📖

More Colonies, More Reasons

Colonial America Begins

Day 27of 180
Week 6of 36
25Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand why early settlers came to America

2

Recognize different motivations for colonization

3

Develop empathy for people seeking new opportunities

📖 Scripture Connection

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

— Proverbs 3:5-6 (WEB)

Just as settlers trusted God for guidance in a new land, we can trust God to direct our paths

📦 Materials Needed

  • Large world map
  • Paper and colored pencils
  • Picture cards of early settlers
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Gather students in a circle and show a world map. Ask: 'What would make you want to leave your home and travel far away?'

💭 Review Question: What did we learn about Jamestown yesterday?
2Teaching (10 min)

Explain how different groups came to America for unique reasons: some sought religious freedom, others wanted land, and some hoped for economic opportunities.

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Pilgrims wanted to worship God freely
  • Some families wanted farmland
  • Traders hoped to find wealth
  • People dreamed of a new beginning
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • What would be hard about leaving your home?
  • Why might someone want to start over in a new place?
  • How can we be brave like these settlers?
3Activity: My Colony Dream (7 min)
drawing

Students draw a picture of why they might want to start a new community

📝 Instructions:
  1. Draw a picture of what you would bring to a new land
  2. Include something that shows what's important to you
  3. Share your drawing with a partner
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Trace a basic outline of a ship or new land

Challenge: Write a short story about your journey

4Closing (3 min)

Remind students that God guides people's journeys, just like He guided the early settlers

📝 Review Questions:
  • Why did people come to America?
  • What might have been scary about moving?
  • How can we be brave like the settlers?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, thank You for giving people courage to explore and seek new opportunities. Help us trust You in our own journeys.

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll learn about the different regions of the thirteen colonies!

💎 Memory Verse

Proverbs 3:5

“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart”

— Proverbs 3:5 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Hand motions: 'Trust' - point to heart, 'Yahweh' - point up

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Early colonial settlements were complex, with multiple motivations driving exploration

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Emphasize empathy and understanding
  • Help child see historical events as real people's experiences
  • Avoid romanticizing colonization
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might have difficulty understanding complex historical motivations

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Curiosity about different people's experiences and perspectives

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Research a specific colonial family's story
  • Create a colonial costume
  • Cook a simple colonial-era recipe

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 28 →Back to History & Social Studies