13 Colonies: Assessment Project

What would it be like to live in one of the early American Colonies?

In this assessment, you will try to put yourself in the place of someone who lived in an early American colony, learn what it would be like to live in that place during that time, and then try to persuade other settlers to choose to live there.

The Task:

Your task is to create a brochure, pamphlet, or booklet that would encourage new settlers to move to and live in whichever American colony you decide upon. Since you will be encouraging someone to live in the colony, your booklet should contain persuasive writing, and a section on each of the following topics:

  1. climate
  2. economy
  3. natural resources
  4. religion
  5. physical geography
  6. Native Americans
  7. other interesting information
  8. map

You can choose whichever colony you wish, or you may have one assigned to you by the teacher.

Steps to follow:

  1. Decide which colony you will be doing your project on
  2. Research the colony, you may use the internet, notes, and the textbook as a guide
  3. Gather research on the topics that should be used in your project.

When researching the topics about your colony, focus on the following questions as a guide:

Climate:

What is the climate like in this region?

Would this climate attract settlers or drive them away?

How would the climate affect farming, trade, economy, etc.?

Economy:

How do the people in this colony make a living and what are their major industries?

Natural Resources:

Does this colony have a large or small amount of natural resources?

What kinds of natural resources are found within this colony?

What amount of money can we make off of these resources?

Religion:

What religion is most prominent within this colony?

Does this colony allow religious freedom?

13 Colonies: Assessment Rubric

Scale
Criteria / 0 to 2 pts.
(Below Standard) / 2 to 4 pts.
(Needs Improvement) / 5 to 7 pts.
(Meets Standard) / 8 to 10 pts.
(Exceeds Standard)
Correct format for booklet / Booklet is not organized.
Booklet is not arranged in correct order.
Appearance is messy. / Booklet is basically organized.
Booklet is in somewhat proper format.
Less than adequate effort and appearance. / Booklet is well organized.
Booklet format is more than adequate.
Appearance and effort are sufficient. / Booklet is extremely organized in appearance.
Effort and appearance exceeds minimum requirement.
Topic sheets/Paragraphs persuade reader to move to colony / Topic sheets not written in full sentences.
Not enough info.
No persuasive writing. / Topic sheets somewhat written in full sentences.
Less than adequate information.
Little persuasive writing used. / Topic sheets/paragraphs written sufficiently.
Sufficient information provided on topic pages.
Sufficient persuasive writing used. / Topic sheets/paragraphs written in correct form.
More than enough information is provided on the colony.
Correct and elaborate persuasive writing is used.
Overall performance, participation, and effort / Student is not engaged in the activity.
Student puts forth little or no effort.
Unsatisfactory overall performance, and effort. / Student is less than adequately engaged in activity.
Student puts forth minimum effort.
Less than adequate overall performance, and effort. / Student is sufficiently engaged in the activity.
Student puts forth sufficient effort.
Sufficient overall performance, and effort. / Student is engaged in the activity.
Student puts forth more than the minimum effort.
Excellent overall performance, and effort.