Abbey Prout

Essential Question: What influences did Colonial America have over America today?
Summary: This unit encourages students to think about Colonial America as if they were a part
of it. Students will be using art forms such as drama, music and visual arts to see this time period
from the perceptions of different people who were a part of it such as Native Americans, slaves,
wealthy land owners, and agricultural colonists. They will also be working on team work skills,
problem solving, debate, and analytical thinking skills.At the end of the unit all students will be
assessed by reflecting upon the activities and the new information they have received about both
the core subject and art subject by participating in this unit.
Art Mediums:
Visual Arts
Music
Drama
Core Subject: Social Studies
Specific Context:

Topic: Life in Colonial America

Grade level: 5th grade
School: Challenger Elementary
Neighborhood: Howell, Mi suburban/rural mixed neighborhood
Length: 1 week
When: Second half of the year

Guiding Questions:

What was life like for people during this time period?
What leadership roles do we need to create to have a successful colony?
What kind of rules/laws should we have in our colony?
What are the causes behind the differences between colonists and Native
Americans?
How can we find a way for the two groups to live peacefully together?
In what ways do the two groups need to adapt their lifestyles?
How can these two groups of people cooperate in a way that benefits both
groups?

Activity 1: Colonial Station Picture Walk Analysis

Essential Question:
What influences did colonial America have over America today?
Standards:
U2.3 Life in Colonial America

5 U2.3.2 Describe the daily life of people living in the New England, Middle,
and Southern colonies.
5 U2.3.3 Describe colonial life in America from the perspectives of at least
three different groups of people (e.g., wealthy landowners, farmers,
merchants, indentured servants, laborers and the poor, women, enslaved
people, free Africans, and American Indians).

Visual Arts

ART.VA.I.5.3 Incorporate the elements of art and principles of design to communicate

ideas.

Materials:

Writing Utensil
Sticky Notes
3-4 pictures for each station
Directions for each station
4 separate stations

Set Up:
Set up four separate stations around the room
At each station put the pictures relating to one colonial lifestyle (One will be agricultural,
two will be rich landowner, three slavery, four will be American Indians)
Put one set of directions at each station with the images
Leave sticky note pads at each station for the students to use

Guiding Questions:

What time period could these people/pictures be from?

What in this picture do you find to be different than something you would see today?
What emotions are being shown in these images?
What was life like for these people?

Picture Walk and Analysis

30 minutes

To begin this activity students will be lined up in the hallway until it is time to begin.
Number the students off 1-4, students will go to the station that is their assigned number.
1. After the students are in the assigned groups tell them to read the directions at their
station.
2. After students have read their directions and begin analyzing the pictures inform them
that they will write their observations on the sticky notes and place them by the picture it
applies to.
3. Give students about 5 minutes at each station, once the five minutes is over tell them to
finish up their thoughts and rotate to the next station. Continue this rotation until students
are back to the station where they began. As students are walking around use the guiding
questions to help the thinking process.
4. Once students have returned to the station they began at have them read the observations
others have made that they may have not noticed and discuss them with their group.
5. Bring the class back together as a whole; inform the students that these images are of
people who were all living very different lifestyles during colonial times. Ask the
students what they noticed at each of the stations about the lives these people lived.

Reflection

10 minutes

1. To wrap up the group discussion the students will be writing individual reflections
2. Each student will select the lifestyle they feel like they learned the most about through
this activity
3. In their class journal they will write down 3-5 things that they learned about that lifestyle
and 3-5 questions they may still have or want to learn about it in the future.

Station 1
Write down single words, feelings, and
moods portrayed in these images. Put the
stick note by the picture it applies to.

Station 2
On the sticky notes write down what
questions come to mind when looking at
these images and post them by the image.

Station 3
Who do you think these people are? Why
do they have the social status displayed?
Who would these people be in todays
society?

Station 4
Write down the
first thoughts that
come to your mind when looking at these
images. How are these images different than
if they were
taken today?

Activity 2: Songs about Life

Essential Question:
What influences did colonial America have over America today?

Standards:
U2.3 Life in Colonial America

5 U2.3.2 Describe the daily life of people living in the New England, Middle, and
Southern colonies.
5 U2.3.3 Describe colonial life in America from the perspectives of at least three
different groups of people.

Music

ART.M.II.5.2 Create through exploration, improvisation, and composition, answers in the

same style to given rhythmic and melodic phrases.
ART.T.I.5.1 Create and demonstrate vocal expression to support the playing of a
character.

Materials:
Computer with internet access
Colonial song links
Guiding Questions:

If you lived everyday as this person what would you sing about?
Would you have a slow steady rhythm? Or a fast paced rhythm?
How does the rhythm convey the mood of the song?
How are you going to express the characters emotions?
What kind of mood do you want your rhythm to convey?
Do you want to add words to your song?

Resources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=B4sqishGuYw&list=PLoPBEUe9Q8bISB9E6N396gruqQNluoRtY&index=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ewGQiN3SI&list=PLE3AEEB7289A06368

Activity 2: Songs about Life

40 minutes

1. Begin the lesson by asking students what they know about rhythm. Define rhythm as

movement or procedure with uniform or patterned recurrence of a beat, accent, or the like
to the class. Play the following videos for the students; ask them to make observations
about the rhythm and how it determines the feeling behind the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=B4sqishGuYw&list=PLoPBEUe9Q8bISB9E6N396gruqQNluoRtY&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ewGQiN3SI&list=PLE3AEEB7289A06368
2. As a class compare and contrast the two songs. Ask questions such as:
What did the rhythm change about the song?
What kind of feelings do you think were behind the two songs?
Did adding words to the song help to convey the message the rhythm is sending?
3. Break the students up into groups by which lifestyle they wrote about in their journal the
previous day
4. In these groups have the students come together to create their own rhythm that could tell
the story of their character.
5. Remind the students that the rhythmic pattern helps to set the mood of the entire song.
They can use objects around the classroom, sounds they make themselves, or body
percussion to make their song.
6. Give the students 15-20 minutes to find instruments if needed, and come up with a
rhythm.
7. After the time is up let the students know they can add words to their song if it will help
get across information about their character. Give students 5 minutes to add words to
their songs if needed extend the time.
8. Bring students back to whole class instruction; groups will take turns presenting their
rhythms/songs to the class.
9. After each group presents their song discuss what you noticed about the groups choices
that helped describe the character/lifestyle they are portraying. Ask: How did the rhythm
affect the overall message of the song?

Reflection

5 Minutes

Have students write on a sticky note something they learned about the lifestyle they
portrayed through music. Have the students add that sticky note to their first journal entry
and see if their perceptions of their character changed after working with their group. Have
students add to their first journal entry.

Activity 3: Town Hall Meeting

Essential Question:
What influences did colonial America have over America today?

Standards:
P4.2 Citizen Involvement

5 P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan and know how, when, and where to
address or inform others about a public issue.
5 P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others.

Drama

ART.T.I.5.1 Create and demonstrate vocal expression to support the playing of a

character.
ART.T.I.5.2 Improvise real and non-real characters.

Materials:
Glasses
Large table
Paper
Pencil
Guiding Questions:
What leadership roles do we need to create to have a successful colony?
What kind of rules/laws should we have in our colony?
What kind of dangers should we be aware of in our colony and how can we
go about avoiding/containing them?
What makes a good law?
Set-up:
Have the desks set up in the center of the room like a large conference table with
enough chairs for all of the students to sit.

Activity 3: Town Hall Meeting

40 minutes

1. Put on a pair of glasses to transform from the role of teacher to the leader of a colony
meeting.
2. Say: Welcome to the town hall meeting everyone, I am so excited to make some big
decisions today on how we are going to get our colony up and running! Thank you all for
coming! Please take a seat! (pointing towards the chairs at the conference table)

3. Say: Todays first order of business is deciding on what roles need to be created to lead
our colony and what kind of skills a person needs to fill those roles. Does anyone have
any suggestions?
4. As students respond write the different roles on the board and the skills or characteristics
under the role. After students have covered major roles such as mayor, police force, fire
department, teacher, doctor, and so on move on to the next topic of discussion.
5. Say: It looks like we have a great start on the roles we need to fill in our colony, now
another thing we need to be successful are laws that we all must agree to abide by. Lets
all put our heads together and create laws that will benefit our whole colony.
6. Break the class up into four groups based on who the students are sitting by. Have each
group develop a list of the laws that they think are most important. Give each group 8
minutes to come up with laws and reasons why they are important.
7. After the 8 minutes is up each group will go around the table and present the laws that
they created and why they are important.
8. After each group presents the class will vote on the laws that group created keeping two
laws to add to our colonys laws.
9. After each group has gone the colony will have a total of 8 laws they found were the most
important.
10. Write these laws up on a large piece of paper and have them posted in the room.

Reflection

5 minutes

After everyone signs the colony law contract have each student write on the white board two
things that they learned today makes for a successful colony. After everyone has written on
the white board take a picture of it as a whole so you can see everyones responses.

Activity 4: Debate/Peace Treaty Colonists and Natives

Essential Question:
What influences did colonial America have over America today?

Standards:
U2.3 Life in Colonial America
5 U2.3.3 Describe colonial life in America from the perspectives of at least three
different groups of people (e.g., wealthy landowners, farmers, merchants,

indentured servants, laborers and the poor, women, enslaved people, free
Africans, and American Indians).
P4.2 Citizen Involvement
5 P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan and know how, when, and
where to address or inform others about a public issue.
5 P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others.
Drama
ART.T.I.5.1 Create and demonstrate vocal expression to support the playing of a
character.
ART.T.I.5.2 Improvise real and non-real characters.

Materials:
Paper
Pencils
2 groups of students
Guiding Questions:
What are the causes behind the differences between colonists and Native

Americans?
How can we find a way for the two groups to live peacefully together?
In what ways do the two groups need to adapt their lifestyles?
How can these two groups of people cooperate in a way that benefits both
groups?
How can we make a promise that both parties will abide to these rules?

Set-up:
Set the class up similar to a court room. Have a place for the teacher to sit in the middle
and groups of desks gathered together on the two sides of the desk.

Activity 4: Debate/ Peace Treaty Colonists and Natives

45 minutes

1. Divide the students up into two sides of the classroom. One side will be debating
through the viewpoint of a Native American and the other through the viewpoint
of a colonist.
2. Say: The case of the Peace Treaty is now in session (in a stern voice). I see you
all have been unable to get along and have had a large variety of issues with each
other since the colonists have moved onto the land. Today I would like to hear
both sides of this story and maybe we can come up with some sort of agreement.
3. Point to each side of the room informing the students which side they will be
enacting.

4. Each group of students must come up with four major points to bring up stating
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

the major issues that have been occurring and why? Give each group 10 minutes
to brainstorm their case together and come up with their arguments.
Each group will be given 3-5 minutes to present their argument to the other side.
After each group has gone the groups will take the opponents arguments in
consideration and brainstorm with their group how they can change these issues.
10 minutes will be given to each group to brainstorm.
After the ideas are brainstormed each group will share their ideas for 3-5 minutes.
The judge will then form a peace treaty using those ideas for the Colonists and
Native Americans.
All participants will sign the peace treaty at the bottom of the paper it is written
on and it will be posted in the room.

Reflection

5 minutes

As a whole group, discuss what ideas they found worked when creating a peace treaty and what
ideas did not. Ask the students what process they went through to decide on ideas as a whole
group? What did you learn from the other side of the debate that made you want to come up with
a peace treaty?

Activity 5: Assessment
Essential Question: What influences did colonial America have over America today?
Standards: Reflects upon all standards listed in the beginning of the unit:
5 U2.3.2 Describe the daily life of people living in the New England, Middle, and Southern
colonies.
5 U2.3.3 Describe colonial life in America from the perspectives of at least three different
groups of people (e.g., wealthy landowners, farmers, merchants, indentured servants, laborers
and the poor, women, enslaved people, free Africans, and American Indians).

5 P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan and know how, when, and where to address or
inform others about a public issue.
5 P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others.
ART.D.I.5.7 Demonstrate the ability to work effectively alone and with a partner.
ART.M.II.5.2 Create through exploration, improvisation, and composition, answers in the same
style to given rhythmic and melodic phrases.
ART.T.I.5.1 Create and demonstrate vocal expression to support the playing of a character.
ART.T.I.5.2 Improvise real and non-real characters.
ART.VA.I.5.3 Incorporate the elements of art and principles of design to communicate ideas.

Materials:

Large Table
Pictures from all of the activities in this unit
Pieces of student work from the activities in this unit
Large Piece of paper for a class timeline like format
Two different colored markers for all class members
Tape

Set-up:
Set the large sheet of paper down on the table. Place the pictures and student work at random
around the table. Write beginning of unit and end of unit on the opposite ends of the paper.

Resource: In class activity

Activity 5: Assessment

20 minutes

1. As a whole class, have the students arrange the artifacts on the table in the chronological
2.
3.
4.
5.

order they occurred.

After the order is settled tape the artifacts onto the piece of paper and hang it on the class
board.
Give each student two different colored markers.
Have them take turns going up to the poster and in one color writing what they learned
about Colonial America and in the other color what they learned about the arts through
these activities.
After the whole class has gotten the opportunity to write on the poster discuss what the
class learned about both subjects using what is written on the poster.

6. Hang the poster up in the classroom or hallway to display what the class has learned and
inspire others to teach using arts integration.