Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
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LESSON PLAN OUTLINE
JMU Elementary Education Program: ELED 434
A. TITLE/TYPE OF LESSON: “Detectives of Jamestown”
B. RATIONALE:
The lesson being taught will be an activity that allows students to look at primary documents from different sources of individuals,
providing a scope of the different perspectives. This activity is meant for students to practice their ability to analyze primary sources and
interpret them to understand historical facts. Students will work in groups, moving from different sources/stations to collect different accounts
of living in Jamestown or see into the thoughts of individuals that were involved with Jamestown. Students will see from primary sources the
reasons for why settlers came to Jamestown, the purpose of settlement, and the struggles and issues that arose in Jamestown. This activity will
empower students to approach history with a hands-on experience, providing them the opportunity to discover history on their own with critical
thinking. Students will learn to take charge of their own inquiry and deduction skills that will later translate to critical skills needed in
developing as citizens. Students will draw their own conclusions and make generalizations to learn perspectives and life in early Virginia and
also be able to use those generalizations to build an understanding of the history of their state.
CONTEXT OF LESSON
The pre-assessment to gather an idea of the students’ readiness and interest is to give a quick review of their understanding of
Jamestown before the activity. I will ask guideline questions about basic facts of Jamestown, measuring what they already know about
Jamestown and what seems to be clarified. This lesson fits in the curriculum sequence because the topic of Jamestown and early Virginia meets
about one third of all the Standards of Learning required for the curriculum. Jamestown is a concept that has already been taught to the students
the year before, but is material that should be reviewed again for the upcoming SOLs. This lesson also fits child development because it is an
interactive assignment that will allow students to take charge of their own learning by using what they already know, and finding out how to
use their critical skills to gather information and make conclusions. Fifth graders will already know how to work in groups and are flexible in
their grouping so this lesson will give the students an opportunity to collaborate with one another and become resources for each other. The
primary/secondary sources will be drawings or short phrases from Jamestown, not complicated long letters, so students will have a better
ability to comprehend the articles of observation.
C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand
-Students will understand how to
interpret facts and make general
conclusions to gain in learning.
-Students will understand that history
can be varied and learn how to
analyze different sources to interpret
various accounts.
-Students will take responsibility in
Know
-Students will know different
accounts of Jamestown history, not
simply from one source.
-Students will know the hardships
that settlers of Jamestown faced
-Students will know a general idea of
life in Early Virginia
-Students will gain a better
Do
-Students will interpret primary
and/or secondary sources to gain
knowledge of historical events
-Students will be able to use
inductive reasoning to gain a bigger
understanding of history
-Students will work with other
students practice collaborating with
Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
directing their own learning by
understanding how to
inquire/question and find ways of
finding the answer.
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knowledge of reasoning’s behind
historical events.
different individuals.
D. ASSESSING LEARNING
Students will work in groups to read through primary/secondary sources, recording the hints/clues they find throughout the
document. They will take the clues that they find throughout the document and fill out what that clue might mean and how that
relates back to living in Jamestown and what they already know. The worksheet they fill out will be a chart that includes a section
where they can record “facts”, “importance?”, and “infer” to keep track of their critical thinking processes. The things that students
will write in the charts will indicate that they are using their ability to gather information and make general conclusions about the facts they
gain.
E. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (and NATIONAL STANDARDS if required)
VS.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible
citizenship, including the ability to
a) identify and interpret artifacts and primary and secondary source documents to understand
events in history;
b) determine cause-and-effect relationships;
c) compare and contrast historical events;
d) draw conclusions and make generalizations;
e) make connections between past and present;
f) sequence events in Virginia history;
g) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;
h) evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing;
VS.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent English settlement in America
a) explaining the reasons for English colonization;
e) identifying the importance of the arrival of Africans and English women to the Jamestown settlement;
f) describing the hardships faced by settlers at Jamestown and the changes that took place to ensure survival;
g) describing the interactions between the English settlers and the native peoples, including the contributions of Powhatan to the
survival of the settlers.
VS4. The student will demonstrate knowledge of life in the Virginia colony
e) describing everyday life in colonial Virginia.
F. MATERIALS NEEDED
(Shelly Yang will provide all the materials for the lesson plan)
 4-5 primary/secondary sources for groups of 4 students to analyze at each station.
Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
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Worksheet chart to fill out for every student (used for every station/document)
G. PROCEDURE
Activity Element
& Time (in minutes)
Introduction
Procedures and management
Students
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
Activity 1

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
Brief Overview about main history of Jamestown.
Ask questions to students to gain general sense of
what students already know about Jamestown.
Review what a “primary” and/or
“secondary source” is and ask how they could use
these resources to find out what happened in the
past. (possibly bring an object that is unfamiliar to
students and work together to find out what it
could have been used for and why it was
important )


Students will reply back what they already know about
Jamestown.
Students will reply back the definition for primary and
secondary sources
Students will work as a class to find out what the object
could have been used for and why it would be important.
Assign 4 students to each station. Each station has 
one primary/secondary document pertaining to the
different perspectives of those living in
Jamestown
Stations include: original settlers population
count, two different Indian tribe styles, Jamestown
settler letter part 1, Jamestown settler part 2
Give each group a total of 10mins per station (not
all groups will see all documents). Each group
will go over 3 different documents.
Students will work with group members in figuring out
what the primary source is implying about daily life in
Jamestown, using what they already know about
Jamestown and what the source is displaying. Students will
cooperate as a group and record their observations and
findings with the worksheet given.
Students move with group members and analyze next
primary source using the worksheet to fill out things they
learn about the object.
Students will work with group members in figuring out
what the primary source is implying about daily life in
Jamestown, using what they already know about
Jamestown and what the source is displaying. Students will
cooperate as a group and record their observations and
findings with the worksheet given.
Transition

Students, you may move to the next station and
start working on analyzing the primary document

Activity 2

Give each group a total of 10mins per station (not
all groups will see all documents). Each group
will go over 3 different documents.

Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
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Transition

Students, you may move to the next station and
start working on analyzing the primary document

Activity 3

Give each group a total of 10mins per station (not
all groups will see all documents). Each group
will go over 3 different documents.

Transition

Students, you may move to the next station and
start working on analyzing the primary document

Activity 4

Each group may share what their primary source

was (will have a copy of the document on screen
for class to also see and follow along), what was
observed about the source, and their conclusion or
induction from the analysis of Jamestown.
Although we can learn a lot from reading the textbooks about history, its also much more interesting to actually
become the detective ourselves, just like real historians do, and find out about history for ourselves. Instead of
reading about facts, sometimes we learn a lot more from searching for answers and making our own connections to
the material.
Conclusion:
Source Stations
Source #1:
Original Settlers (May 14, 1607) at Jamestown, Listed by Occupation
Name Occupation
•
Master Edward Maria Wingfield
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Captaine Bartholomew Gosnoll
•
Captaine John Smyth
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Captaine John Ratliffe
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Captaine John Martin
•
Captaine George Kendall
- Councell
•
Master Robert Hunt
- Preacher
•
Master George Percie
•
Anthony Gosnoll
•
George Flower
•
Captaine Gabriell Archer
•
Robert Fenton.
Students move with group members and analyze next
primary source using the worksheet to fill out things they
learn about the object.
Students will work with group members in figuring out
what the primary source is implying about daily life in
Jamestown, using what they already know about
Jamestown and what the source is displaying. Students will
cooperate as a group and record their observations and
findings with the worksheet given.
Students move with group members and analyze next
primary source using the worksheet to fill out things they
learn about the object.
Students will debrief as a class for 10 minutes, sharing
about the different clues they uncovered for specific
documents and how that relates to the history of
Jamestown.
Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
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Robert Ford
William Bruster
Edward Harrington
Dru Pickhouse
Thomas Jacob
John Brookes
Ellis Kingston
Thomas Sands
Benjamin Beast
John Robinson
Thomas Mouton
Ustis Clovill
Stephen Halthrop
Kellam Throgmorton
Edward Morish
Nathaniell Powell
Edward Brown
Robert Behethland
John Penington
Jeremy Alicock
George Walker
Thomas Studley
Richard Crofts
Nicholas Houlgrave
Thomas Webbe
John Waler
John Short
William Tanker
William Smethes
Francis Snarsbrough
Richard Simons
Edward Brookes
Richard Dixon
John Martin
Roger Cooke
George Martin
Anthony Gosnold
Thomas Wotton, Sierg.
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Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
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John Stevenson
Henry Adling
Thomas Gore
Francis Midwinter
Richard Frith - Gentlemen
William Laxon
Edward Pising
Thomas Emry
Robert Small
Anas Todkill
John Capper
- Carpenters
James Read
- Blacksmith
Jonas Profit
- Sailer
Thomas Couper
- Barber
John Herd
William Garret - Bricklayers
Edward Brinto - Mason
William Love - Taylor
Nicholas Skot - Drum
John Laydon
William Casson
George Casson
Thomas Casson
Willam Rods
William White
Ould Edward
Henry Tavin
George Golding
John Dods
William Johnson
William Unger
William Wilkenson, Surgeon - Labourers
Samuell Collier
Nathaniel Peacock
James Brumfield
Richard Mutton
- Boyes
with diverse others to the number of 105.
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Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
Source #2:
The Towne of Pomeiooc
The Towne of Secota
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Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
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Source #3:
Richard Frethorne, Jamestown settler Part 1
“This is to let you understand that I your child am in a most heavy case by reason of the country, [which] is such that it causeth much sickness,
[such] as the scurvy and the bloody flux and diverse other diseases, which maketh the body very poor and weak. And when we are sick there is
nothing to comfort us; for since I came out of the ship I never ate anything but peas, and loblollie (that is, water gruel). As for deer or venison I
never saw any since I came into this land. There is indeed some fowl, but we are not allowed to go and get it, but must work hard both early
and late for a mess of water gruel and a mouthful of bread and beef. A mouthful of bread for a penny loaf must serve for four men which is
most pitiful. [You would be grieved] if you did know as much as I [do], when people cry out day and night – Oh! That they were in England
without their limbs – and would not care to lose any limb to be in England again, yea, though they beg from door to door. For we live in fear of
the enemy every hour, yet we have had a combat with them … and we took two alive and made slaves of them. But it was by policy, for we are
in great danger; for our plantation is very weak by reason of the death and sickness of our company. For we came but twenty for the merchants,
and they are half dead just; and we look every hour when two more should go. Yet there came some four other men yet to live with us, of
which there is but one alive; and our Lieutenant is dead, and [also] his father and his brother.”
Source #4:
Richard Frethorne, Jamestown settler Part 2
“And I have nothing to comfort me, nor is there nothing to be gotten here but sickness and death, except [in the event] that one had money to
lay out in some things for profit. But I have nothing at all–no, not a shirt to my back but two rags (2), nor clothes but one poor suit, nor but one
pair of shoes, but one pair of stockings, but one cap, [and] but two bands [collars]. My cloak is stolen by one of my fellows, and to his dying
hour [he] would not tell me what he did with it; but some of my fellows saw him have butter and beef out of a ship, which my cloak, I doubt
[not], paid for. So that I have not a penny, nor a penny worth, to help me too either spice or sugar or strong waters, without the which one
cannot live here. For as strong beer in England doth fatten and strengthen them, so water here doth wash and weaken these here [and] only
keeps [their] life and soul together. But I am not half [of] a quarter so strong as I was in England, and all is for want of victuals; for I do protest
unto you that I have eaten more in [one] day at home than I have allowed me here for a week. You have given more than my day’s allowance to
a beggar at the door; and if Mr. Jackson had not relieved me, I should be in a poor case. But he like a father and she like a loving mother doth
still help me.”
Source #5:
Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
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Source 1: Population Count http://www.virtualjamestown.org/census2a.html
Source 2:
http://www.whro.org/jamestown2007/imagegalleries/Powhatans/album/slides/The%20Town%20of%20Pomeiooc.html
The Town of Pomeiooc, engraving by Theodor de Bry after a watercolor of John White, 1577-1590. From A brief and true report of the new
found land of Virginia, 1590. John White was the governor of the famous Lost Colony of Roanoke, North Carolina. An artist by profession, he
did a series of paintings of Indians in the Roanoke area in 1580. John White watercolors were reproduced as black and white engravings by
Theodor de Bry in 1590.
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/6238
“The Tovvne of Secota.” Theodor de Bry’s engraving of the American Indian town of Secota, published in Thomas Hariot’s 1588 book A
Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia. A wide foot path extends from the center foreground of the image to the
background. Several people stand and kneel in the middle of the path. To the left and right of the path, and in the background, are buildings and
agricultural fields. In the bottom right corner of the image, several Indians are dancing in a circle, similar to the one seen in de Bry’s engraving
entitled “Their Dances Which They Use at Their High Feasts.”
The text accompanying the image reads:
Their towns that are not enclosed with poles are commonly fairer than such as are enclosed, as appears in this figure which lively expresses the
town of Secotam. For the houses are Scattered here and there, and they have garden expressed by the letter E. wherein grows Tobacco which
the inhabitants call Uppowoc. They have also groves wherein they take deer, and fields wherein they sow their corn. In their cornfields they
build as it were a scaffold where on they set a cottage like to a round chair, signified by F. wherein they place one to watch, for there are such
number of fowl, and beasts, that unless they keep the better watch, they would soon devour all their corn. For which cause the watchman makes
continual cries and noise. They sow their corn with a certain distance noted by H. otherwise one stalk would choke the growth of another and
the corn would not come unto his ripeness G. For the leaves thereof are large, like unto the leaves of great reeds. They have also a several broad
plot C. where they meet with their neighbors, to celebrate their chief solemn feasts as the 18 picture does declare: and a place D. where after
they have ended their feast they make merry together. Over against this place they have a round plot B. where they assemble themselves to
make their solemn prayers. Not far from which place there is a large building A. wherein are the tombs of their kings and princes, as will
appear by the 22 figure likewise they have garden noted by the letter I. wherein they use to sow pumpkins. Also a place marked with K.
wherein they make a fire at their solemn feasts, and hard without the town a river L. from whence they fetch their water. This people therefore
void of all covetousness live cheerfully and at their heart’s ease. But they solemnize their feasts in the night, and therefore they keep very great
fires to avoid darkness, and to testify their Joy .
Source 3 & 4: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6475
Source 5: http://www.historicjamestowne.org/history/images/couple_with_food.jpg
Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
“Detectives of Jamestown”
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Name: ________________
Primary Source Records
Observations
Source #1:
Original Settlers at
Jamestown, Listed
by Occupation
Source #2:
Towne of
Pomeiooc and
Towne of Secota
Source #3:
Richard Frethorne
Part 1
Source #4:
Richard Frethorne
Part 2
Source #5:
Native Indian
couple with food
Reflections
Questions
Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
11
H. DIFFERENTIATION:
Most of the students in my class work well in groups, but one or two may have a few struggles in working with others within group settings.
For those particular students, I will try to be more present around them and pay attention to the group dynamics so group work is going
smoothly. There no students struggling with English language proficiency, physical ability, or health so there is no need to be met. Students
will not end too early in their analysis for each source because each station lasts for about 10 minutes. For students that struggle with the
objectives, they will be able to rely on their group members to understand the objectives and also work together in analyzing the sources. If
groups are also struggling, I will be walking around to give guiding questions to direct the students towards what the source is indicating about
the history of Jamestown.
I.
WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
If students do not know much about the history of Jamestown, then give a brief review of Jamestown within 10 minutes to jog their memories
or give a brief foundation of Jamestown for them to start the analysis with. If students are having conflicts with one another when working in
groups, I will have to remove them from the group and move them into another group, which I know they will work better in. If I start running
out of time, I will have to cut a station out from the lesson and shorten the number of sources the groups get to so we will have time to conclude
and summarize the historical facts we gained from analyzing the primary sources.
Shelly Yang
5th grade, Ware Elementary School
12
Lesson Implementation Reflection
I. How did your actual teaching of the lesson differ from your plans? Describe the changes and explain why you made them.
From the plans of the lesson, the students were much more confused about what to do than I expected them to be. Even after I explained the
directions as a class three times, I still had to go around and clarify what the groups were doing at each primary source station. I also adjusted
the time for each station to about 5minutes each because I was given a shorter amount of time than expected. The students also wanted to keep
going to all five stations, also making the time constraint very tight. I had to make sure that I debriefed the students on each primary document,
analyzing them together as a class, and trying to guide them to making connections with facts they already should have known about
Jamestown.
II. Based on the assessment you created, what can you conclude about your impact on student learning? Did they learn? Who learned? What did they
learn? What evidence can you offer that your conclusions are valid?
From the assessment I created (Detectives of Jamestown), I saw that the students were struggling with being able to analyze the primary
sources thoughtfully and were only writing down facts such as “a lot of famous people” and “so many people’s names” for the primary source
of original settler names. In the end I had to make sure I was able to go through each primary document, asking the students specific questions
such as, “what do you see?” and trying to guide them to conclusions and connections to possible prior knowledge about Jamestown. Some
students wrote down things like “a lot of gentlemen” for observations, but they were unable to fill out the reflection section of the chart. The
charts show how students have yet to develop analytical skills in order to make observations and build connections from them. During the
debriefing session, I saw that they were capable of making the connections, if they were guided through the process of looking at primary
documents and being asked specific questions. When guided, students were able to make the connections as a class and understood the
importance of the primary documents.
III. Describe at least one way you could incorporate developmentally appropriate practice in a better or more thorough way if you were to teach this
lesson again.
One way I could incorporate developmentally appropriate practice is to create a more descriptive chart for students to be guided through. I did
not know what to expect with the skills of analysis in the class, but seeing how they did on the assessment, I realize that the students might
have done better if the chart specifically outlined what to write down instead of simply stating, “observations” and “reflections.”
IV. Based on the assessment data you collected, what would you do/teach next if you were the classroom teacher?
Based on the assessment data collected, I would try to review Jamestown again. The students were struggling to make connections to material
because they were unfamiliar with the material they had already learned about Jamestown last year. It made making generalizations and
conclusions about the primary sources harder when students did not have strong prior knowledge about the information.
V. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about young children as learners?
I have learned that students need scaffolding all the time, even when you think they already know the information. I would not underestimate
the power of guiding students to the answer, to practice developing skills that will eventually get the students to do in independently and
successfully.
VI. As a result of planning and teaching this lesson, what have you learned or had reinforced about yourself?
I am always learning that although students are supposed to “already know” material, it is understandable that that information will slip away and
not come easily to them when expected to recall the material. I should always be prepared to expect lessons to not always go as planned, but in
return, be able to adapt my lessons to better fit the needs of my students.