Download Specific Objectives: The students will be able to

Lesson Plan Title: The Jamestown Colony: A Study in Propaganda
Concept/Topic to Teach: Persuasive writing/ use of propaganda
Standards Addressed:
Language Arts 10th Grade
10-4 Recognizing propaganda in informational texts
10-7 Write in persuasive modes using an abbreviated
writing process.
10-8 Write in a variety of genres for various audiences
and occasions, both formal and informal, using
attention-getting opening and an effective conclusion.
10-9 Apply principles of Standard English by adjusting
vocabulary and style for the occasion.
Specific Objectives: The students will be able to:
-
Identify 5 positive and 5 negative characteristics of the Jamestown
Colony using a concept map
Write 10 interview questions for a colonist
Conduct a 5 minute mock interview
Be able to answer 8 out of 10 interview questions correctly.
Write a persuasive brochure using at least three persuasive items
encouraging settlers to come to Jamestown
Create a brochure using at least 3 graphics
Write using Standard Grammar with no more than 2 grammatical or
spelling errors
Required Materials: Elements of Literature: 5th Course, Microsoft Word program,
computer, printer, American History: The Early Years to 1877, National
Geographic: Beyond the Movie: Nightmare in Jamestown
Anticipatory Set (Lead-In): Discuss the use of propaganda in television ads and
magazines. Particularly, mention the encouragement the ads give in
traveling to tourist locations. In history, we learned that Jamestown was
actually a great failure in planning and leading. The students should be
reminded, though, that, in order to promote the colony, the Virginia
Company had to encourage Englanders (both men and women) to come
to the New World. Ask the students to imagine what you would need to
be told to encourage you to leave your home country and completely
settle in a new place about which you may know very little.
Step-By-Step Procedures for Teaching the Lesson:
1. Review propaganda from previous lessons.
What is propaganda?
How is propaganda used by the media?
How has propaganda been used by governments?
Are television advertisements examples of propaganda?
What are some of the positive and negative connotations used in
ads to affect people’s concepts?
Give an example of propaganda in history?
How does yellow journalism use propaganda to influence the
public’s opinion?
2. Read William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation “The Starving
Time” from Elements of Literature: 5th Course. Discuss the
difficulties that faced new settlers in the colonies.
3. Discuss the problems of Jamestown that were presented in the
National Geographic documentary shown. This should have been
shown prior to this class period. These could include the lack of
protection offered by being trapped in such a small inlet, the
marshy land causing problems with plant growth, lack of food
sources, paranoia of spies, and problems with the Native
American population.
4. Discuss the positive points of the Jamestown Colony. These could
include opportunities for gold discovery, abundance of natural
resources, religious freedom, and much more land than England
offered.
5. Have a sample brochure to share with the class. It should include
both text and graphics. Explain to the students that the point of
the brochure is to convince people in England to relocate to
Jamestown. It must be written in a way that minimizes problems
while emphasizing positives. The students will be creating a
brochure of their own. Be sure to pass out the rubric that will be
used to grade the brochure. This product should be completed
over the next few class periods.
Guided Practice/Monitoring:
Pair students up in groups of two. Each pair should create at least ten
questions that would be appropriate to ask a colonist in Jamestown.
Have the pair decide on a persona of the interviewee. The group
should be familiar enough with Jamestown’s history to be able to
accurately answer the interview questions presented.
Have students then create a concept map listing at least five positive
and five negative aspects of the Jamestown Colony. Then, have the
students underline all words that have negative connotations.
Discuss how those words could be changed to create a positive
connotation, thus creating positive propaganda.
Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): Briefly review the intention of propaganda
once more. Ask, “How is propaganda used in today’s world?” Then
touch again on how important the success of the Jamestown Colony was
to the eventual colonization of the New World. “What could the Virginia
Company have told the English citizens to convince them that the
Jamestown Colony offered great opportunity?” Go back over the rubric
and what is expected from the final product: the brochure.
Assessment Based on Objectives: 
-
Identify 5 positive and 5 negative characteristics of the Jamestown
Colony using a concept map
Write 10 interview questions for a colonist
Conduct a 5 minute mock interview
Be able to answer 8 out of 10 interview questions correctly.
Write a persuasive brochure using at least three persuasive items
encouraging settlers to come to Jamestown
Create a brochure using at least 3 graphics
Write using Standard Grammar with no more than 2 grammatical or
spelling errors
Adaptations (For Students With Special Needs): Student’s with autism. The
Autism Society of America defines autism as “a complex developmental
disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is
the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning
of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction
and communication skills (“About autism,” 2008).” In order to
accommodate students with autism, be sure to have a specified list of
step-by-step instructions needed to complete each section of the
project.
Extensions (For Advanced Students): Have these students create both the
brochure and perhaps an Adobe Flash advertisement. The ad should
include both visual and audio components. The student should write a
script for this add and may use other classmates as actors in the
advertisement.
Possible Connections to Other Subjects: There is a direct correlation to the 10th
grade American history curriculum. Working with the history teacher, the
National Geographic documentary could be shown during that class rather than
taking up even more of your class time with this project. The 10th grade Social
Studies Course of Study also requires that the students have a clear
understanding of the development of the English colonies. This project would be a
great way to reinforce that understanding, while still practicing persuasive
writing.
Reflection: This lesson really encouraged my students to be creative while still
practicing strong persuasive techniques. It could have been improved by having
students practice with the brochure making process prior to this particular
assignment. My students actually seemed to really enjoy this project and learned
a lot from it. I did incorporate a sense of group involvement in the lessons by
alternating with individual and group work. This allowed the students to work
with several of their peers rather than to just function within one group. The idea
of propaganda is one that students seem to connect to Nazis in World War II or
politics. They were very surprised to discover that propaganda can be seen all
around us, even in news programs.
*** In every lesson, there must be opportunities for critical/creative thinking, and
fun and interesting student involvement activities. Give enough details in your
plan that any educator can take your written plans and replicate all components
of the lesson. Write it as though another person is going to use it!***