The+Floating+House+Reinforcing+Activity-2


 * Objective: ** Students will be able to compare and contrast how American families who moved west to European colonial settlers coming to the New World.

Venn Diagram Colonists Vs. Western Settlers Computers for research Diorama Materials Shoeboxes
 * Materials: **

1. After reading the book The Floating House students will be assigned groups of 4 to discuss the following: -What did the McClures encounter on the River? -How did they meet their needs for food? -How did the McClures travel down the river? -What did they take to start their new home?
 * Procedures: **

-One student will be the designated scribe for the answers.

-This is an activity to get them thinking about what it took for the Settlers who went west to settle.

2. Compare and Contrast Settlers Expanding West and Early European Settlers <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Have students create a Venn diagram of Western Expansion Versus European Settlers. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">To do this, students will need computers or textbooks to be able to find information on the early settlements in America. Have students research information on the western settlers and early American settlers and notice similarities and differences on how they obtained basic needs, provided for themselves, and fill up their Venn diagram.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">3. Making a Model of a Western Settlement.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">After studying the similarities and differences have the students in their groups prepare a model of what a western settlement would have looked like. Assign half of the class to design an early European settlement model and half of the class to do the western expansion settlements. The models should show how people met their basic needs, how the settlements were laid out and any other distinct features found in their research. Students can use the pictures in the book the floating house to help get ideas for their models. Students will have a week to work on their models and at the end groups will present their models to the class and students will see how similar their models look and how European settlers influence still affected America in the 1800's.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">4. Reflection <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Have the groups write a short reflection on what they learned about the similarities and differences of the western settlements to the early European settlements.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Other Standards

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Strand: History <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Topic: Historical Thinking & Skills <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Content Statement: Multiple-tier timelines can be used to show relationships among events and places.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Students could make a timeline from early colonization through the expansion westward by the United States.