Lesson 4: Comparing the Colonial Regions

Big Ideas of the Lesson

One common feature of all three colonial regions was the importance of port
cities. These cities allowed goods to move to and from the Colonies.
The three colonial regions were different in many important ways.
Regional differences were the result of factors such as climate, natural
resources, economic activities, and settler populations.

Lesson Abstract:
In this lesson, students compare features of all three colonial regions. The lesson begins with a
review of colonial data with students writing conclusions based on the data. Students then
practice the summarizing by completing a chart. Next, students complete a Venn diagram and
compare their work with a partners work. Finally, students synthesize the data about the
colonial regions by creating generalizations.

Content Expectations
5 U2.3.2: Describe the daily life of people living in the New England, Middle, and Southern
colonies.
5 U2.3.5: Make generalizations about the reasons for regional differences in colonial
America.

Common Core State Standards:

RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more

individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text
based on specific information in the text.

Key Concepts
generalizations
regional differences

Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative
Chart paper
Overhead projector or document camera/projector

Student Resource
Bower, Burt, et al. Americas Past, Social Studies Alive Program. Palo Alto, CA:
Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2010 or a similar fifth grade social studies textbook.
Pp.85-93.

Teacher Resource
Egbo, Carol. Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 4). Teacher-made material.
Michigan Citizenship Collaborative, 2011.

Lesson Sequence
1. Divide students in pairs and give each pair a copy of the two Colonial Data sheets,
located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 4). Have the pairs to compare the
three colonial regions by examining the data and then writing three conclusions based upon
the data. Provide students time to work and then have them share their ideas with the
whole group. Possible answers include:
The Middle and Southern Colonies were very dependent on farming. Food
crops were important in both regions.
Grain was by far the major export of the Middle Colonies.
The New England Colonies had the most diversity in exports.
The export that brought in the most money in the colonies was tobacco,
which was grown in the Southern Colonies.
The value of exports in the Southern Colonies was greater than that of the
other two regions.
More people lived in the Southern Colonies by 1750 than in each of the
other two colonial regions.
Although the New England Colonies were smaller in area, more people lived
in that region than the Middle Colonies.

2. Divide students into groups of four and give each group a copy of the Colonial
Regions Chart, located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 4). Tell groups to
work together to summarize important information about the three colonial regions by filling
in the chart. Encourage groups to use the charts they created in Lessons 1-3 for this activity.

3. Have groups share their charts with the entire class. Create a master list of
characteristics of the three colonial regions on chart paper. Note that a Completed Colonial
Regions Chart with possible answers has been included in the Supplemental Materials
(Unit 4, Lesson 4) to use as reference.
Pimp my unit: Use an online interactive chart like these below to note what students are
sharing. http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/cc/gr_organ/tchart/tchart.asp
https://www.learninggamesforkids.com/graphic_organizers/writing/t-chart.html
 4. Give each student a copy of the Venn Diagram located in the Supplemental Materials
(Unit 4, Lesson 4) and display a copy of the diagram. Remind students that this type of
diagram allows you to compare three different things. Point to the center of the intersecting
circles and explain that in this section students will describe a characteristic shared by all
three regions. Next, point out where students will describe a characteristic shared by the
New England and Middle Colonies. Finally, point out where students would describe a
characteristic unique to the New England Colonies. Have students complete the diagram.
Pimp my Unit: Using the site
https://www.learninggamesforkids.com/graphic_organizers/writing/venn-diagram.html
Allow students to create an online Venn Diagram for the three regions and send the finished
one to the teacher or share in a google doc.
5. Place students in pairs and have partners share their Venn diagrams with each other.
Then, have students share with the large group. Note that a Completed Venn Diagram
showing possible answers has been included in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson
4) to use as reference and for evaluating student diagrams.

6. Remind students that they have gathered a lot of information about the three colonial
regions in this unit so far. Explain that it is important now to synthesize all this information in
an effort to make generalizations about reasons for differences among the regions. Divide
students in pairs and ask each pair to come up with two reasons that would explain how the
colonial regions ended up being quite different.

7. Give pairs time to work and then match two pairs together to make groups of four. Have
the groups discuss the generalizations each pair came up with. Then, discuss the
generalizations in the large group. Note that possible generalizations include:
Regional differences were the result of differences in climate.
Regional differences were the result of differences in natural resources.
Regional differences were the result of differences in economic activities.
Regional differences were the result of differences in early settlement
patterns.
Regional differences were the result of cultural differences.

Assessment
An assessment has been included in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 4, Lesson 4,) in which
students answer multiple-choice questions. Answers to the Multiple Choice questions are as
follows: 1: B, 2:D, 3:A, 4:D, 5:B, 6:C. The Venn diagram created in Step 6 can also be used as
an assessment.