This document outlines a lesson plan for 4th grade students to learn about the origins and features of the 13 original colonies. Over the course of 5 days, students will learn about the origins, early governments, resources, and religious/cultural diversity of the southern, middle, and northern colonies. They will also examine community life, family roles, and social classes. Students will complete activities including videos, podcasts, blogs, maps, and presentations to compare and contrast the 13 colonies and be able to accurately present on a topic from one of the colony groups.

1. FOUNDING OF THE 13
COLONIES
BY: L INSEY F ERGUSON

2. ANALYZE THE LEARNER
4th grade students of a small rural elementary school
• ages 9-10 years old
• 25 in total: 10 boys, 15 girls
• 7 students with an IEP: 2 Speech Only, 2 Intellectually
Disabled, 2 Behavior Disorders, 1 Learning Disorder.
• The entire class has no prior knowledge regarding the 13
colonies.

3. MAIN OBJECTIVE
• Students will compare and contrast community life,
family roles, and social classes of the original 13
colonies through podcasts, videos, blogs, discussions,
and readings concerning the origins, resources, and
religious/cultural diversity of the colonies. They will be
able to present a topic from one of the three groups of
colonies by the end of the unit with a 70% accuracy.
Next Generation CSO’s
SS.4.H.CL1.1 SS.4.H.CL1.2

4. DAY BY DAY
• 1) Origins of Southern, Middle, and Northern colonies
• 2)Early Government of Southern, Middle, and Northern colonies
• 3) Resources of Southern, Middle, and Northern colonies
• 4) Religious/Cultural Diversity of Southern, Middle, and Northern
colonies
• 5)Community Life, Family Roles, Social Classes

5. USE OF TECHNOLOGY
• YouTube Videos
• Podcasts
• Internet Research: Images
• Maps
• Webquest
• Posters
• Blogs

6. WORKS CITED
• West Virginia Department of Education. (n.d.) Social Studies:
Grade 4. Retrieved September 20, 2014, from http://
wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/public/ng_cso/NG_popup.cfm
• Nusshaum, G. (2014). 13 Colonies. [website] Retrieved
September 20, 2014 from http://mrnussbaum.com/13-colonies/
• White, D. (2014). The 13 American Colonies. Social Studies for
Kids. [website] Retrieved September 20, 2014 from http://
www.socialstudiesforkids.com/graphics/13mapnew.htm
• Unknown. [lelive18]. (2013 Apr 17). 13 Colonies Song. [video file]
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=jpC3ghfsiqI
Unknown. (2014). Colonial America. Land of the Brave. [website] Retrived
December 5, 2014 from http://www.landofthebrave.info