Stations Handouts 

Handout Set (Includes the following):

• Handout A: Student Worksheet (one per student) 
• Handout B: England’s Colonies (3-5 copies) 
• Handout C: Spanish Colonial Culture (3-5 copies) 
• Handout D: Fur Trade in the Colonies (3-5 copies) 
• Handout E: The Northwest Passage (3-5 copies) 
• Handout Set F: Maps (3-5 copies per map) 
• Handout Set G: Artifacts (a set for each group for the final station) 

Teacher Resources

• Colonial World Stations Teacher Key 

Facilitation Notes

• This lesson requires preparation in advance. Be sure to set aside time to prep the station materials and classroom arrangement before class begins. 

Engage 

• To begin, watch BRI’s Colonization of America Homework Help Video together as a class.  
  • Stop at the following time stamps to check student understanding and facilitate a lesson preview for your students.  
  • 1:18– Today we will be learning more about the colonization of America in a stations activity. Based on what you’ve seen in this video so far, which four nations will we be talking about? 
  • 2:37- Summarize the Spanish and French reasons for settlement in North America. 
  • 4:02- Summarize the Dutch and English reasons for settlement in North America. 
  • End of Video- We will take a closer look at the differences between colonies later in this lesson, but let’s talk about what we think so far. How will the different reasons for settlement and types of governance effect the development of colonies in the “New World?” 

Scaffolding note: If needed, remind students that “Dutch” refers to people or things from Holland or the Netherlands. Show the country and region on a map to help them visualize its location. 

Explore 

Colonies Stations
Preparation 

• Print a class set of Handout A for students to use as worksheets. 
• Print 3-5 copies of Handouts B, C, D, E, and F. These will be used at stations. 
• Arrange your classroom into 5 stations, placing the corresponding handouts at each station:  
• Station 1: England’s Colonies (Handout B) 
• Station 2: Spanish Colonial Culture (Handout C) 
• Station 3: Fur Trade in the Colonies (Handout D) 
• Station 4: The Northwest Passage (Handout E) 
• Station 5: Maps (Handout Set F) 
• Keep Handout Set G and additional Handout A worksheets accessible but separate from the stations. 

Teacher note: Handout G features images without attributions. This is purposeful so that students must analyze the image to determine which Colonial Nation each artifact corresponds to. The attribution information for each image can be found in the teacher key. 

 Implementation 

• Begin by introducing the objective of the activity. Tell students: Today we will be learning about different aspects of the colonial world through collaborative exploration and analysis. 
• Distribute Handout A to each student. 
• Review the expectations for station activities, including partnering, noise levels, and how to seek help if needed. 
• Divide students into small groups and assign them to a starting station. 
• Allow 10-15 minutes per station for students to:  
• Read the materials provided. 
• Answer the corresponding questions on Handout A. 
• Rotate groups to the next station until all five stations have been visited. 
• Transition the class, continuing with their station groups, and distribute Handout Set G for the final simultaneous station. 
• Using the information gathered from the previous stations, students will:  
• Analyze the artifacts in Handout Set G. 
• Match each artifact to the correct colonial nation on their copy of Handout A. 
• Discuss the key takeaways from the activity. 
• Allow students to share insights or surprising facts they learned at the stations. 
• Collect Handout A for assessment or review. 

Teacher Notes: 

• Handout Set G should not be included in the initial station rotations. It is crucial for students to complete the first five stations to gather the necessary information for this activity. 
• Monitor student progress and engagement during the rotations. Provide assistance as needed. 
• Adjust rotation times based on your class period length. 

Assess & Reflect 

1. Synthesis Questions:

Students can answer these questions in whole or small group discussion or in short answer written responses depending on time and your group of learners.  

• How did each colonizing country govern their colonies? Think about how England, France, Spain, and Holland did things differently. 
• Why did European countries want to create colonies in the Americas? What were they hoping to get or achieve? 
• Why do you think British colonies ended up being more varied compared to Spanish or other colonies? 
• How do you think the way colonies started long ago might affect the United States today? Consider areas like industry and culture. 
• Student responses might include fishing along the coast, the presence of religious communities and churches, population density, or the use of English as the official language of the U.S. 

AND/OR 

2. Thesis Statement:

• Use the DBQ resources that accompany this unit to teach or review writing a thesis.  

Extend 

• Conference with small groups of students to refine their thesis statements. Give each student one area of strength and one area for growth. Then challenge them to revise their thesis statements.  
• You can utilize AI to help you, or your students revise thesis statements using a prompt like: Help me revise this thesis statement (include statement here.) Give me one area of strength and one area I can improve. The prompt is What factors influenced the establishment of different types of colonies in North America?