Grade Level

th

5 Grade Social Studies U.S. History

GT Class

TEKS:
Social Studies 8(B) Describe the accomplishments of significant individuals including William
Bradford, Anne Hutchinson, William Penn, John Smith, John Wise, and Roger Williams.
Technology 2(B) Collect, analyze and represent data to solve problems using tools such as word
processing, databases, spreadsheets, and graphic organizers.

Materials/Resources:
Supplemental Text History of US Colonial Period
www.history.org Colonial Period

New/Review Vocabulary:
Spreadsheet, cell, historical significance, summarization

Procedures:
Engage: The students will watch a short clip of life in Colonial America from Discovery Streaming.
Students will then write 2-4 things they notice about the people in the clip.
Explore: Students will work with their groups at their tables to find fast facts about William Bradford,
Anne Hutchinson, William Penn, John Smith, John Wise, and Roger Williams. They will use their
History of US books and the graphic organizer provided.
Explain: Each group will present their fast facts to the class. After that, the students will use the
computers in the classroom (4) and work with their group members to input the fast facts about the
individuals from the Colonial Period into a spreadsheet. At this point, the students have been previously
taught how to use Excel Spreadsheet.
Elaborate: Once each group has input their fast facts and completed their spreadsheets, the groups
will move throughout the room to evaluate each groups spreadsheet. There will be a comment page
next to each computer and the students will be instructed to provide positive feedback.
Evaluate: Each person in the group will then use their spreadsheet of fast facts to write an essay
about one of the individuals from the Colonial Period. The essay would include the following: Who is
this person, What did the individual contribute to US History, When did this person live and a little about
their life, Where did they live, Why is this person an important part of history, How did his/her ideas

impact us today? This essay will be 1-2 pages and can be turned in by the end of the week.