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**The Colonial Alphabet Book Lesson Plan**
Content Areas Addressed: Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Technology Grade Levels: Grades 2-5

__Description__ This lesson represents an example of project-based learning in the classroom. The topic of this lesson is Colonial America, however, the discovery process could be used to create any lesson. In this lesson students will work together to create a colonial alphabet book in the form of a collaborative online website (wiki). This wiki will address the needs of 21st century learners.

__Method__ Group students into effective working groups. I would suggest no more than five students in a group and no less than three. Assign each group 4-6 letters to research. In this way, the alphabet book can be created in parts to create a finished product for all students to share in the end. Students use the websites listed on each page to write about their topic. If possible, it would be best to allow students to choose their own wriitng genres. This will lead to more interesting articles. Students write and attach appropriate images for their assigned pages. After all pages have been completed, students break into new groups using the Jigsaw method. (Click [|here] to learn more about this method). In their new groups, students will educate each other about their alphabet book pages and colonial life.

__Preparation__ The teacher must create a wiki for students to use collaboratively. Wiki spaces that only allow members to edit are the best for this type of project to avoid external tampering. To use a site like this, however, the teacher would need to invite all students to the wiki and the students would need to set up accounts. Please go to www.wikispaces.com for more information on setting up wikis. If you are interested in using the format of this website, please send me an email at teach@allisonarcher.com. I would be happy to share materials with you if I am properly credited.

__Justification__ I began teaching at a new school last year. In my previous teaching positions, I had never taught about colonial America before. Last year, I followed the lead of my co-teacher as my lack of experience prevented me from feeling comfortable teaching this subject. My Master’s thesis topic was constructivist education and its ramifications in technological environments. As I completed my research, I began to see my curriculum in a different light and used the summer to create a project-based unit on colonial America.

__Importance__ This lesson is more than a content lesson about colonial life; it is also a process lesson which educates students in how to gather information from a variety of different sources and medium. The social, collaborative nature of this lesson leads to authentic learning experiences and the promotion of social cognition. The skills that students will learn in lessons like this one promote a lifelong love of learning through discovery and collaboration.

__Diversity__ Our school has developed a significant diversity initiative this year, including sending many teachers to “Schools Attuned” which focuses on differentiation and addressing learning styles in the classroom. This lesson, through its social implications and the variety of research media, including video, audio, images, and print materials, caters to all learning styles and abilities.

Our Resources
[|Alphabet Book To Illustrate]

[|Apothecaries] || [|Shoemaker Photo Essay] ||
 * [|Example of online colonial alphabet book] ||
 * Book: ||
 * Colonial Life From A-Z ||
 * || Apothecary ||
 * [|Slideshow]
 * [|Slideshow]
 * [|Williamsburg Apothecaries] ||
 * [|Colonial Apothecaries] ||
 * || Bootmaker ||
 * [|Shoemaker Podcast]
 * [|Williamsburg Shoemakers] ||
 * [|Shoemakers] ||
 * || Clothing ||
 * [|Dress The Part Interactive Site]

[|Clothing Video] || [|Xmas Fireplace Kitchen Video] || [|The Miller Slideshow] || [|The Miller] ||
 * [|Men’s Clothing] ||
 * [|Women’s Clothing] ||
 * || Dress ||
 * [|Paper Doll Tutorial and Adventure] ||
 * [|Dress Up Activity] ||
 * [|Layers of Dress With Audio] ||
 * || Education ||
 * [|School Video] ||
 * [|Colonial School] ||
 * [|Hornbooks] ||
 * || Fire ||
 * [|Colonial Fireplace Video]
 * [|Colonial Home] ||
 * [|“Hear Ye! Hear Ye!”] ||
 * || Gristmill ||
 * [|Gristmill Video]
 * [|Grist Mills For Kids]
 * [|George Washington’s Gristmill] ||
 * || Hoops ||
 * [|The Cooper Slideshow] ||
 * [|The Cooper] ||
 * [|The Hoop as a Toy] ||
 * || Inn ||
 * [|Step Into The Past: City Tavern] ||
 * [|Colonial Inn History]

[|Shops and Inns] ||
 * [|Tavern Life] ||
 * || Jamestown ||
 * [|Jamestown Colony Video] ||
 * [|Jamestown Online Adventure] ||
 * [|Time For Kids: Discover Jamestown]

[|Jamestown] ||
 * || Kitchen ||
 * [|Colonial Kitchen] ||
 * [|Colonial Home] ||
 * [|George Washington’s Kitchen] ||
 * || Leather Worker ||
 * [|The Shoemaker] ||
 * [|The Saddler] ||
 * [|The Saddler and Harness Maker] ||
 * || Milliner ||
 * [|Milliner Photo Essay] ||
 * [|Milliner] ||
 * [|A Modern Milliner: Louise Green] ||
 * || Neckwear ||
 * [|Men’s Neckwear] ||
 * [|Women of the Gentry Clothing] ||
 * || Outbuildings ||
 * [|Outbuildings] ||
 * [|Peyton Randall’s Outbuildings] ||
 * || Plantations ||
 * [|Plantations] ||
 * [|Great Hopes Plantations] ||
 * [|Boone Hall Plantation] ||
 * || Quoits ||
 * [|Video of Modern Quoits] ||
 * [|Early Quoits] ||
 * [|How To Play Quoits] ||
 * || Reel ||
 * [|Colonial Spinning Bee] ||
 * [|Skeining] ||
 * [|How To Make Yarn Video] ||
 * || Stocks ||
 * [|Justice] ||
 * [|Stocks and Pillories] ||
 * || Trades ||
 * [|Colonial Trades]
 * || Trades ||
 * [|Colonial Trades]
 * [|Colonial Trades]

[|Trades] ||
 * [|More Trades] ||
 * [|Trades Sampler]

[|Goods of the Trades] || [|Perry Como Video 2] [|Perry Como Video 3] [|Perry Como Video 4] ||
 * || Undergarments ||
 * [|Women’s Undergarments] ||
 * [|Colonial Reports] ||
 * || Vegetable Garden ||
 * [|Tending the Garden] ||
 * [|Kitchen Garden at Mount Vernon] ||
 * [|Cooking From The Garden] ||
 * || Wigmaker ||
 * [|Wigs] ||
 * [|Wigs: Photo Scrapbook] ||
 * || Xmas ||
 * [|Perry Como Video 1]
 * || Xmas ||
 * [|Perry Como Video 1]
 * [|Colonial Christmas] ||
 * [|Colonial Customs] ||
 * || Your Colonial Interest ||
 * [|The Daggets] ||
 * [|Colonial Kids] ||
 * [|Colonial House]

[|Colonial Williamsburg] ||
 * || Zinc ||
 * [|The Founder] ||
 * [|Founders] ||
 * [|The Foundry Trade Slideshow] ||

Sites to consider: http://www.lakelandschools.org/lt/colonialhomes/research.htm http://www.hfmgv.org/education/smartfun/colonial/intro/intro.html http://library.thinkquest.org/J002611F/school.htm http://www.memorialhall.mass.edu/activities/index.html http://www.pbs.org/wnet/colonialhouse/history/index.html http://www.pocanticohills.org/tradesmen/shoemaker.htm http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/SCHOOLS/FORESTOAKMS/site%20pages/Academics/Social%20Studies/Colonisl%20Times/index.html http://www.history.org/Almanack/places/places.cfm http://www.history.org/media/index.cfm http://www.ohlone.pausd.org/Williamsburg/index.htm http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/staff/erinkeller/pilgrimwq/plimouth_trip.htm