Katie Drahms
Social Studies Lesson
Mrs. Larson
October 6, 2016
Jamestown: Trading and interactions between the settlers and Native Americans
Purpose​:
Today, students will be introduced to the First Americans and English Settlers of
Jamestown. They will become familiar with what and how they traded and bartered
with each other and will understand what both groups needed to survive. Also, they
will be able to use their own knowledge to place value on what we need as humans
to survive.
Va SOLS​:
VS.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent English settlement in
America by
a) explaining the reasons for English colonization;
b) describing how geography influenced the decision to settle at Jamestown;
c) identifying the importance of the charters of the Virginia Company of London​ i​ n
establishing the Jamestown settlement;
d) identifying the importance of the General Assembly (1619) as the first
representative legislative body in English America;
e) identifying the importance of the arrival of Africans and English women to the
Jamestown settlement;
f) describing the hardships faced by settlers at Jamestown and the changes that took
place to ensure survival;
g) describing the interactions between the English settlers and the native peoples,
including the contributions of Powhatan to the survival of the settlers.
Objective​:
After teaching about what the First Americans and English settlers traded and
bartered to survive, the students will be able to distinguish what items both groups
traded with each other and place value on those items by role playing (trading) as the
First Americans and English settlers.
Materials​:
● Powerpoint presentation
● Promethean board
● Worksheets with First American and English Settlers trade items
● Scissors
● Reflection worksheet
● http://www.historyisfun.org/pdf/Life-at-Jamestown-Lesson-Plans/LifeatJamestown.
pdf
Introduction​:
● Pull up powerpoint on the smartboard.(V)
● Tell students that today we will be talking about the interactions and contributions
of the First Americans and the English Settlers.
● Slide 1: Begin by asking students questions to gauge their background knowledge.
○ “When the english settlers arrived at Jamestown, did they struggle to survive
or was it easy for them?”(A)
○ “What were some things that they struggled with?”(A)
■ Possible answers: the place they chose to live was marshy, lacked safe
drinking water, the settlers lacked certain skills, lacked food and
protection.
● Slide 2: Then, ask students about what they would do if they moved to a new place.
○ “If you were going to a new place, what would you need to survive?​”(A)
■ Possible answers: clothing, food, shelter, water
○ “How would you go about getting those things to survive?”(A)
■ Possible answers: meeting people, searching for food, using materials
to make shelter.
Development​:
● Begin by telling students:
○ “When the English settlers encountered the First Americans, they realized
that the First Americans had resources and materials that they could use to
help them survive, so they decided to trade with each other. (A)
● Slide 3: Captain John Smith started the trading relationships with the Powhatan
people.
○ Ask students about John Smith:
■ Who was John Smith and what part did he play when encountering
the First Americans?​”(A)
○ Answer: John Smith was an explorer who helped
establish the legacy of Jamestown. He also initiated
trade with the First Americans.
● Slide 4: The native people traded mainly food, furs and leather with the English
settlers in exchange for tools, lead cooking pots and copper to make jewelry.
■ Tell students that although the two groups traded many things, each
group had few items that were most important to them. (A)
● Slide 5: Directions for activity.(T,K)
○ Tell students we will be going outside to complete and activity.
○ Tell students that today we are going to be trading like First Americans and
English settlers.
○ Split the class into two groups: First Americans and English Settlers.
○ The First American group will get a piece of paper with pictures fur, leather
and corn.
○ The English Settler group will get a piece of paper with pictures of tools,
lead cooking pots and copper.
○ Tell them once they cut out their items, they will meet with people from the
opposite group and trade/barter.
○ While they are trading, they must talk amongst themselves as to what and
why they are trading their item.
○ Ex: I’m and trading this leather in exchange for cooking pots so I can cook
food.
● Have them do this for about 10-15 minutes.
Summary​:
● Have students go back to their seats
● Ask: (A)
○ “Why do you think trading between the Native Americans and English
settlers were so important?”
○ “What do you think would happen if the Native Americans and English
settlers didn’t trade?”
○ “When trading, what item did you find the most valuable and why?”
● Explain to the students that without the Native Americans help, the settlers would
have suffered greatly than they already had. Without the leather, furs or corn, the
settlers would lack food or protection/clothing. And the Native Americans
benefitted from having tools, copper pots and jewelry.
For advanced students​:
● If students finish early, have them pick what item they feel is most
valuable/important to them and have them write a few sentences as to why it is
important. (K,T)
● If students finish early, give them an article to read on Jamestown and have them
highlight the facts that they have already learned.
○ http://www.historyisfun.org/pdf/Life-at-Jamestown-Lesson-Plans/LifeatJame
stown.pdf
For struggling students:
● Have students fill out fill in the black worksheet that corresponds with the
powerpoint for them to keep in their notebook. (K,T)
Evaluation A:
● I will know the students have mastered the skill when they can distinguish what
each group needed and can place value on items traded.
Evaluation B:
● Did the students meet your objectives?
● How do you know?
● Did your lesson accommodate /address the needs of all your learners?
● What were the strengths of the lesson?
● What were the weaknesses?
● How would you change the lesson if you could teach it again?