Core Skills Analysis
History
- A 10-year-old learns about the establishment and significance of the 13 American colonies.
- They gain insight into early American settlement patterns and colonial life.
- They understand historical timelines and cause-effect relationships relevant to colonial America.
- Exposure to online materials fosters independent research skills about historical topics.
Geography
- The student identifies the geographic locations of the 13 colonies within present-day USA.
- They learn how geography influenced population distribution and development in colonial times.
- They practice reading maps and connecting physical locations to historical events.
- Understanding how coastal access impacted trade and colonial economy.
Tips
Tips: To deepen understanding of the 13 colonies, encourage creative mapping activities where the student draws and labels each colony, adding notes on key facts like founding dates and economic activities. Including storytelling sessions about life in different colonies can bring historical figures and daily colonial experiences to life. Use role-play or debates to explore different viewpoints from colonists, Indigenous peoples, and Europeans to build empathy and critical thinking. Finally, connect geography and history by exploring how natural features like rivers and coasts influenced colonial settlements and growth patterns.
Book Recommendations
- Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy by Kate Waters: A vivid picture book that brings colonial America to life through the daily experiences of a young Pilgrim boy.
- If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern: An engaging introduction to everyday life for children living in the American colonies.
- The Story of the Thirteen Colonies by Adrienne Su: A clear and informative overview of the founding and history of each of the 13 colonies.
Learning Standards
- History: Understand changes in Britain from 1700 to 1900 (National Curriculum KS2 History: A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils' chronological knowledge beyond 1066, including the 13 colonies).
- Geography: Locate countries and describe features studied; understand human and physical geography (National Curriculum KS2 Geography: Locational knowledge and place knowledge related to the USA).
- History: Use dates and vocabulary related to the passing of time to sequence events (KS2 History).
Try This Next
- Create a blank map of the 13 colonies for the child to fill in with colony names and key facts like founding dates and main industries.
- Write a short diary entry imagining a day in the life of a child living in one of the colonies, incorporating historical and geographic details learned.