Pre-Columbian Settlements Lesson Plan for 5th Grade Students

Topic: Pre-Columbian Settlements

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify and describe the major pre-Columbian settlements, including the cliff dwellers and pueblo people of the desert Southwest, the American Indians of the Pacific Northwest, the nomadic nations of the Great Plains, and the woodland peoples east of the Mississippi River.
• Students will be able to explain the reasons for the different types of settlements and how they were able to thrive in their particular environments.

Materials:

• Maps of the United States and the world
• Pictures of the different types of pre-Columbian settlements
• Writing materials (pencils or pens)
• Colored pencils or markers

Warm-Up

• Show the students a map of the United States and ask them to raise their hands if they know what each type of settlement is.
• Then, show them a map of the world and do the same thing.
• Ask the students if they can think of any other types of settlements that they might have forgotten.

Direct Instruction

• Begin by presenting the students with a brief overview of the pre-Columbian settlement patterns in North America.
• Use the maps and diagrams to show the distribution of the different types of settlements and the environmental conditions that influenced their location.
• Explain the characteristics and features of each type of settlement, such as the materials used to build the houses, the types of housing, and the way of life.
• Use a textbook or other resource materials to provide more detail on the settlements.

Guided Practice

• Divide the students into small groups and give each group a specific pre-Columbian settlement type to research.
• Have the students use the maps and other resource materials to find the location of their chosen settlement type and then sketch a map of the settlement showing its location relative to neighboring communities.
• Have the students use their sketch to create a brief description of their settlement, including the environmental conditions, characteristics of the settlement, and the way of life of its residents.
• Have the students present their findings to the class and provide feedback and questions as needed.

Independent Practice

• Have the students work in teams to create a 3-d model of a pre-Columbian settlement of their choice.
• Provide each team with a variety of materials (paper, cardboard, clay, etc.) and have them use their creativity to recreate the settlement using the materials provided.
• Have each team present their model to the class and explain the choices they made and why they chose to include certain features in their model.

Closure

• Review the main points covered in the lesson and ask the students to summarize what they have learned about pre-Columbian settlements.
• Ask the students to discuss any questions or thoughts they have about the topic.

Assessment

• Observe the students during the guided practice and independent practice activities to see if they are able to describe the main points of the pre-Columbian settlements they have studied.
• Collect and grade the students' maps or websites as a form of assessment.