Teaching
American History
For All
Mt Diablo Unified School District
in partnership with
University Of California- Berkeley
History-Social Science Project
5th Grade Lesson
Rich Farmlands of the Middle Colonies
Laurie Rogers
Teaching American History for All
MDUSD/UCB H-SSP
5th Grade Lesson
Developed by: Laurie Rogers, Lauren Weaver, and Donna Leary.
Overarching Grant Focus Question:
How did definitions of citizenship change from the seventeenth century to the
twentieth century?
Yearlong 5th Grade Grant Focus Question:
How did Americans change from being colonial subjects to American citizens?
Unit Focus Question:
How did the reasons for founding the colonies and the geographical location
impact the economy and government?
Unit Working Thesis:
The different economic and political development of the Northern, Middle, and
Southern colonies were dependent upon the different reasons for founding, the
distinct people who settled in them, and the varied resources available.
Lesson Focus Question:
Why did settlers come to the Middle Colonies?
Lesson Working Thesis:
The people who settled the Middle Colonies came for the rich farmland and
abundant natural resources. By raising and selling the crops in market towns the
Middle Colonies flourished.
Suggested Amount of Time: 45 minutes
Textbook:
Porter, Dr. Priscilla. Reflections: The United States: Making A New Nation.
San Diego: Harcourt School Publishing, 2007, p257
Unit 3, Chapter 6, Lesson 3: Busy Farms and Seaports, page 257
Reading Strategies:
1. Deconstructing sentences and paragraphs
2. Identifying historical participants and key words in relation to colonies
Writing Strategies:
1. Using completed chart to write a final paragraph, generating a thesis statement
and a conclusion.
Expectations: Students will be able to construct a thesis statement and write a three to
five sentence paragraph reflecting what evidence they have read on Page 257.
Write a paragraph using this information:
(This is my sample of what I would expect from students after the lesson had been
presented.)
Settlers came to the Middle Colonies Because of the rich fertile land and the
abundant natural resources. Settlers could grow crops such as wheat, corn and rye. They
could raise dairy cows on the thick grasses and hogs on the acorns and wild berries found
in the forest. Farmers could sell their crops and livestock at the market town. Settlers
could come to the Middle Colonies and make money by raising crops and livestock.
Procedure:
History-Social Science Content Standards:
5.4 Students understand the political, religious, social, and economic institutions
that evolved in the colonial era, in terms of:
5.4.5 How the British colonial period created the basis for development of
political self-government and a free market economic system, unlike
Spanish and French colonial rule.
Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills:
Research, Evidence and Point of View:
1. Students summarize the key events of the era they are studying and explain
their historical contexts.
Historical Interpretation:
3. Students identify and interpret the multiple causes and effects of historical
events.
Language Arts Context Standards:
Reading:
1.1 Read aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and with
appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression
2.3 Discern main ideas and concepts presented in non-fiction texts, identifying
and assessing evidence that supports those ideas
2.4 Draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text and support them
with textual evidence and prior knowledge.
Writing:
1.0 Writing Strategies
1.2 create a multi-paragraph expository composition
1.6 edit and revise to improve the meaning and focus of writing
2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.2 write responses to literature
1.1 ask questions that seek information not already discussed
Rich Farmlands
(Page 257)
When settlers came to the Middle Colonies, they were
amazed by the richness of the land and its abundant natural
resources. Unlike New England, the Middle Colonies had lots of
fertile soil. Since farming was how most people in the 13 colonies
made their living, the Middle Colonies attracted many settlers…
Throughout the Middle Colonies wheat fields stretched as far
as the eye could see. Although wheat, corn, and rye were the main
crops, colonists also used the rich land for other things. Dairy cows
thrived on the thick grasses, while hogs roamed the forests,
growing fat on acorns and wild berries.
Farmers in the Middle Colonies usually traveled to market
towns to sell or trade their livestock and crops. Every market town
had a gristmill, which ground the farmers’ grain into flour. Most
towns also had a lumber mill. During visits to market towns, farm
families shopped at the general store. There they purchased items
they could not make or grow themselves, such as iron tools, shoes,
paint and buttons.
Reflections- United States History: Making A New Nation
Settling the Colonies ~Busy Farms and Seaports, Unit 3, Chap 6, Lesson 3
Time marker Participants or
Connector
Doers
(nouns)
Throughout
wheat fields
the Middle
Colonies
Although
while
Action
Words
(verbs)
stretched
Who, What, Where
(nouns)
Questions or conclusions
(Why is it important?)
as far as the eye could see.
“as far as the eye could see”
wheat, corn and rye were
the main crops,
colonists
also used
the rich land for other
things.
rich
Dairy cows
thrived
on the thick grasses
thrived
hogs
roamed
the forest, growing fat on
acorns and wild berries.
roamed
Farmers in the
Middle Colonies
usually traveled
to towns to sell or trade
their livestock and crops.
Pg. 257
How did the many uses of the land attract settlers to the Middle Colonies?
Reflections- United States History: Making A New Nation
Settling the Colonies
Busy Farms and Seaports
Time marker Participants or
Action
Connector
Doers
Words
(nouns)
(verbs)
When
settlers
came
Who, What, Where
(nouns)
Questions or conclusions
to the Middle Colonies,
they (settlers)
were amazed
by the richness of the land
and its abundant natural
resources.
richness
abundant
natural resources
Unlike New
England,
the Middle
Colonies
had
lots of fertile soil.
fertile
Since
farming
was
how most people in the 13
colonies made their living,
the Middle
Colonies
attracted
many settlers.
attracted
Unit 3, Chap 6, Lesson 3, Pg 257
Why did settlers come to the Middle Colonies?
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