📖

Colony Trading Cards

The Thirteen Colonies: An Overview

Day 5of 180
Week 1of 36
35Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)

Learning Objectives

1

Research and identify unique characteristics of each original colony

2

Practice summarization and information organization skills

3

Understand the diversity of early colonial settlements

Proverbs 24:3-4

Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Proverbs 24:3-4 (WEB)

Just as wisdom builds a house, knowledge helps us understand how the colonies were established and grew

📦 Materials Needed

  • Index cards
  • Colored pencils
  • Ruler
  • Historical reference books or printouts
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Gather students and explain the trading card project. Show example of a completed trading card and discuss what information makes a card interesting.

💭 Review Question: What makes a piece of information memorable?
2Teaching (10 min)

Brief overview of colony diversity, explaining different regions and founding purposes

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Each colony had unique characteristics
  • Colonists came from different backgrounds
  • Information helps us understand history
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • Why might different colonies have different goals?
  • How did the location affect each colony's development?
3Activity: Colony Trading Cards (15 min)
project

Students will create detailed trading cards for each of the thirteen original colonies

📝 Instructions:
  1. Choose one colony to research
  2. Create a 5x7 inch index card
  3. Include: Colony name, founding date, founder, region
  4. Draw a small map or illustration
  5. Write 3-4 interesting facts
  6. Decorate with appropriate colors
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Focus on fewer details, use provided information sheets

Challenge: Include economic and social details, create a presentation about the colony

4Closing (5 min)

Students share one interesting fact about their colony

📝 Review Questions:
  • What surprised you about your colony?
  • How were the colonies different?
  • What did you learn about early American history?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for helping us learn about the brave people who started our country and sought freedom to worship you.

Coming up: Next week, we'll dive deeper into the reasons colonists came to America

Proverbs 24:3

Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.

Proverbs 24:3 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Create hand motions to represent building and understanding

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

This lesson introduces the diversity of early American colonies through a creative project

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Help children find age-appropriate research sources
  • Encourage creativity in card design
  • Discuss how God guided different people to create a new society
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might find research challenging or get overwhelmed with information

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Ability to summarize information and show curiosity about historical details

Extension Activities

  • Create a colony timeline
  • Make a large classroom map with trading cards
  • Research a colonial character and write a first-person story

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

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