Are you looking for ways to modernize your Jamestown Colony history lesson?
If so, don’t teach, take a tour! Turn your learners into tourists! Explore the first permanent English settlement in North America.
Why Create Walking Tour for History Lessons?
Walking Tours are opportunities for students to research a topic. Stations are set up around the room. Students visit stations and collaborate with peers. As a result, lessons become learning experiences.
Turn any lesson into a walking tour! Read more details here.
Jamestown Colony Walking Tour
Step 1: Colony Settlement Pattern Background Knowledge
1. Before teaching Jamestown, build background knowledge. Compare maps to determine how geography affected where colonist settled.
2. In order to understand how colonies developed, introduce The Virginia Company of London. Most importantly, emphasize its role in establishing Jamestown.
3. Since Roanoke was the first colony, teach it first.
- Article
- Reader’s Theater
Step 2: Create a Jamestown Tour Guide
How to a Create a Jamestown Tour Guide
- A tour guide includes guiding questions or writing prompts.
- Use questions from your Scope and Sequence .
- Follow priority content and concepts in the Companion Document.
Divide the Jamestown Tour Guide into Sections
- Each section aligns to the materials in each station.
- For example, create a station for Establishing a Colony. Include sources in this station. Include questions for those sources in the Establishing a Colony section on the Tour Guide.
- Stations
- Establishing a Colony
- Establishing Jamestown
- Native Americans & Colonist
- Growth of Jamestown
- Life in Colonies: Jamestown
Assign Colonial Student Travel Groups
- First, groups rotate to each station.
- Then, analyze sources.
- Next, hold a group discussion.
- Last, record information on the “Tour Guide” sheet.
Review the Jamestown Walking Tour Expectations
Before the walking tour, review:
- voice levels
- transitions
- discussion
- computer use (if provided)
- how to analyze sources
- how to write answers
- use of time (set a timer)
Step 3: Create a Jamestown Walking Tour
Display content in each of the five stations. Post stations throughout the classroom.
Content
- articles
- images
- websites
- short videos
- charts
- quotes
- PowerPoint
- artifacts
- games
5 Stations for Jamestown Walking Tour
1. Jamestown: Establish a Colony
Create Establishing a Colony Posters
- Virginia Company
- King James
- Charter
2. Establishing Jamestown
Create Establishing Jamestown Posters
- Choosing a Location
- Map of Jamestown
- shows its location near the James River and Atlantic Ocean
- Map of Jamestown
- Write a paragraph explaining the water conditions.
- Why did John Smith call Jamestown “a very fit place for erecting a great city”?
- Jamestown Fort Image
- John Smith’s Map of Virginia
3. Interactions: Natives vs. Jamestown Colonist
Native American Perspective
- Explain how the Native Americans mixed feelings about the new settlers.
John Smith
- Explain how Smith established trade with Chief Powhatan.
John Rolfe and Pocahontas
- Explain how John Rolfe was a settler who began growing tobacco as a cash crop in Jamestown.
- Explain how the marriage between John Rolfe and Pocahontas helped form a good relationship with the Jamestown colonist and the Powhatan Native Americans.
- Display sources
4. Growth of Jamestown
Watch a Cash Crop Video to Understand Jamestown
- Cash Crops
Display a Growth of Tobacco in Jamestown Graph
- Growth of Tobacco Exports from Jamestown to England
Create Growth of Jamestown Posters
- Explain how tobacco was very popular in England during the 1600’s.
- Explain how The Virginia Company issued land to colonist who grew tobacco.
5. Life in Jamestown Colony
Display Jamestown Colony Primary Resources
- Nova Britannia
- House of Burgesses
- Christianity
Create Daily Life in Jamestown Posters
- Type of work in Jamestown
After the Jamestown Colony Walking Tour
Class Discussion about Jamestown Colony Facts
Leave time for class discussion after the Walking Tour.
- Review the key content as a whole class.
- Discuss parts of the activity.
- Answer student questions.
Jamestown Colony Assessment | Test | Project
Create a Brochure
- Divide sections of the brochure to align with the five stations.
- Students apply knowledge to create a brochure.
- Provide a rubric.
No time to create a Jamestown Activity?
Click HERE for your Complete Jamestown Walking Tour.
Jamestown DBQ
You did it! Now it is time to turn your learners into tourists as they travel through the history of Jamestown!