Unit III: The Founding of New Societies: 1607-1763

2. Geography and climate influenced where the colonists settled in North America.

3. Colonists developed ways of life that owed much to their European heritage, and just as much to the challenges and possibilities they found in North America.

4. Historical fiction provides an understanding and appreciation for the personal, social, cultural, and historical significance of a particular period of time.

5. Slavery begins on the North American Continent during this time period.

6. Indian culture continues to change.

A vast amount of good literature (both fiction and nonfiction) is available on the colonial period. In this unit, the genres of historical fiction and biography will help students to see history as an account of the lives and events of real people, as well as a source of insight into human behavior, human conditions, and human values. Teachers can stimulate student curiosity and interest in literature through read-alouds, by providing students with frequent opportunities to engage in discussions of literature, and by surrounding students in the classroom with a variety of interesting and enjoyable books. Teachers who love books and who share personal reactions to the characters, events, and language of a selection will inspire students to do likewise.

Language arts curricula (reading, writing, listening, speaking) should support and enhance learning in the content areas. By supplementing textbooks with appropriate historical fiction (or biographies, essays, poetry, and informational trade books), knowledge of the content area can be acquired independently. Books and stories of historical fiction can make the past more vivid and interesting to students, and help them discover their own heritage as well as to see and judge the events of the past.