Teacher Mia Angelis Beginning Date 10/25/18

Subject Social Studies and Creative Arts Grade Level 5th

Day(s)/Time(s) 10/25 @ 2:15 – Lesson will extend past one day in addition to a into
lesson a few days before.
Lesson/Unit Plan Title or Theme: Colonial Simulation

Essential Question: The key idea, the “bigger conceptual picture”

Why would someone leave their home to travel to the New World? How can we use the arts to deepen
our historical understanding(s)?

Objective(s):
Students will be able to develop a colony by collaborating with others. Students will investigate and use
tableaux’s to convey/create deeper understanding of historical movements.

Established Goals:
Students will embark on a simulation about founding a colony. Students will work together in small
groups to create their very own colony. They will have to collaborate effectively to make joint decisions
such as where their colony will be established, the jobs they will take on, the colony rules, flag, etc.
Students will utilize tableaux’s to make cross-curricular connections while demonstrating proficient
understandings in both social studies and creative arts.

Students will be able to…

• Develop a colony by collaborating with others.
• Make historically informed decisions.
• Use tableaux’s to convey/ create deeper understandings of historical movements.
• Investigate historical movements through theatre/drama (tableaux’s/simulations)

Academic Core Subjects/Standards:

Social Studies Standards 5th Grade-

Standard 1:
Students will understand how the exploration and colonization of North America transformed human
history
Objective 1:
Describe and explain the growth and development of the early American colonies
Objective 3:
Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities held by different groups of people during the colonial
period

Vocabulary that is explicit in both areas of instruction (clear connections)

Fine Arts Vocabulary:
Tableaux, levels, planes, proximity, expression

Academic Core Vocabulary:

Colonies, Colonial expansion, New World, Catholicism, Protestant

Art Core Integration/Connections:

Creative Arts Standards 5th Grade-

Strand: CREATE (5.T.CR.)
Students will conceptualize, generate, develop, and organize artistic ideas and work. They will complete
and refine drama works (Standards 5.T.CR.1–7).
Standard 5.T.CR.4:
Define roles, identify responsibilities, and participate in group decision making.
Standard 5.T.CR.5:
Create character through physical movement, gesture, sound and/or speech and facial expression with
age-appropriate outcomes.

Strand: CONNECT (5.T.CO.)

Students will synthesize and relate knowledge from personal and collaborative experience to make and
receive art. They will relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to
deepen understanding (Standards 5.T.CO.1–3).
Standard 5.T.CO.3:
Investigate universal or common social issues and express them through a drama/theatre work

Procedures: Describe what students will do individually or in groups; what are the steps involved?

Introduction:
Arranging the students: Students will be broken into small groups, of about four to five, this will be their
colonial group that they will discuss ideas with, and create their tableaux’s with.
“Today class we are going to embark on a colonial simulation about colonial times. You are going to be
broken into small groups where you are going to collaborate to create your own colony. You will have
to collaborate effectively to make joint decisions such as where you want your colony to be established,
what you will take on your journey, job opportunities, and even your colonial flag. During our
simulation you will be asked to share your colonial advancements in the forms of tableaux’s.”

1.a. Begin with writing “I can” statement on the board. “I can be an active participant in a colonial times
lesson using tableaux’s to demonstrate my understanding.”
*Read the I can statement aloud to the class
*Read the I can statement chorally
*Students tell their table groups the I can statement

1.b. Explain to student’s that in order for them to take part in the lesson they have to come up with a
colonial name. Give students one minute to come up with a colonial name that is school appropriate.
Lesson:

2. After I can statement, host a Think Pair Share about “Why would someone leave their home to travel
to the New World?
* Allow students 30 seconds-1 minute of SILENT think time
* Students share their ideas with the group
* Students share out either their own idea or their partners (giving credit to their partner if they use
theirs) – Write ideas on the board.
(Possible ideas- Left to be indentured servants (left to go work off their debts in the colonies, Religious
freedom – Catholicism and Protestant, charters – similar to what sponsors were to explorers) Question:
What were some reasons explorers set out to the new world? What did they find?

3. Read the article (attached at the bottom of the lesson plan) out loud to the class about ‘their’ voyage to
the new world. Pause periodically throughout the article and ask comprehension questions before
students perform their tableaux’s. Students will perform a total of three tableaux’s; their final tableaux
will bring them into the New World. Assess students tableaux based on their accuracy to the article
section that had been read.
* Choose students to read a section of the article
* No props or sounds are to be used – students will use planes, levels, and proximity to depict their
voyage via tableaux.
* Teacher does a museum walk through and pretends to take photos of the student’s tableaux’s.

Closing:

4. After the final tableaux, explain to the students that they are now in the New World. To wrap-up
students will begin brainstorming what they will need to set up their colony, why they came to the New
World, and what survival skills they will need. With their colonial groups they are to discuss and answer
their packet questions/exit ticket. The questions that they will answer are: 1). “Name four explorers who
have been to the New World ahead of you. Include the dates and area they explored. Describe what they
fond on their explorations. 2). “Where are you going to establish your colony?”
*Walk around and listen to group discussions, have students explain where/why they are establishing
their colony.
* Students must turn in a completed exit ticket that states: Member names, Name of our colony, Where
the colony will be established, Names of the four explorers that traveled to the New World before you
*Host a class wide discussion and ask students questions about the tableaux’s they performed. Ask the
students how the tableaux are allowed for students to think deeper and be active participants.
Medium/Resources/Materials/Technology/Prep:

Colonial simulation packet (provided by mentor)

Pencils
Exit Task
White board/Smart board
Tableaux Article
Introduction about tableaux lesson (taught on 10/23) -- This lesson explicitly taught the students what
tableaux’s were, how to use them to deepen their academic understanding, and how we would be using
them in social studies. If students are new to this type of art form, I believe it is essential to teach
students the foundational properties of a tableau so that they feel confident and prepared.

Closure/ Assessment/Reflection/ Critique:

Overarching— Students will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively within their small
groups, to complete their “Founding a Colony” packet and questions. Over the course of a few days
students will develop their colonies further, using tableaux as a way to connect to historical articles and
literature. Student’s final products will be their completed packet and their colonial advertisement
explaining all the key aspects of their newly created colony.

Day 1 (this lesson) – Students will be formatively assessed on their collaboration efforts in their small
groups, and their ability to use their background knowledge on the explorers to support their colonial
development. Summative assessment will be based on students completed packet work (for day 1), exit
ticket, and their tableaux’s that they performed. Following the tableaux’s (or at the end of the lesson), a
discussion will held about how students felt doing their tableaux. How their tableaux deepened their
understanding and allowed them to be part of history.

Special Considerations/Differentiation/Extension: include how this lesson could be adapted,

improved, extended, layered, include student assessment of learning, engagement, retention of concepts
and skills in both academic areas of instruction etc.

Special Considerations: Two students in this class have sensory processing difficulties, with that being
said, during the intro lesson that was taught on 10/23 I made it clear to the class that they are to talk with
their groups about what each person feels comfortable doing. Often when students think theatre or
drama, they someone end up touching each other and feeling the need to be ‘silly – there needs to be
clear boundaries and understandings amongst my students with each other and me so that they feel safe.
Those two students have chosen to be inanimate objects in the tableaux’s so that they can still partake
but are not required to be up-close with other students.

Engagement: Ensuring students are engaged during this lesson is essential. I want to make sure students
are having fun and expressing themselves, while also staying on task and engaged. In order to make sure
students do feel overwhelmed and are able to stay engaged, I have broken up the tableaux article into 4
parts. The article is attached at the bottom of the lesson.
Retention: My intention behind teaching an intro lesson on tableaux’s was to not breeze over the
creative arts component of this lesson. I didn’t want the students to feel like the arts part of the lesson
was busy work, but rather I wanted them to understand why they were doing them and how to
incorporate them in various ways. I believe that because the students were able to build on their tableaux
knowledge and then incorporate it into their social studies lesson they will have a better retention rate of
both core subjects.

I plan on continuing to incorporate tableaux’s throughout the rest of my time in this classroom and
hopefully my mentor would consider it too. I love that tableaux’s allow for students to show their
understandings of concepts in a way that truly reaches all students. Tableaux’s don’t ask for students to
use words, to make sounds, to find the best costume, or to do the coolest trick – they ask students to be
active participants and to take what they have learned and apply it in a theatrical way.

Tableaux Article

1. On August 5th, the Speedwell and the mayflower finally set sail for America. Not long into the

treacherous journey, the Speedwell began to leak. The ship took on water and rot began to occur – both

on the boat and on people’s bodies. With the fear that the ship would take on too much water and

capsize, it turned back to be fixed. The damage left the ship unsalvageable. Only one ship, the

Mayflower, could continue on.

2. With only one viable boat to get you and your fellow crewmembers onto, chaos ensued. People were

stepping over each other and searching for a spot on the one ship that was leaving to the New World.

You successfully worked together with your crewmembers to gain a spot aboard the ship.

3. Finally, the Mayflower departed, with you and your crew aboard. The living conditions on board were

unbearable. With no blankets and no food you and your crew were freezing and starvation was setting

in. The voyage only became more treacherous as the storms of October began to hit over the Atlantic

Ocean. Those who were not seasick were scavenging food from people’s belongings, hoping to find

something to fuel you and your crew.

4. As the October storms come to an end and land is visible in the distance, your crew has a decision to

make. Where in the New World do you want to settle? Why? Who explored that new world area before

you?