Colonial Time Introduction
Tori Kessel
February 18, 2015
Grade 5
Length: 40 min
Title/Theme/Focus: Observe, Infer, Wonder about Colonial Times Images: Introducing
Colonial Times
CA History-Social Science Standards:
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5.4: Students understand the political, religious, social, and economic institutions
that evolved in the colonial era.
Common Core Standards:
SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse parters on
grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas expressing their won clearly.
SL.5.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media including visually.
SL.5.3 Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported
by reasons.
Essential Lesson questions:
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What do I notice, infer, and wonder about colonial times
When/how long ago were the colonies?
What are at least five specific aspects of colonial life?
Learning outcomes/objects:
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Students will learn how to share within their groups in a fair and equal way.
Students will be able to use a visual thinking strategy to make discoveries about
colonial life in particular, ideally noticing how life was different in colonial times,
how they had to build up their own life, and that colonies took place hundreds of
years ago.
Students will be able to distinguish between an observation and an inference
when looking and filling out a colonial times picture.
Students’ palates will be metaphorically “wet” to our new colonies unit!
Vocabulary:
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Colony
Settlement
Assessment:
Students sharing and writing down of their inferences, observations, and wonderings.
Materials: Thinking about the past Power Point with Images from Jamestown
Settlement of early 1600s
Observe, Infer, Wonder sheet
Talking stick for each table.
Room Environment: Students are at their tables; on pp on screen is image of
Jamestown colony. Table group work, full class observation poster on board.
Modifications for Diverse Learners:
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English Language Learners: Visual learning and repetition of key vocabulary from
a previous unit will be helpful ELs. They will have support of their group.
Multiple Intelligences: Visual learning, writing, discussion, group, individual, think
time, and audio. All these things will help to meet various learners’ needs.
Special needs: Some of the lowest students will be in resource center during this
time. Other students will be able to write more simple or complex observation as
their level suits. Additionally, the designated time limits will make it so the gifted
or more talkative learners don’t overtake situations.
GATE: GATE students can offer more insightful comments, and write down more
comments of their own, they can lead situations, offer historical context, make
more connections.
Instructional Procedure:
1) Anticipatory Set:
We are stepping into our historian minds. Into our “Thinking about the past”
mindsets. So everybody take a step back. And sit back with an inquisitive mind
ready to do history.
How a good scientist thinks is how a good historian thinks is how a good writer
thinks is how a good reader thinks is how a good mathematician thinks.
WE ARE THINKING.
Today we are going to do observations and inferences. We just did observations
in science, we do observations in History, and we do observations in math.
So we talk in the past about observations and inferences and the difference.
Have one student share where we did inferences and observations (remind us)hands.
Pair shares differences between observation and inference. Shortest hair person
first.
2) Lesson:
-Now I know you know the difference between observing and inferring… Put up
picture.
-Look at this picture.
-Using your recording sheet, take one minute right now to write down your
observations. Now we’re working on just what we see not what we think about
what we see yet, just what we NOTICE.
-Go over sharing with a group. Talking sticks. Start with number ____ each
student must talk for 30 seconds switch.
-No early sharing. One voice. WE ARE PRACITING. If it seems structured, that’s
because it is! And we’ll use that more often.
-NOTE: note taker, take a stance! You are in charge of choosing the most
interesting TWO and writing them on post it’s to bring up and add to our class
observation board.
-ARE WE READY???? We are sharing our observations; I’m looking around for
active listening and making notes as I go.
-First speaker with stick. 3, 2, 1 action!
-First speaker speaks for 30 seconds.
-I ring bell and say pass talking stick, speaker 2… we go through.
Bring it back for full group. Who heard something in your group that someone
noticed that you did not notice before???? Ooohhhh.
Table four presenters, come up and read your posts it’s and put them onto the board.
(Continue that with all or few of them depending on timing)
-We continue with inferences. What does this make me think about? What do I
think about this picture based on my observations? What does the location tell you
about where it takes place?
-Round table discussion. With talking stick.
-Scribe/note taker… same thing.
-Last part with wonderings.
3) Group Discussion: Who learned something new today? How did you learn? I
didn’t even teach you anything?
Discuss some key things.
I am giving you a little taste of what we will be studying the next few weeks which
is COLONIAL LIFE. What is colonial life you ask? The first settlements from
Europe in America.
This pictures (on PP) this picture(switch PP) and this picture (show PP) all depict
colonial life long ago. How long ago you ask?
-Show dates picture.
-I will leave you on this. How long ago was this colony if it is what year now?
And this depicts a time in 1607 and 1619…
4) Closure: On the way out, write your best observation, inference, or wondering
and come to add it to the wall. Bring them up table at a time. Also, if you figure
out the answer to the how long ago question and tell me after recess, I will tell
you a favorite joke.