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'A
Visit with the Alexanders' (download for use in classroom)
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Space to make
a classroom chart (chalkboard, easel, etc.)
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Writing Paper
and Pencil
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Download 'A
Visit with the Alexanders' and share the story with your class. The
story shows the way families lived during the Colonial Era. Select a few
individual images to use for the second part of the activity.
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Present these
images to the class (either as a whole or in small groups) and have them
brainstorm about what they see in the pictures. As an option, teachers
may also read the accompanying script to add more details and
explanation of the characters. Explain to them that these are drawings
of the way that people lived two hundred years ago, and the kind of
things the family did at the house that they are coming to visit. Ask
them what they see, happening, who is in the scene, where does it look
like they are, etc. Specifically ask them to identify family members and
their role in the activities shown.
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Once the
students have decided what the scenes represent, have them make a class
list of all of the chores and daily responsibilities they see listed.
Write them on the far left of your chart. In the second column have
students tell you who performed these tasks in Colonial times.
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Ask students
to think about the types of events or chores that take place in their
home and who is responsible for them. Are any of them similar to
Colonial chores? If so, write them in a third column, or create a second
chart with 21st century chores. Again, have them write who is
responsible for them next to the responsibility. Compare Colonial chores
and 21st century chores.
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Conclude by
asking students to write a short story about what a day in the life of a
Colonial family may have been like.
