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Reasons for Settlement – Lesson Plan

Guiding Questions

  • What factors influenced the establishment of different types of colonies in North America?

Objectives

  • Students will explain the push-pull factors that led to the earliest European settlements in North America. 

Student Resources:

  • Colonial World Interactive Timeline  
  • Reasons for Settlement Graphic Organizer  

  •  Glossary term(s): Push factors, Pull factors 

Facilitation Notes

  • This lesson explores why people moved to new lands during the colonial era. Some students may have personal experiences with migration, such as moving for work, military service, or other family circumstances. Consider notifying families ahead of time or checking in with students who may relate to this topic.  

Engage

Glossary term(s): Push factors, Pull factors 

  • Ask students: “If you had the opportunity to move anywhere in the world would you move? Why or why not? Where would you go and why?” 

​​Teacher ​N​ote:​ Expect students to have many questions, such as: “Is someone else paying for it?” and “Do I get to take my family?” Instead of answering these questions, have students consider them as part of their answers. 

  • Survey the class quickly to gauge the number of students, through a quick show of hands, that are moving against the number that are not moving. Ask students that are willing to move for their reasons for leaving and their reasons for choosing where they are going.  
  • Write the terms “Push Factors” and “Pull Factors” on the board. Provide definitions and a few student-generated examples: 
  • Push Factors: Reasons people leave their home country (e.g., war, famine, lack of resources). Include your students​’ ​push factors. 
  • Pull Factors: Reasons people are attracted to a new place (e.g., opportunity, freedom, resources). Include your students’ pull factors.  

Explore

  • Instruct students to access the Colonial World Interactive Timeline. For this lesson, they will be working with the following items to complete the graphic organizer: 
    • St. Augustine 1565 
    • Jamestown 1607 
    • Quebec 1608 
    • Plymouth 1620 
    • New Amsterdam 1624 
    • Massachusetts Bay Colony 1630 
    • Maryland 1632 
    • Rhode ​I​sland 1636 
  • Start together as a large group. Read the St. Augustine item and complete the organizer together.  
  • For example: Push factors include conflict with France and the need to control shipping routes. Pull factors include the spread of Catholicism and the strategic location.  
  • Have students read the remaining entries, identifying on the graphic organizer any push or pull factor related to the settlement identified.  

​​​Scaffolding note: If students need more support, use the I Do, We Do, You Do method to gradually guide them through the task. Start by modeling how to read and complete the organizer while students copy the example for St. Augustine. Next, complete the Jamestown item together with student input. Then, have students work on Quebec independently and review their answers as a class. Finally, allow students to complete the remaining items on their own.​​​​ 

Assess & Reflect

1. Reflection Questions

  • Direct students to answer the reflection questions on their graphic organizer.  
  • Explain which settlements had similar pull factors? 
  • Explain which settlements had similar push factors? 
  • Did any settlements push or pull factors relate to the factors you identified in the engagement activity?  
  • Are any of the common push or pull factors from the colonial period likely to still affect people today? Why or why not? 

Scaffolding Note: Students might work together in pairs to answer the reflection questions, or compare their answers to a peer after independent work time. 

 AND/OR 

 2. Completed Graphic Organizer

  • Collect student graphic organizers for evaluation and feedback