Life in the Colonies Big Idea(s): Equality Objective: The student will compare and contrast different people

groups in the colonial period. The student will analyze the lack of economic and social equality in different people groups. The student will propose improvements to colonial life. Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently. Grade Level Content Expectations: 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). (National Geography Standard 6, p. 154)

Materials and Resources: Chart for jigsaw activity Packets of information for groups to fill out charts Exit Slips Assessment directions and small rubric Anticipatory Set: Ask students to pull out a piece of paper. Ask them to write down everything they do in a day, starting from waking up. Have them include things like chores, going to school, what time they wake up, what time they go to bed, what they ate, etc.

Ask students if they knew that life was not always like it is today. In fact, many people lived an extremely different life. Today we will learn about how life was different for others in colonial America. Input Part I: Students will be doing a jigsaw to learn the different perspectives from colonial life. The following 6 perspectives will be included: o Slaves o Children in slavery o Young boys o Young girls o Adult white men Have the class already divided into 6 groups. Pass out packets to already divided groups. Each group will have a different packet. As a group, students need to find the following, outlined in a chart (See materials) o Where do you live? Housing. o Schooling? Do you go to school or have you gone to school? o Chores, daily responsibilities, jobs, etc. o Recreation (Do you get time for play or recreation?) o Where do you fit economically? After groups have identified information and filled out their charts, have them split up, and one person from each group 1-6 will form with all other numbers. Each group will have one person from each original group. Each individual will share their findings until everyone has their entire chart filled out. Input Part II: After the jigsaw is complete, bring the group together. Start a discussion on the following question: o Based on your findings, what do you think the social structure of colonial America was like? Think-Pair-Share (+groups) Students should order each of the groups, and give a small reason as to their rankings (1-2 sentences) Students meet with a partner to discuss/argue rankings. They must come up with one ranking system After pairs, have them in groups of 5 or so, and solidify yet again only one social structure Have each group write their order on the board

Bring the class back together, and let each group have a speaker share about why the put the groups in the order they did If there are discrepancies, allow the group to openly discuss reasoning and possibly persuade other groups with their support Also talk about the economic structures that accompanied each social group, and how they were dependent on each other

Assessment: Students will be instructed to answer the following question: o Do you think life was equally fair to everyone who lived in the colonies? Why or why not? o How could you make things better in the colonies? Conclusion: Students are encouraged to share their ideas for making life fairer in the colonies. Everyone has an opportunity to go up to the board and write their idea for making things more equal for everyone. Students need to write their main idea for improvements, and write it on an exit slip.