Students learn the locations of the Spanish, French, British, and Dutch colonies in the seventeenth century. They explore how the geography affected each group of colonies. Finally, they consider what factors they would weigh if they were to settle in a new colony.
Students are introduced to the focus of the experience: how geography shaped where European colonists settled in North America. They reflect on reasons people move by contributing to a word cloud about why people might move to their own town. Then, imagining themselves as leaders of a colonial expedition in the early 1600s, they respond to a second word cloud listing factors they would look for when deciding where to settle a new colony.
Teacher MovesConnect this experience to prior learning about European exploration, emphasizing that the focus now shifts from why people moved to where they settled. Use student word cloud responses to highlight key geographic factors such as climate, soil, water access, natural resources, and relationships with Native Americans.
Students read and examine 1607-1609 — The first permanent English colony in North America and a map titled European Exploration of North America to identify the locations of Spanish, French, English, and Dutch colonies. Using a digital map tool, they complete the map legend by labeling each group of colonies with its parent country.
Teacher MovesClarify the color key for the colonial map (yellow: Spanish, blue: French, red: English, green: Dutch) and support students as they match colonial regions to their sponsoring countries.
Students use Comparing Settlement Patterns: New Spain, New France, and British North America and The New World: A Stage for Cultural Interaction to investigate how geography influenced the economies of Spanish, French, English, and Dutch colonies. They complete two graphic organizers by writing brief explanations of how each colonial power relied on surrounding geography and natural resources.
Teacher MovesRemind students that their current focus is on how geography affected colonial economies and that they will explore other aspects of these colonies later. Use student responses in the organizers to check understanding of the connections between climate, terrain, resources, and economic activities.
Students imagine themselves as early colonists choosing where to settle in North America. Drawing on what they have learned, they identify their main motivation for coming to the Americas, select a region where they would settle, and post to a class wall explaining two factors they consider most important, using evidence from the readings to support their choices.
Teacher MovesHighlight and share interesting or exemplary student posts to prompt class discussion about how different motivations (such as trade, farming, or community-building) influence settlement choices. Guide students to consider key geographic factors like water access, farmland, climate, and tradable resources, and note that many people came to the Americas by force through enslavement.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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