Introduction
Welcome to your 5th grade Colonial America Webquest! Take a journey through time and join John Smith as he settles the Virginia Colony and Jamestown. Along the way, you will meet many famous faces among Colonial America and stumble upon events that will shape america for many years to come. By the end of the webquest, you will be able to understand that the history of the United States can be analyzed by examining significant eras such as Colonization and settlement to develop a chronological understanding and recognize cause and effect relationships and multiple causation, tying past to present.
Big Question: How has colonial america made a lasting impact on the United States?
Task
You have been hired as John Smith's new apprentice! Congratualtions! There is only one problem, you can't find him! Journey to America and follow the historical trail he has left for you and all of America. Your goal is to map out a timeline of colonial american events that John Smith has lived through in order to find him. Use the web links under the "process" tab to follow the journey. On your own sheet a paper create a historical timeline following events of Colonial America. At the end of the timeline, take time to refect how the events you have learned about effect America today. Choose one and write a one paragraph letter to America today about how this event from Colonial America helped shape the present.
Process
1. Draw a timeline on your own sheet of paper. Label the timeline "My Colonial America History Timeline". This can be done horizontally. Make sure you leave enough room to include 10 events. Use this example to guide you.
2. Use the following sites and choose 10 events to label on your timeline. The events should all be significant historically. For example, America's first Thanksgiving. A poor example would be, John Smith smeared butter on his favorite coat. Be sure to include a date with each event you choose. Be sure to recall what happened at each event by writing at least 3 points from each event.
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13colonies1.htm
* Helpful Hint: Use this website to start your timeline. Look at the begining of Colonial America.
https://www.landofthebrave.info/
* Helpful Hint: Pay attention to the dates on this website. Connect these dates to the infromation you learn from other websites.
http://www.biography.com/people/john-smith-9486928
* Helpful Hint: Use the biography of John Smith as clues to journing through Colonial America. Be sure to look at the dates and line them up with events from the other websites to help you complete your timeline.
*Extra Credit: Is John Smith still missing? Use google to explore even further! Be sure to list and extra websites on the back of your timeline and remember, wikipedia is not a reliable source!
3. Choose one event to write a letter to present day America about and how that event has shaped America's future. (Ex. Thanksgiving) Be sure to discuss the cause and effect relationship that this event has in regard to America today. It is important to explain how events from the past have a lasting impact on the future.
Evaluation
Grading Criteria
Student creates a timeline that includes 10 historical events from Colonial America 20 Points. One point for each date. One point for each event listed.
Student briefly descirbes each event with at least three points per event 30 points. One point will be given for each point/fact given per event. Make sure you have all 10 events complete!
Students chooses one event and writes at least one paragraph addressing how this event has impacted present day America 50 points. Be sure that your paragraph is 5 sentences long. There should be an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Conclusion
Congratualtions! You found John Smith! This means that you have travelled through at least 10 different historical events to find him! Few, that was exausting! Don't forget to put your name on your timeline and mail out that letter to the present. That might be kind of difficult. You better let Mrs. Mia do that for you. We will see you next time for your next historical adventure through time!
