Colonial American Diary

Introduction
A new company, Historical Travel, has invented a time machine that will transport vacationers to the past for 24 hours. Their first vacations will be to the 1700's. Historical Travel needs your help to prepare the travelers for this historical experience. The company wants you to prepare travel information for vacationers who will be voyaging to the colonial time period.
Essential Question: How is life different in the 1700's?

Task

You will research a day in the life of a person living in the 1700's.

First you will need to decide who you will be:

   

Child
boy or girl

  
Adult
man or woman

Next you will form groups according to your choice.
Then you will research what colonial life would be like, by exploring some of the following topics:

clothing

homes

food

transportation

education

chores

occupations

medicine

recreation

health

Later your team will discuss with each other what they have discovered in their research.

Product
After researching your person, you will present your information to the class in a diary format: "A Day in the Life of _________". Your diary should go through an entire day from when you wake up until you go to sleep that night. You will add personal comments about the events of that day.

Assessment

The following scoring tool will be used to assess your diary.

The following scoring tool will assess your group participation and information gathering.

Question

Essential Question: How is live different in the 1700's?

  • What did they wear?
  • What did they eat?
  • What work did they do?
  • What did they do for fun?
  • What did they do in their daily activities?
  • What other information do you need to gather to describe a day in the life of your person?

Brainstorm with your group what information would be valuable to the time travelers.
Make a list of your questions or topics to help get organized before beginning your research.


Gather

1.. Each member of your group should gather resources about different topics.
2. Use these specific websites about your topic: Child or Adult
3.Use the Library Pro to locate books about the topic in your school library.

Use this organizer to record your information.

Organize

1. Meet with your group to discuss and share the information that you have found.
2. Fill out the fact sheets with your teams information.
3. After meeting with your group, use the information to write your diary. Use this planning sheet to help guide you as your write your diary. Make sure you include personal feelings and reactions to what is happening in your day.
4. Use the scoring tools to evaluate your work and make sure that you have incuded everything.

Conclude

1. Share your diary with your classmates.
2. After listening to your classmates, write 3 differences that the Historical Travelers should be prepared for when they travel to the colonial time period. What should these travelers pack to take with them to help them with culture shock? List 3 things and explain why they need them.