Brave New World: The Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony

It’s November, and the store circulars and holiday flyers are full of familiar Thanksgiving-themed images. Happy plump Pilgrims, holding a variety of foodstuffs ranging from roast turkey to pumpkins to ears of corn, stand alongside pink-cheeked Native Americans, ready to celebrate the first Thanksgiving in the bountiful New World. The reality, of course, was much different.

Blown off-course from its intended destination in Virginia, the Mayflower landed in an icy harbor near modern-day Provincetown, Massachusetts. Hampered by the bitter winter weather, the Pilgrims made their way down the coast of Cape Cod, eventually founding the Plymouth Colony. Life in the New World was extremely harsh, and about half of the Pilgrims and the Mayflower’s crew died during that first winter. Still, despite disease, malnutrition, and sometimes hostile native tribes, the Pilgrims persisted, and their determination and perseverance has become a hallmark of their legacy.

Students most often learn about the Pilgrims in the lower elementary grades, but there are many facets to the Pilgrims’ lives and history for older students as well. Older students can explore topics such as the effect of King Philip’s War on Plymouth Colony, the Mayflower Compact as a precursor to the American Constitution, or how the Pilgrims differed from the Puritans. Moreover, ELL students generally respond well to learning about the Pilgrims in the context of their role as immigrants, and how they built new lives for themselves in an unfamiliar land. Below, I’ve highlighted three resources on the Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony from the Gateway’s collection. I’ll also be featuring many more lessons, art projects, resources, and activities throughout the week on our Twitter and Facebook pages. Please read my colleague Peggy’s companion column (linked below) for additional resources and teaching ideas.

Paper Bag Pilgrim Dolls
Subjects: Visual Arts
Grades: K-3
In this activity, students will create a simple front and back 3-dimensional Thanksgiving Pilgrim doll. No sewing required, and the templates for creating the dolls are included in the resource. This is a fun activity that students are sure to enjoy, and the opportunity to make a three-dimensional craft (the dolls are stuffed) rather than to simply make drawings or cutouts, gives a nice boost to a traditional activity. This activity was produced by KinderArt, a site where teachers and parents can share art-related lesson plans, crafts, activities, and more.

Settling the Plymouth Colony
Subjects: US History, Language Arts, Geography
Grade: Advanced Beginners- Intermediate ELL Grades 4-8
The study of the Pilgrims, the Mayflower Compact, and the settlement of Plymouth is an excellent opportunity to develop an understanding of religious freedom and self-government with second language learners. This lesson highlights the importance of immigration in the history of the United States, and links this information to students' own experiences. I really like the comprehensiveness of this lesson – it covers a lot of ground in creative and engaging ways. This lesson was developed by Judie Haynes of Everything ESL, an online site that offers lesson plans, teaching tips, and advice to teachers of English Language Learners.

Life as a Pilgrim: Outline of Journal Lessons
Subjects: History, Language Arts
Grade: 9-12
In this lesson, students analyze the journals of Plymouth Colony governor William Bradford, and use their insights to write their own journals as Pilgrims. One of the elements that I like about this lesson is that students are asked to empathize with the triumphs and hardships of Pilgrim life, as well as to give their opinions about life and events on Plymouth Plantation. The lesson requires students to think critically about the information gathered – sometimes from conflicting accounts – and to not merely regurgitate what they’ve read or heard. This lesson was developed by “Thunderqueen,” and is available on Tripod.