Squanto LESSON PLAN

Teachers:
Subject:
Miss Engels
Social Studies
Standard:
S1.C3.PO2: Describe the interaction of Native Americans with the Pilgrims
(e.g., arrival of the Mayflower, Squanto, the Wampanoag, the first
Thanksgiving).
S1 C3 PO3: Describe the exchange of ideas, culture and goods between the
Native Americans and the Pilgrims.
ISTE Teacher Standard: 3: Model digital age work and learning, d: Model and
facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze,
evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.2
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information
presented orally or through other media.
Objective (Explicit):
Students will be able to describe Squanto as a Wampanoag Native American
who helped the Pilgrims survive in the New World.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):
Exceeds
Characteristics:
Number of Students:
SWBAT write a letter to Squanto
from the perspective of a pilgrim
thanking him for his help, using
at least two specific reasons for
thanks. Student also
demonstrates proper use of
grammar, capitilization, and
punctuation.
Meets
Characteristics:
Number of Students:
SWBAT write a letter to Squanto
from the perspective of a pilgrim
thanking him for his help, using
at least two specific reasons for
thanks.
Approaches
Characteristics:
Number of Students:
SWBAT write a letter to Squanto
from the perspective of a pilgrim,
giving less than two reasons for
thanks.
Falls Far Below

Characteristics:
Does not attempt

Number of Students:

Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex):

Review/Prior Knowledge: Students will know that the Pilgrims traveled on a
ship called the Mayflower in search of religious freedom. Students will know
the the Pilgrims had a very hard winter after arriving in Massachusetts, many

Pilgrims died.
New Learning:
Students will learn that Squanto was a Native American that lived in
Massachusetts in 1620.
Students will learn that Squanto helped the Pilgrims learn to farm and hunt.
Relevancy: It is important to know that Squanto was one of the Wampanoag
Native Americans that helped the Pilgrims survive in the New World. Without
him, there might not have been a first Thanksgiving.
Key vocabulary:
Materials:
Squanto
- Squanto online
Wampanoag
mini-book from
Pilgrim
Scholastic
Crops
(Appendices A)
-Daily book page
(Appendices B)
Squanto worksheet
(Appendices C)
-Circle Map

Guided Practice

Instructional Input

Opening (state objectives, connect to previous learning, and make relevant

to real life)
Build background knowledge by helping children make personal connections to
Squantos story. Ask If a new student joined our class, what could you do to help
them settle in? Would you tell them where the materials are kept? Or show them
where the playground, nurse, library, and cafeteria are? What else could you do to
make a new student feel welcome? Explain to children that today we will be
learning about a Native American named Squanto. He welcomed the Pilgrims when
they came to America by showing them how to survive in their new home. Teacher
will explain that at this time, the United States was not yet a country!
Teacher Will:
Student Will:
Teacher will bring students to the carpet in front of the
Listen as the teacher
promethean board. The teacher will display the Squanto
reads aloud the
online mini-book on the promethean board for all
online mini-book.
students to see (Appendices A). The teacher will read
Turn and discuss with
through the book, stopping at points to ask questions and a shoulder partner
go over difficult vocabulary words. After reading, the
something
teacher will ask students to turn to a shoulder partner
interesting that you
and tell them something you learned about Squanto.
learned about
Squanto during the
story.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
The teacher can print off a few copies of the mini-book for students who would
understand the story better if they had their own copy of the story. The pictures
on each page will aide in student understanding as well.
Teacher Will:
Student Will:
Bring students to the easel. The teacher will display a
Help teacher
circle map with Squanto in the center. The teacher and
generate ideas to
students will add ideas to the circle map about who
add to the circle
Squanto was and how he helped the Pilgrims survive in
map. Students will
the New World.
discuss how Squanto
was a Wapanoag
Native American who

After completing the circle map, the teacher will send the
students back to their seats to fill in the Squanto page
in their daily books (Appendices B).

helped the pilgrims

in many ways
including: hunting
wild turkey and deer,
catching fish and
clams, farming, and
planting corn, beans,
and squash.
Students will also fill
in the Squanto page
in their daily books.

Independent Practice

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
Teacher can read the story Squantos Journey if students want to learn more
about Squanto.
Teacher Will:
Give children copies of the Thank you, Squanto writing
activity (Appendices C). Teacher will encourage students
to pretend they are Pilgrims who received help from
Squanto. Teacher will explain that we are going to be
writing Squanto a thank you note, thanking him for all of
his help. Teacher will encourage children to use the idea
bank for topics to write about and include details they
learned from the online mini-book.

Student Will:
Students will put
themselves in the
position of a Pilgrim
in 1620. The
students will write a
letter to Squanto,
thanking him for all
of his help. Students
will use the ideas
from the idea bank
and include details
from the mini-book
and circle map.

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
Teacher can provide students will a list of sentence starters to help with their
writing. For example: I am writing to thank you for You are a great teacher
because Thank you for teaching me how to
Teacher can also re-read the online mini-book one more time to help students
generate ideas for their writing.
Closing/Student Reflection/Real-life connections:
Teacher will ask students what we have learned today? Teacher will explain that
today we learned about a Native American named Squanto who helped the Pilgrims
survive in the New World. Squanto was a very kind, generous, and helpful Native
American. We should learn from Squanto and always be kind and helpful towards our
friends in school.

Appendices A
Squanto Online Mini-Book can be found at:
http://minibooks.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/swf/09/IW
B09_e010.swf?
lt=MB/ib//eng/FullScreenIWB///MB_proddetail/txtl/IWBusgae///

Appendices B

Appendices C