Plymouth, Massachusetts:
Democracy Takes Root
1) Purpose:
a) To continue learning about the features of the Northeast region and the form of government of
Plymouth, Massachusetts through the interactive train tour and government activity.
2) Vocabulary and Key Terms
a) Plymouth: a city in southeast Massachusetts founded by the Pilgrims
b) Mayflower: the ship in which the Pilgrims sailed to the New World in 1620
c) Pilgrims: early religious settlers who journeyed to the New World in search of religious
freedom.
d) Democracy: a form of government in which people vote for their laws and leaders
3) Skills
a) Students will have to recall information about the Pilgrims from their previous social studies
lesson
the day before
b) Students will work in groups to present an argument
c) Student will make a decision about government based on their evaluation of their peers’ and
their own arguments
4) Objectives
a) As a result of this lesson students will:
i) Understand that there are different forms of government and their advantages and
disadvantages
ii) Be able to contribute to making decisions in small groups as well as individually based on
educated arguments
iii) Understand what a democracy is, why the Pilgrims chose to form one, and consider how it
affected our government today
iv) Understand the difficulty in creating a new government in a new society
5) Standards
a) Colonies established for religious, political and economic reasons 1.1a, 2.1c, 2.3c, 4.1c, 4.2a,
4.2b, 4.2c, 4.2d
b) Successes and challenges of the new government 1.1a, 1.1b, 1.3c, 1.4a, 2.3a, 2.4a, 4.1e, 5.1a
c) Cooperation and compromise 2.1c, 2.3a, 2.3c, 2.4b, 4.1d, 4.1e, 4.1f, 5.1e
6) Pre-Assessment
a) The day prior to this lesson, students learned about the pilgrims, including the reason they left
England and about Plymouth in 1620. Students showed comprehension of the concept of
leaving in search of religious freedom through their participation in class discussion.
b) Students made connections and predictions that demonstrated their ability to consider different
forms of government and their effectiveness.
7) Lesson Presentation
a) Set Induction
i) The teacher will ask our students to bring us back on board the train and describe where
we are on our trip.
(1) They should explain that the class in Plymouth, Massachusetts on the Mayflower
and are about to form a government.
(2) They should explain who the Pilgrims are and their reason for leaving England
(3) They should explain that they need to organize rule before leaving the ship
ii) The teacher will ask students what they think government was like in England
(1) Explain that it was a monarchy, ruled by one person and rule was passed down
through hereditary. They controlled everything, including religion
iii) Ask students to imagine they were on the ship
(1) What kind of government would they want and why
b) Procedure
i) The teacher will explain that they will participate in an activity where they will be broken
up into groups and have to come up with their own government.
(1) The teacher will hand out the activity worksheets and put up a transparency of the
worksheet.
(2) The teacher will have a student read the first paragraph,
(a) “You are in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Pretend that your group is on board
the Mayflower with the Pilgrims in 1620. Along with the Pilgrims, you must
decide how your colony will be governed. Choose one of the following four
options.”
(3) The teacher will have a student explain what the paragraph is asking to reinforce the
purpose.
(4) The teacher will then have students read each option for government and hold a
short discussion about each to clarify.
(a) Option A: Choose the wisest and nicest person to be king or queen of the
colony.
(b) Option B: Select five very smart and fair people to rule Plymouth
(c) Option C: Give every adult male a say in governing the colony.
(d) Option D: Give every person over the age of 10 a say in ruling the colony.
(5) The teacher will model the activity. The teacher will also explain that after the
activity we will learn from ‘Cindy’, the train tour guide, on the train tour about what
the Pilgrims chose.
ii) The teacher will explain that groups will be broken up by counting off students by letters,
A, B, C, and D. Students will go to each spot in the classroom marked group a, b, c, or
d. There will be about eight students in each group.
iii) The teacher will explain that once in groups they will have 15 minutes to discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of each government and choose the one they believe works
best. They will have to write a strong argument supporting their choice on the back of the
worksheet.
iv) The teacher will explain that after 15 minutes each group will have two minutes to present
their argument for why their government will work best. After hearing the arguments they
can go to the group has the strongest argument, or stay in their own.
v) The teacher will ask a student to re-tell the directions. The teacher will then break up the
groups and tell them to look at the clock and in 15 minutes will be done.
vi) While students work, the teacher will circulate. The teacher will give the students a one-
minute warning to finish up their argument.
vii) The teacher will allow two minutes to each group to present their argument. After all four
present, the teacher will allow any students to switch groups if they change their mind.
They will have to explain why they think that form of government would be better.
viii) The teacher will have students return to their seats, or get back on the train, to listen to
what ‘Cindy’ has to say about what form of government the pilgrims chose.
ix) The students will fill in the rest of the questions.
c) Closure
i) The teacher will hold a grand conversation about the concept of a democracy and which
form closely resembled a democracy. They will make connections to our government
today. The teacher will emphasize how this was a radical idea at the time.
8) Materials
a) Plymouth Government Worksheet
b) Overhead Projector
c) Interactive train tour CD
d) Computer and/or CD player
e) Projector
9) Follow-Up Activity
a) Student will write about a reflection on the government their group chose. They will have to
explain either,
i) Why they think a democracy is better
ii) If they think their form of government would work better and why
iii) What would America be like if they continued to rule like England
10) Evaluation and Assessment
a) Student will be evaluated on their participation in class conversation and group work, especially
their ability to make connections, contribute appropriately in their groups, and work well with
their peers.
b) Students’ individual completion of the worksheet will be evaluated on its level of completion as
well as the quality.
c) Their homework will be assessed on their ability to make an argument for the government and
why it would or would not be effective. It will also be assessed on their ability to critically think
about how America would be different.
11) Differentiation
a) Visual/Spatial
i) Students have graphic organizers on what the learned about Plymouth in the previous
lesson
ii) The worksheet is presented in checklist form with pictures to aid the visual learner
iii) There are pictures that supplement the train tour so students can visualize the Mayflower
b) Verbal/Linguistic
i) Instruction is given orally and repeated by students
ii) There are many grand conversation in which students voice arguments and make
connections
iii) There is also a train tour CD which simulates being on a train tour
c) Logical/Mathematical
i) Students use logic to understand why government is created before leaving the ship
ii) They also have to critically think about the different types of government
d) Bodily/Kinesthetic
i) Students have to visualize the ship, pilgrims, and colonists.
ii) Students will pretend to put on pilgrim clothes
iii) Students will move into different groups around the classroom
e) Interpersonal
i) Students are working in groups to create a government
f) Intrapersonal
i) Students have the opportunity to work individually in their homework and have the
opportunity to change governments and offer their own argument why.
12) Resources
a) Social Studies Alive: Regions of Our Country Teachers Curriculum Institute.
a) To continue learning about the features of the Northeast region and the form of government of
Plymouth, Massachusetts through the interactive train tour and government activity.
2) Vocabulary and Key Terms
a) Plymouth: a city in southeast Massachusetts founded by the Pilgrims
b) Mayflower: the ship in which the Pilgrims sailed to the New World in 1620
c) Pilgrims: early religious settlers who journeyed to the New World in search of religious
freedom.
d) Democracy: a form of government in which people vote for their laws and leaders
3) Skills
a) Students will have to recall information about the Pilgrims from their previous social studies
lesson
the day before
b) Students will work in groups to present an argument
c) Student will make a decision about government based on their evaluation of their peers’ and
their own arguments
4) Objectives
a) As a result of this lesson students will:
i) Understand that there are different forms of government and their advantages and
disadvantages
ii) Be able to contribute to making decisions in small groups as well as individually based on
educated arguments
iii) Understand what a democracy is, why the Pilgrims chose to form one, and consider how it
affected our government today
iv) Understand the difficulty in creating a new government in a new society
5) Standards
a) Colonies established for religious, political and economic reasons 1.1a, 2.1c, 2.3c, 4.1c, 4.2a,
4.2b, 4.2c, 4.2d
b) Successes and challenges of the new government 1.1a, 1.1b, 1.3c, 1.4a, 2.3a, 2.4a, 4.1e, 5.1a
c) Cooperation and compromise 2.1c, 2.3a, 2.3c, 2.4b, 4.1d, 4.1e, 4.1f, 5.1e
6) Pre-Assessment
a) The day prior to this lesson, students learned about the pilgrims, including the reason they left
England and about Plymouth in 1620. Students showed comprehension of the concept of
leaving in search of religious freedom through their participation in class discussion.
b) Students made connections and predictions that demonstrated their ability to consider different
forms of government and their effectiveness.
7) Lesson Presentation
a) Set Induction
i) The teacher will ask our students to bring us back on board the train and describe where
we are on our trip.
(1) They should explain that the class in Plymouth, Massachusetts on the Mayflower
and are about to form a government.
(2) They should explain who the Pilgrims are and their reason for leaving England
(3) They should explain that they need to organize rule before leaving the ship
ii) The teacher will ask students what they think government was like in England
(1) Explain that it was a monarchy, ruled by one person and rule was passed down
through hereditary. They controlled everything, including religion
iii) Ask students to imagine they were on the ship
(1) What kind of government would they want and why
b) Procedure
i) The teacher will explain that they will participate in an activity where they will be broken
up into groups and have to come up with their own government.
(1) The teacher will hand out the activity worksheets and put up a transparency of the
worksheet.
(2) The teacher will have a student read the first paragraph,
(a) “You are in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Pretend that your group is on board
the Mayflower with the Pilgrims in 1620. Along with the Pilgrims, you must
decide how your colony will be governed. Choose one of the following four
options.”
(3) The teacher will have a student explain what the paragraph is asking to reinforce the
purpose.
(4) The teacher will then have students read each option for government and hold a
short discussion about each to clarify.
(a) Option A: Choose the wisest and nicest person to be king or queen of the
colony.
(b) Option B: Select five very smart and fair people to rule Plymouth
(c) Option C: Give every adult male a say in governing the colony.
(d) Option D: Give every person over the age of 10 a say in ruling the colony.
(5) The teacher will model the activity. The teacher will also explain that after the
activity we will learn from ‘Cindy’, the train tour guide, on the train tour about what
the Pilgrims chose.
ii) The teacher will explain that groups will be broken up by counting off students by letters,
A, B, C, and D. Students will go to each spot in the classroom marked group a, b, c, or
d. There will be about eight students in each group.
iii) The teacher will explain that once in groups they will have 15 minutes to discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of each government and choose the one they believe works
best. They will have to write a strong argument supporting their choice on the back of the
worksheet.
iv) The teacher will explain that after 15 minutes each group will have two minutes to present
their argument for why their government will work best. After hearing the arguments they
can go to the group has the strongest argument, or stay in their own.
v) The teacher will ask a student to re-tell the directions. The teacher will then break up the
groups and tell them to look at the clock and in 15 minutes will be done.
vi) While students work, the teacher will circulate. The teacher will give the students a one-
minute warning to finish up their argument.
vii) The teacher will allow two minutes to each group to present their argument. After all four
present, the teacher will allow any students to switch groups if they change their mind.
They will have to explain why they think that form of government would be better.
viii) The teacher will have students return to their seats, or get back on the train, to listen to
what ‘Cindy’ has to say about what form of government the pilgrims chose.
ix) The students will fill in the rest of the questions.
c) Closure
i) The teacher will hold a grand conversation about the concept of a democracy and which
form closely resembled a democracy. They will make connections to our government
today. The teacher will emphasize how this was a radical idea at the time.
8) Materials
a) Plymouth Government Worksheet
b) Overhead Projector
c) Interactive train tour CD
d) Computer and/or CD player
e) Projector
9) Follow-Up Activity
a) Student will write about a reflection on the government their group chose. They will have to
explain either,
i) Why they think a democracy is better
ii) If they think their form of government would work better and why
iii) What would America be like if they continued to rule like England
10) Evaluation and Assessment
a) Student will be evaluated on their participation in class conversation and group work, especially
their ability to make connections, contribute appropriately in their groups, and work well with
their peers.
b) Students’ individual completion of the worksheet will be evaluated on its level of completion as
well as the quality.
c) Their homework will be assessed on their ability to make an argument for the government and
why it would or would not be effective. It will also be assessed on their ability to critically think
about how America would be different.
11) Differentiation
a) Visual/Spatial
i) Students have graphic organizers on what the learned about Plymouth in the previous
lesson
ii) The worksheet is presented in checklist form with pictures to aid the visual learner
iii) There are pictures that supplement the train tour so students can visualize the Mayflower
b) Verbal/Linguistic
i) Instruction is given orally and repeated by students
ii) There are many grand conversation in which students voice arguments and make
connections
iii) There is also a train tour CD which simulates being on a train tour
c) Logical/Mathematical
i) Students use logic to understand why government is created before leaving the ship
ii) They also have to critically think about the different types of government
d) Bodily/Kinesthetic
i) Students have to visualize the ship, pilgrims, and colonists.
ii) Students will pretend to put on pilgrim clothes
iii) Students will move into different groups around the classroom
e) Interpersonal
i) Students are working in groups to create a government
f) Intrapersonal
i) Students have the opportunity to work individually in their homework and have the
opportunity to change governments and offer their own argument why.
12) Resources
a) Social Studies Alive: Regions of Our Country Teachers Curriculum Institute.