History's Mystery
Introduction
With the English so far behind other European nations in sailing to America, it was time for them to start their own exploration. Queen Elizabeth wanted very much to plant a successful colony in North America. This leads us to the story of Roanoke.
Roanoke colony is one of history's great mysteries. The people in the colony completely disappeared and even today, what happened to them is unclear.
Procedure
We start with an activity surrounding a modern day mystery: "The whereabouts of DB Cooper." We will read a brief account of the unsolved crime and peak at the evidence, old and new.
Students will read a story on the much older, unsolved mystery of Roanoke. We will create a timeline of events and have them examine John White's account of his return to Roanoke to see if White can shed any light on the mystery.
We will watch a somewhat cheesy video from a 70s TV series entitled "In Search Of" which will offer some evidence as to the disappearance of Roanoke.
We will review a power point entitled "Fail" which covers the history of the colony. Students will read "The Lost Colony" and learn 4 popular theories surrounding the disappearance of the colony
The students will read "What really happened to Roanoke?" to look critically for flaws in some of the popular theories. They will also read some more recent articles that present new evidence (from 2007 and 2012) and possibly new theories of the mystery.
From there, students must decide which is the most believable or propose a theory of their own and then convince others of their beliefs
Resources:
Objectives:
Upon the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
Common Core standards
Evaluation:
Extension:
Delaware State Standards addressed
Geography Standard One Grade 6-8
Introduction
With the English so far behind other European nations in sailing to America, it was time for them to start their own exploration. Queen Elizabeth wanted very much to plant a successful colony in North America. This leads us to the story of Roanoke.
Roanoke colony is one of history's great mysteries. The people in the colony completely disappeared and even today, what happened to them is unclear.
Procedure
We start with an activity surrounding a modern day mystery: "The whereabouts of DB Cooper." We will read a brief account of the unsolved crime and peak at the evidence, old and new.
Students will read a story on the much older, unsolved mystery of Roanoke. We will create a timeline of events and have them examine John White's account of his return to Roanoke to see if White can shed any light on the mystery.
We will watch a somewhat cheesy video from a 70s TV series entitled "In Search Of" which will offer some evidence as to the disappearance of Roanoke.
We will review a power point entitled "Fail" which covers the history of the colony. Students will read "The Lost Colony" and learn 4 popular theories surrounding the disappearance of the colony
The students will read "What really happened to Roanoke?" to look critically for flaws in some of the popular theories. They will also read some more recent articles that present new evidence (from 2007 and 2012) and possibly new theories of the mystery.
From there, students must decide which is the most believable or propose a theory of their own and then convince others of their beliefs
Resources:
- Text Material:
- "Have You Seen This Man?" (intro activity)
- "Mystery of the Lost Colony (handout)
- "The Lost Colony" (handout)
- "What really happened to Roanoke?" (handout)
- John White's account of return to Roanoke (primary source)
- "Archeologists Find New Clues to Lost Colony
- Power point:
- Fail
- Video
- DB Cooper (original newscast)
- "The Skyjacker That Got Away" movie trailer:
- In Search of (Roanoke) c 1975
Objectives:
Upon the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- identify the location of the Roanoke colony (K)
- trace the history of the colony (K)
- explain the reasons for founding the colony (U)
- interpret evidence associated with the mystery of the colony (D)
- Students will develop an understanding of pre-industrial United States history and its connections to Delaware history, including:
Common Core standards
- Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Evaluation:
- Quiz on the Lost colony
- Paper (proposal) on personal theory on disappearance
- Exam on the Southern colonies
Extension:
- Virginia Dare and the Legend: The White Doe
Delaware State Standards addressed
Geography Standard One Grade 6-8
- Students will demonstrate mental maps of the world and its sub-regions which include the relative location and characteristics of major physical features, political divisions, and human settlements.
- Students will apply a knowledge of the major processes shaping natural environments to understand how different peoples have changed and been affected by, physical environments in the world's sub-region
- Students will analyze patterns of cultural activity associated with different world regions in order to explain the reasons for the cultural development of a place.
- Students will evaluate a location’s site and situation in order to identify and explain the distinctive cultural and physical characteristics, patterns of trade, and interactions that make a place unique
- Students will compare different historians' descriptions of the same societies in order to examine how the choice of questions and use of sources may affect their conclusions
- Students will develop an understanding of pre-industrial United States history and its connections to Delaware history, including:
- Three worlds meet (Beginnings to 1620)
- Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763)
- Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)
- Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
- Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
- Students will develop an understanding of ancient and medieval world history, and the continuing influence of major civilizations, including:
- The beginnings of human society
- Early civilizations and pastoral peoples (4,000-1,000 BC)
- Expanding zones of exchange and encounter (300-1,000 AD
- Intensified hemispheric interactions (1,000-1,500 AD)
- Students will understand that consumers and producers make economic choices based on supply, demand, access to markets, and the actions of the government.
- Students will analyze how changes in technology, costs, and demand interact in competitive markets to determine or change the price of goods and services
- Students will demonstrate how international trade links countries around the world and can improve the economic welfare of nations.
- Students will examine how nations with different economic systems specialize and become interdependent through trade and how government policies allow either free or restricted trade