Colonial Cultures Clash A Native & Colonist Compare Life In The New World Explore our Web Site At http://parks.sandi.net/pages/williamsburg/index.html For easy access links to: Quicktime Movies PDF files Downloadable Podcast Downloadable Reader s Theater Script By Diana Yemha and Colleen Crandall Rosa Parks Elementary School 4510 Landis Street, San Diego, CA 92105 619-282-6803
Colonial Cultures Clash A Native & Colonist Compare Life In The New World Grade Level: Elementary School 5 th Grade Big Idea: What happens when cultures meet? Background Information/Concepts: People lived in the New World long before the colonists arrived from European countries. American Indians living in North America had established their own successful economic system, as well as social, religious, and political systems that were in place centuries before any colonists arrived in the New World. When the European colonists arrived to settle in North America and establish themselves at residents, they brought their own European economic system, along with their social, religious, and political systems. The Native American and European cultures met and lived in close proximity with each other in relative cooperation at first. But, as time passed, more colonists arrived and more land was needed. As a result of their differences, a great deal of frustration arose between the two groups and the two cultures came into conflict. By listening to a Native American and a Colonist share their point of view with us, we can better understand how economic and social conflict may have risen between the two cultures over time. Time Required: 3 days with 40 minutes per day designated to read material in Social Studies text & internet resources to get an idea of what life was like during the colonial period for a native and a colonist in terms of trades and technology utilized by each of these groups of people. 4 days of 20 minutes each (minimum) to practice reading/memorizing a role the students will read for the Reader s Theater presentation of the script. An adequate amount of time will be needed to have each student on a computer with internet access to locate the web page and select the resource/s (Quicktime, pdf files, podcast, download the Reader s Theater script) to access information for students to enhance their knowledge about the colonial period. Time will vary based upon your class number of computers available to students and internet access to the web site. A shorter time would be required on computers if you do not have access to software programs to see all the resources available on the web site. The Reader s Theater is a culminating presentation to synthesize ideas about how social customs & technology influenced natives & colonists.
Lesson Plan Goals: The student will Participate in a Reader s Theater play as a character of a person from the colonial period Become familiar with some of the social and economic institutions that evolved in the colonial era between the 1600 s-1700 s from the point of view of a Native American Indian or a Colonist living in VA Understand how each character s philosophy and lifestyle could have promoted cooperation and/or conflict due to their similarities and differences Use the Social Studies text, computer technology utilizing a web page, and research on the internet about the colonial period. Instructional Format Objectives: Compare lifestyle and customs of Native American Indians and Colonists living during the Colonial time period from readings in Social Studies text, web site, & internet resources. Describe differences in colonial and native people s social culture and technology. Generate oral language for ELD students using role play format of reading aloud a text in a Reader s Theater performance. Students use Reader s Theater script to characterize/role play a person s perspective as a colonist or native living in the New World during the colonial period. Introduce the different trades and technologies that existed in colonial times showing differences between a native and colonist using web site and internet resources in research. Incorporate technology to enhance student performances through exposure to listening and viewing a Quicktime presentation on a web site. Standards: CA History/SS Standards 5.3 Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers. 5.4 Students understand the political, religious, social, and economic institutions that evolved in the colonial era. Language Arts Standards 1.1 Read aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression. VAPA Standards 5.2 Student demonstrates understanding of theater components by improvising, developing scripts, acting, directing, and designing environments for formal and informal presentations. Technology Standards Technology Communication Tools - Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
Materials Needed: A script can be either downloaded from the website or written by the students taking the point of view of a Native or Colonist. Computer/s with internet access/software to view the website. Internet access to research sites to find information on Native Americans living in Virginia, colonial trades, and technology used by either character during this time period in history to compare the point of view through each resident s eyes. Social Studies textbook, Making a New Nation, to lay a foundation for students on the ideas integrated into this role play/reader s Theater prior to the culmination presentation performance. Use Chapter 9 The Southern Colonies text pages 242-267, Chapter 3 Native People of North America p. 92-97 and Native American Games p. 78-79, Chapter 6 Early English Settlements in North America p.160-171. Strategies/Procedures: Students partner read Social Studies text/s to find information on the topic of economic and social life in the colonies from the native and colonist s perspectives on trade and technology during the colonial period. Students will access the web site and/or use other internet sites to do further research on the topic of what life was like during the colonial period for a colonist and a native focusing upon trades and technology from 1600-1700 s. Students will create and practice (memorize if possible) lines of a script they write themselves or a script available on the web site for a Reader s Theater unit culmination presentation. Each student does research to take a specific role from a Native or Colonist s point of view about economic and social life and creates a script of their own or utilizes the script provided on the web site. Students can form a team consisting of a Colonist and Native. Partner teams practice their parts and prepare for a whole class reading of all partner teams for presentation. For the Reader s Theater play presentation, students can come up with a costume and reinact their parts. The presentation can be shared with other grade level classrooms and/or parents at an exhibition/presentation. As an assessment, after the students present their Reader s Theater, they will complete an essay comparing the two cultures defending their position on a positive or negative influence each had on the other using information they discover from the Social Studies textbook/s, the website, and the internet research they read.
Additional Lessons to consider following the presentation: A Socratic seminar with students choosing a role of Native or Colonist and carrying on a discussion about the differences between the two cultures raising issues that created conflict between them over time. Draw a Native and Colonial community showing the differences and similarities between them. Students take their partner s role then talk about how it feels to walk in the other person s shoes. Use internet web sites to look at pictures that illustrate topics in the role play script to do further research on the lifestyle and culture of colonists and natives. Have students create a Power Point presentation about the person they are representing in the script to share with the class giving additional information about their character s lifestyle/culture. Videotape the Reader s theater presentation and make it available to share with other teachers/students. Create a Newsletter with each partner team using ideas they learned and/or write letters to the editor sharing their opinion about economic and social life from a native or colonist s point of view.