Ashley Allen

DIFF 598
Lesson 1

Unit essential questions: How has the structure of government change over time?
Lesson question: What is the structure of the Proprietary Colonies, Royal Colonies, and Charter
Colonies?
Lesson objective: -The students will be able to correctly identify the three types of colonies.
-The students will be able to correctly explain the structure of each of the
three types of colonies.
Assessment:
The students will complete journal entries in which they take on the perspective of an American
colonist. Within the journals the students will discuss their voting responsibilities on Election
Day.
NYS or other appropriate standard(s) addressed: NYS Social Studies Standards, Standard 5:
Civics, Citizenship, and Government-Use

a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their

understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the
U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional
democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of
participation.

Opening:
The teacher will begin with a discussion about current election process in the United States. She
will pose the question: In the United States, who currently elects the President, Governor,
Congress and local government members (correct response: we, the citizens do.). The teacher
will then ask the student whether or not they think citizens have always had the power to elect
government officials.
Procedure:
1. Begin with a short discussion about what was read during the previous class period
2. The students and teacher will read pages 108-11 of Chapter 4, Section 2 as a group.
Throughout the reading the teacher will pose a variety of questions that require multiple levels
of thinking; why werent people happy with King? (Knowledge level), what was significant
about the Glorious Revolution? (Comprehension Level), under mercantilism who controlled
trade and who supplied raw materials? (Comprehension Level), why do you think colonists
would have an issue with the Navigation Acts? (Analysis Level), did all three colonists have at
least some power to elect officials? (Analysis Level).

Ashley Allen
DIFF 598
Lesson 1

3. The teacher and the students will review the 3 types of colonies discussed in the section
(Charter Colonies, Proprietary Colonies, and Royal Colonies). The teacher will ask the students
to name each of the colonies. As they do this, the teacher will record the colony types in a
graphic organizer on the whiteboard. The teacher will also ask the students a few questions
about each type of colony (who elects the governor?, who elects the members of the
legislature (the upper house? the lower house?).
4. The teacher will explain to the students that today they will be taking on the role of an
American colonists. Each of them will receive a scenario that states what type of colony they
live in and a few questions about the structure of the colony. The students will need to write a
journal entry answering these questions.
5. The teacher will hand out the writing prompts and the students will begin. The students will
be able to refer back to the text to assist them in completing the assignment.
Tiered by Challenge___:
Tier 1: Comprehension Level: Students completing a tier 1 assignment will be asked to explain
the structure of government of each of the colony types. The students will receive the following
writing prompts.
Prompt 1: You are a colonist living in Connecticut. It is Election Day! What type of
colony do you live in? What did you have to do today? What government figures did you have
the responsibility of electing? Who was responsible for electing the other government figures?
Prompt 2: You are a colonist living in Delaware. It is Election Day! What type of colony
do you live in? What did you have to do today? What government figures did you have the
responsibility of electing? Who was responsible for electing the other government figures?
Prompt 3: You are a colonist living in Georgia. It is Election Day! What type of colony do
you live in? What did you have to do today? What government figures did you have the
responsibility of electing? Who was responsible for electing the other government figures?
Tier 2: Analysis Level: Students completing a tier 2 assignment will be asked to compare and
contrast the structure of different types of colonies. The students will receive the following
writing prompt.
Prompt 1: It is Election Day! You are a colonist living in Georgia. What voting responsibilities
do you have today? (What government figures were you able to elect?) How are your voting
responsibilities similar and different to the voting responsibilities of colonists in the Charter and
Proprietary Colonies?
Tier 3: Evaluation/ Synthesis Level: Students completing a tier 3 assignment will be asked to
judge the structure of the colony they live in. If they are unsatisfied with the structure of the

Ashley Allen
DIFF 598
Lesson 1

government they live in they will be asked to design a new structure of government. The
students will receive the following writing prompt.
Prompt 1: It is Election Day! You are a colonist living in Georgia. What government figures are
you able to elect? Are you happy with this structure of government or do you wish you had
more power over the election process (Do you wish you were able to elect more government
figures)? Why or why not? If you are unsatisfied with the government, how can you change it?
Come up with a short design for a new and improved government.

Closure: The teacher will direct the students to put their materials away. The teacher will
review the content of the days lesson. She will ask What were the three types of colonies?
Did each of those types have the same rules as to who got to vote for the different
government figures? Did the colonists in some colonies have the power to elect a larger
number of the government figures than colonists in other colonies?
Materials:
I pads (for online textbook: The American Journey)
Writing Prompts
Journals
Whiteboard Markers