You will be part of an assigned group, consisting of four to five members.  Before you and your group can persuade others on the pros and cons of colonization, you will need to learn about past colonization.  Looking at early American colonization will give you many ideas that will help you form your opinions and complete your task.

 

Before you start the Process, read through the entire page.  You might also want to take a quick look at the rest of the site to see how it all works.  You can always return to the previous page by hitting the browser's "back" button.  You should keep this in mind when you look at the guides and rubrics on the "Rubrics/Resources" page.  Keep in mind also the fact that you will be completing a self-assessment rubric at the end of this WebQuest.  Looking at it now will give you an idea of what is expected of you.

 

Begin by brainstorming answers (use the brainstorm guide provided to help with your brainstorm session) to the following questions:

 

·        What is a colony?

·        Why do people colonize?

·        What might be the needs of the new colonists, and how will they be met?

·        What impact might colonization have on native culture?

 

Look at the vocabulary and definition sheet for help with the questions. When the brainstorming is complete, your group will research answers to the following questions:

 

• Why did people leave their homeland and colonize in America?
• Who were some of the important people in the early American colonies?
• What supplies did the colonists need in the first year?
• How were the needs of the colonists met?
• How were the natural resources of the land used?
• What geographic features helped make a colony successful?
• How did early colonists govern themselves?
• How did the early American colonists change the lives of the indigenous people?
• Which early American colony was the most successful, and why?

 

Instructions for research:

1.  First, carefully read through the questions to make sure all members understand them.

2.  Next, answer the questions based on the knowledge you already have as a team.

 

Divide the questions among team members in order to search more effectively.  Complete your research by using the websites provided.   If you still need more information, you can use books from the school library.  Doing your own Internet search for more information is not recommended because there is so much information out there!  However, if you still feel the need to search the web, use the key words provided, and be prepared to sift through a lot of sites to find good ones.

 

Key Words for Internet search:

1. Colonization of early America
2. Jamestown colony
3. Thirteen colonies
4. Early American history
5. American colony timeline
6. Indigenous people in early America
7. Indigenous cultures
8. Native Americans
9. History of Jamestown
10. American colonies
11. Middle colonies
12. Why people colonize
13. Common elements of culture
14. Cultural clash between indigenous people and colonists
15. Factors for colonization

 

3.  You must ask permission before beginning your own web search, and use only the search engines your teacher tells you.

4.  Meet back together as a team to discuss answers.

 

Instructions for task completion:

1. Your teacher will present your group with a sealed envelope, which will indicate whether you are to be for or against the colonization of the island.
2. You and your team need to decide which format you will use to persuade others.  You may write a persuasive letter, or make a PowerPoint or video presentation.
3. Divide your group so that you all share in the creation of the persuasive format.  You may wish to assign several people the task of doing the writing, while others may design the format of the presentation.  This choice will be left up to you to determine how best to use the skills of each group member.  Use the persuasion graphic organizer to help you with your planning.  You should have three reasons to support your opinion, along with three supporting facts or details for each.
4. Use the persuasion letter rubric if you have decided to write a letter.  If you are going to make a PowerPoint or video presentation, use the persuasive presentation rubric to make sure the necessary elements are completed.
5. Present the completed task to the class.
6. Complete the self-assessment rubric.

 

Go to Conclusion for final thoughts on this WebQuest.

 

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