[elmosjeep]

hi peers!
i was wondering if anyone had any...
1) websites
2) attachments
3) activity ideas
4) writing ideas
for a unit on colonail america and colonists...
this is for third grade
thanks in advance!
Jaime

[soccerfan13]

Hi-

A great writing activity could be "If I were a colonist" infact I think there is even a book titled "if I lived in Colonial times". You could also have them compare and contrast colonial times vs. present times.

An activity I always find a big hit is playing games that they would have in colonial times. You can make them real cheap. For example, a similar ring toss game, a piece of Indian corn through a hula hoop, etc.

[Meggin]

Here's a great U.S. History website for kids: http://www.mce.k12tn.net/units/american_history.htm

[elmosjeep]

Thanks everyone,
I do have the book "If I lived in Colonial... and it is a great one!
I was more looking for any activities, worksheets, etc too.
Thanks for the website Meggin! Looks like an interesting one!
Jaime

[monicaw]

I did this webquest and made up my own questions. The kids really liked it.

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002611F/index.htm

[anngirl]

great website:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/thanksgiving/

[Alicia G]

And here are the things we did:

1. Simple meal (deli chicken, boiled potatoes, a big pot of beans, an apple dessert, authentic cornbread -- no wheat).
2. Stenciled onto plaques.
3. Stamped (big rubber stamps) onto canvas rectangles (these were "rugs" that we made from "worn out sails").
4. Hornbooks (cut out paddle-shaped pieces of cardboard, glue on a small alphabet, and then cover in contact paper).
5. Had "recitations" of old poems, etc.
6. Had outdoor games: relay races, hide and seek, sack races, hopscotch, leapfrog.
7. And, indoor games: jacks, marbles (indoors or out), pick up sticks (use straw from an old broom to be authentic), hide the thimble.
8. A dad made "stocks" out of an appliance box. We took turns in it.
9. We had a spelling bee and recited our times tables.

Alicia

[3grteacher]

We do a huge colonial unit in our school. The kids really love it.

We start with a book from Evan Moore called History Pockets: Colonial America. This book is AWESOME! The kids make a book with a pocket for topics like: Intro to Colonial America; Homes; School; Foods; Native Americas; Famous People...
We have 5 teachers, so we move from classroom to classroom and teach one topic each to each group of students. The book is grades 3-6 so we pick and choose the activites we want to do. There are PLENTY to pick from.
When we are done switching the kids have created this great book that they can keep of all the things they learned about Colonial America.

After that, we divide our classrooms into 4 topics: School, Jobs, Games and Home Life. Each student researches and creates projects focused on this one theme.
The art teacher works with us and she has the students create a colonial weaving and the Music teacher puts together a music program focused on a colonial theme.
All our study is presented to the parents on our Colonial Night. We start with a half hour in our classrooms that we turn into a Colonial Village. Kids are presenting what the learned in a "colonial village where they have store fronts to talk about their jobs, colonial school where they are students and a teacher...(dunce chair included!) , an outside scene where they play games (nine mens morrice, nine pins, jack straws...), and a colonial home where they share colonial food (johnny cakes, flap jacks, indian pudding...).

After that, the parents head down to our gym where they wait for the students to come in and perform their music program.

This has been a highlight of third grade at our school since the school opened 5 years ago. It's always a huge hit.

....okay, so anyway, the book is really good and FULL of activites to teach about Colonial America....Sorry if I took off on beaming about our unit. We love it very much!