Lesson by Tim Bailey
Essay by David J. Silverman, George Washington University
Grade Level: 7–12
Number of Class Periods: 5
Primary Era: Colonization and Settlement, 1585–1763
About this Lesson Plan Unit
The five lessons in this unit explore the Pilgrims’ journey to the British colonies and their early settlement. Students will read primary sources, including excerpts from William Bradford’s “Of Plimoth Plantation,” the Mayflower Compact, and a letter describing the “First Thanksgiving.” A Historical Background essay will illuminate the Wampanoag people’s history and why the Pilgrims’ arrival served as an inflection point. You will assess students’ understanding through class discussions and their written responses on activity sheets.
Lesson Plan Author: Tim Bailey
Historical Background Scholar: David J. Silverman, George Washington University
Additional Information About This Unit
Common Core State Standards
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.8: Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.9: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6: Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9: Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
Essential Questions
Essential Questions
What conditions encouraged the Pilgrims to leave Europe?
What challenges did the Pilgrims face during their voyage on the Mayflower?
What was the purpose of the Mayflower Compact?
How does Edward Winslow’s description of the 1621 gathering resemble or differ from our traditional telling of the story of the “First Thanksgiving”?
Documents
Documents
William Bradford’s “Of Plimoth Plantation,” Chapters 2, 4, and 9
Edward Winslow, “A Letter Sent from New England to a Friend in These Parts, Setting Forth a Briefe and True Declaration of the Worth of That Plantation,” 1622