The English Settle America

Level: 7th Grade U. S. History *

Time to Complete: 3-4 weeks **

Show-Me Standards: SS 2, SS 6, CA 1, CA 3, CA 4, CA 6

Introduction

In the 1600s, the King of England allowed people to start colonies in the New World. The colonies were started for a variety of reasons. You have been hired by a brand new publishing company to write one of four biographies on one of the founders of the 13 original colonies. However, you are not the only one vying for the job. You will have to provide the best possible information on the person in order to get the job.

The Task

You will have to choose one of the four possibilities you have been assigned by the publishing company. You will then use the links provided and the library to research the person you have chosen. You will answer the questions the company has provided and write an outline of the information. You will then use the outline to create a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the person's life. The person with the best presentation will be given the first chance to write the book.

The Process

1. Choose one of the four people about which to write the biography: Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, William Penn, or James Oglethorpe.
2. Use the library and the resources provided below to research information about your chosen person.
3. Include the following information in your research: when and where the person was born; the person's parents and their brothers and/or sisters; who or if they married and any children they had; when and where and how they died (if available); which colony they founded and why; what else the person is known for; 2 or 3 highlights of the person's life.
4. Use your notes to create a PowerPoint presentation that includes the information above. The presentation must be at least 9 slides. One slide is used for each of the above required elements. It must also have title slide and a summary slide.
5. Present the PowerPoint show to your class.

The Resources ***

James Oglethorpe
English Roots of James Oglethorpe
James Oglethorpe by Rachel S.
James Oglethorpe
Compton's Encyclopedia James Oglethorpe

William Penn
Compton's Encyclopedia William Penn
Introduction, William Penn Proprietor
William Penn
Spotlight on History: William Penn

Anne Hutchinson
America's Christian Leaders: Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson: American Jezebel or Woman of Courage?
Anne Hutchinson Info
Compton's Encyclopedia Anne Hutchinson

Roger Williams
Compton's Encyclopedia Roger Williams
Roger Williams by Lindsay S.
Roger Williams
Early History Scroll down to Roger William Personal Profile

Evaluation

Your presentation will be evaluated using the following criteria:

3 pts.	2 pts.	1 pt.
	Has included scoring guide.	Scoring guide not included.
Has included all of the required information.	Is missing 1 of the required information items.	Is missing more than 1 of the required information items.
Presentation has 9 or more slides.	Presentation has 7-8 slides.	Presentation has fewer than 7 slides.
Has a title slide with the person's name, the student's name, and the date.	Title slide is missing one part.	Is missing title slide.
Included a summary slide with 3 points.	Summary has only 2 points.	Did not include a summary slide.
Chose a template appropriate for the subject.	Has a template that does not go well with the presentation.	Did not use a template.
Has no spelling errors.	Has less than 3 spelling errors.	Has more than 3 spelling errors.
Has less than 3 grammar, punctuation, and capitalization errors.	Has 3-5 grammar, punctuation, and capitalization errors.	Has more than 5 grammar, punctuation, and capitalization errors.
Has used at least 3 different slide types.	Has used 2 different slide types.	Has used only 1 type of slide.
Spoke in an even easily-understood voice.	Could be heard most of the time.	Could not be heard for most of the presentation.
Maintained eye contact with the audience for 90% or more of the presentation.	Maintained eye contact with the audience for 60-89% of the time.	Maintained eye contact with the audience less than 60% of the time.
Did not read the presentation.	Did not read most of the presentation.	Read most of the presentation.
Elaborated on at least 3 points from the slides.	Elaborated on at least 2 points from the slides.	Elaborated on 1 or 0 points from the slide.

Conclusion

Completing this assignment should give you as a student an insight into better understanding the reasons why people started the original 13 colonies.

* This webquest was written for use with a special education student at the 7th grade level. However, it is appropriate to use with any level studying this era of American history.

** This length of time is meant for a special education student. A regular education student would take approximately 2 weeks to complete this assignment.

*** Keep in mind these resources were chosen to be at the appropriate educational level for my special education students. Some of them may seem "simple" to other students

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