is whipped at school. | |

A B C D E F

|As runs the Glass. |[pic] |

|Man's life doth pass | |

|My book and Heart |[pic] |

|Shall never part. | |

|Job feels the rod, |[pic] |

|Yet blesses God. | |

|Proud Korah's troop |[pic] |

|Was swallowed up | |

|The Lion bold |[pic] |

|The Lamb doth hold. | |

|The Moon gives light |[pic] |

|In time of night. | |

G H I J K L M

|Nightingales sing |[pic] |

|In time of spring. | |

|The royal Oak, it was the tree |[pic] |

|That saved his royal majesty. | |

|Peter denies |[pic] |

|His Lord, and cries. | |

|Queen Esther comes in royal state, |[pic] |

|To save the Jews from dismal fate. | |

|Rachel doth mourn |[pic] |

|For her first born. | |

|Samuel anoints |[pic] |

|Whom God appoints | |

N O P Q R S

|Time cuts down all |[pic] |

|Both great and small | |

| | |

|Whales in the sea |[pic] |

|God's voice obey. | |

|Xerxes the Great did die, |[pic] |

|And so must you and I. | |

|Youth forward slips, |[pic] |

|Death soonest nips. | |

|Zaccheus, he |[pic] |

|Did climb the tree, | |

|His Lord to see | |

T V W X Y Z

Attachment B: Primary Source Analysis Sheet:

A. __________________________________________________

B. __________________________________________________

C. __________________________________________________

D. __________________________________________________

E. __________________________________________________

F. __________________________________________________

G. __________________________________________________

H. __________________________________________________

I. __________________________________________________

J. __________________________________________________

K. __________________________________________________

L. __________________________________________________

M. __________________________________________________

N. __________________________________________________

O. __________________________________________________

P. __________________________________________________

Q. __________________________________________________

R. __________________________________________________

S. __________________________________________________

T. __________________________________________________

V. __________________________________________________

W. _________________________________________________

X. __________________________________________________

Y. __________________________________________________

Z. __________________________________________________

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