Life in the Spanish Missions of Florida By Deanna Jaroszeski, Frostproof Middle/Senior High School

Transcription

1 Life in the Spanish Missions of Florida By Deanna Jaroszeski, Frostproof Middle/Senior High School I. Lesson Summary Summary The Florida Mission System flourished under the leadership of the Franciscans who dedicated themselves to the Christianization of Florida s native Indian population. The natives were schooled in the ways of the Lord through the instruction of the Catholic Church. They were also schooled in the arts of European farming, cattle-raising, carpentry, weaving, reading and writing. The missionaries lived under very difficult conditions they were not accustomed to. Living in the wilderness meant constant hunger, tribal warfare, long and exhausting overland treks, sweltering days, and mosquito-filled nights. The students will search for information on the Internet and read various clips from books and magazines to create a fact wheel to use as a study guide. They will research and present their findings on the missions they study to the class in the form of a poster or a quick five-minute skit. Each group will present a map of Florida and art representing the natives of that time period. Objectives 1.) Students will discuss the daily lives of the natives living in the mission system of Florida 2.) Students will examine the dedication of the Franciscans to the native people 3.) Students will explore the mission system to determine if natives were exploited for labor by the Spanish and English or honestly doing the work of God. 4.) Given a map of 17&18 th century Florida, students will label the locations of several missions 5.) Present to the class their group findings of Florida s mission system U.S. History Event or Florida History The study of Missions in the southeastern U.S. or as part of a unit on Florida history Grade Level Middle or high school Materials Needed Internet access, construction paper or poster boards, copies of maps, transparencies of maps and pictures, teacher-created reference packets (various data gathered from books, internet and magazines). Lesson Time Three to five class periods depending on the student's academic level - one for media center, one or two to do book/article research and decide on a presentation category and brainstorm, one or two complete the group product and present it to the class.

2 II Lesson Procedures 1.) Pass out the list of internet resources to the students. Tell them they must visit these sites first then they may do a search to find additional information.(media center) 2.) Pass out the data collection sheet for the students to fill in so they may access their Info more easily. (media center) 3.) In classroom pass out the teacher made packets of data gathered from various sources. (class set) 4.) Assign students to brainstorm presentation ideas -- poster verses skit 5.) Allow the students time to create their fact wheels 6.) Explain how to make a fact wheel. Then use the fact wheels to create a class presentation. III Activities 1.) Day 1 Trip to media center to use computers. They must visit sites given by the teacher first and then they may visit others found through a mission system search. They will use the data collection sheet to take notes. 2.)Day 2 (and 3)-- Each group will be given various articles and excerpts from cited books to develop an understanding of the mission system. Each student will create a fact wheel to chart their findings and begin their poster design or skit writing. Students will be given a map of Spanish Florida and will be asked to locate several missions selected by the teacher. The teacher should guide them to discover why the missions were located in certain places and what purpose they served.

3 3.)Day 3 (or 4and 5)-- Compile data on a chart/poster and develop a presentation, then present it to the class.

4 Mission Life Fact Wheel Materials 1.) 2 paper plates per student 2.) brass fastners 3.) color pencils, crayons or markers 4.) transparency of the categories required for wheel Directions 1.) Divide one paper plate into 8 equal sections, the other plate you will cut a 1/8th wedge out of it. Place the cut plate on top of the sectioned plate and place a fastener in the center to attach them 2.) In each section of the bottom plate you will put information under the specified categories. a.) Mission and Missionaries b.) Teaching Christianity c.) Early years d.) Housing and meals e.) Crops and livestock f.) Work and workshops g.) Child's life h.) Festivals and celebrations 3.) Decorate the top plate to describe the daily life in a mission.

5 IV Assessment 1.) fact wheel 2.) poster or skit 3.) essay Resources Text: 1.) "Florida: a Short History" - Michael Gannon, University Press of Florida, 2003 ISBN ) " Atlas of Florida" -- University Press of Florida, 1992 ISBN ) " Florida Portrait" -- Jerrell Shofner, Pineapple Press Inc., 1990 ISBN ) "Historic Communities,Spanish Missions" Bobbie Kalman & Greg Nickles Crabtree Publishing Co.,1997 ISBN *Main resource for students 5.) " Laboring in the Fields of the Lord" Jerald T. Milanich, a curator of Archaeology at Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, article in Archaeology Magazine Date? 6.) " Reconstructing a Spanish mission: San Luis de Talimali" Bonnie G. McEwan and John H Hann, OAH Magazine of History, Summer 2000 Internet Resources: 1.) ( page 4) 2.)

6 3.) 4.) 5.) 6.) (page3)