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Three Colonial Regions
Drop Inn #
10/15/2026
3+ Sentences plus Metaphor or Simile
1 Drawing to represent your writing for full credit!
Lesson 11: Three Colonial Regions
Lesson 11: Three Colonial Regions
The lesson focuses on how geography, climate, and labor helped the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies develop differently.
Copy - Instructional Goal #11
Copy - Instructional Goal #11
We will understand how geography shaped life in the three colonial regions.
By: examining maps, images, and primary sources (pp. 85–94) to discover how geography influenced jobs, economies, and communities.
Social Studies Skills
Social Studies Skills
Compare & Contrast — find similarities and differences.
Geographic Reasoning — explain how where people live affects how they live. Unit 1 Lesson 11
I Can...
I Can...
I can explain to a partner how the three colonial regions were different.
I can explain to a partner how geography affected people's lives.
I can use evidence from a map, image, or source to explain my ideas.
Post-Lesson Essential Question
— Connect to History
Post-Lesson Essential Question
— Connect to History
Why did the three colonial regions develop differently?
The regions developed differently because __________.
Use evidence from a map, image, or source to support your answer
This lesson's central idea is that differences in climate, physical features, water access, and labor contributed to different colonial economies.
Copy - Focus Vocabulary
Copy - Focus Vocabulary
Region — an area that shares similar features.
Geography — the land, water, and features of a place.
Economy — how people make money and get what they need.
Pre-Lesson Essential Question
Pre-Lesson Essential Question
Imagine your family had to move TODAY.
At your current age, what would matter MOST to YOU when choosing where to live?
A. 🌤️ Weather — Would you prefer warm or cold weather? How would it affect your daily life?
B. 🌎 Location — Would you want to live near parks, beaches, stores, or a big city? What would you want nearby?
C. 💰 Jobs & Money — Would your family be able to find good jobs and afford to live there?
Turn & Teach
Turn & Teach
Choose ONE. Explain why it matters most to you right now.
I chose ______ because ______.
CONNECTING YESTERDAY TO TODAY
Turn & Teach — Comparing Economies
CONNECTING YESTERDAY TO TODAY
Turn & Teach — Comparing Economies
Farmer / Agricultural Laborer:
Fisherman:
Lumberjack / Woodcutter:
Rancher / Livestock Farmer:
Merchant / Trader: Shipping, storing, and trading goods stored in barrels, crates, grain sacks, and cotton bales (middle right).
Look at the images of Colonial America and Brooklyn today.
1. NOTICE: What jobs do you SEE in Colonial America? What jobs do you SEE in Brooklyn today?
2. COMPARE: What is one similarity and one difference between their economies?
Group Discussion — Make a Choice
Group Discussion — Make a Choice
Which colonial region had an economy MOST similar to Brooklyn today?
A. New England Colonies — Fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.
B. Middle Colonies — Farming, trade, and small businesses.
C. Southern Colonies — Large farms and cash crops.
Turn & Teach: I chose ______ because ______.
Where are the Regions? pre-85
Where are the Regions? pre-85
Turn & Teach
Turn & Teach
How did the NAME and LOCATION help you decide?
Use:
I think this is the __________ Colonies because ______.
🗺️ Think Like a Geographer
🗺️ Think Like a Geographer
Look at the map. Do not worry about the symbols yet.
The colonies were divided into three regions:
New England Colonies • Middle Colonies • Southern Colonies
Your Challenge
Your Challenge
Based ONLY on the names and where each area is located on the map, which area do you think is:
A. New England Colonies
B. Middle Colonies
C. Southern Colonies
Write each name in one of the three blank boxes on the map.
Turn to Page 85 - Colony Characteristic Cards
Turn to Page 85 - Colony Characteristic Cards
Passport p. 85 — Figure Out the Region
Passport p. 85 — Figure Out the Region
Look at the three boxes. Each box describes ONE colonial region.
Use the geography and economy clues to decide which region is:
New England • Middle • Southern
For each box:
1. IDENTIFY: Which region do you think it is?
2. EVIDENCE: Circle two clues that helped you decide.
3. EXPLAIN: How do those clues support your answer?
Turn & Teach
Turn & Teach
Tell your partner:
“I think this is the ______ Colonies because ______.”
“What region did you choose?”
→ “What clue helped you?”
→ “What does that clue tell you about the geography?”
→ “How could that geography affect the jobs people did?”
New England Colonies — Guided Questions, pp. 86–93
New England Colonies — Guided Questions, pp. 86–93
Page 86 — Economy: Whaling & Salem Waterfront
Page 86 — Economy: Whaling & Salem Waterfront
Students examine the two historical images showing whaling and the Salem waterfront. pages 86-94
What jobs do you think people are doing in these images? (Hint look at the Title!)
What do you SEE that supports your answer?
Why was the ocean important to New England's economy?
Discussion:
Which was probably more important to New England—land or the ocean? Why?
Possible answers:
1) Fishing, whaling, sailing, shipping, and trade.
2) point to ships, boats, the waterfront, or whaling activity as evidence.
Page 87 — Economy: A Letter Home
Page 87 — Economy: A Letter Home
Read either the Original Letter (left) or the Contemporary English version (right).
William Hilton was a settler who wrote a letter to his family describing life in New England. He wanted his family to know what the new land was like.
As You Read:
Look for what Hilton says about the land, forests, animals, lakes, and ocean. Think about how these things could help people live and work in New England.
Main Idea Question
Main Idea Question
What does William Hilton want his family to know about New England?
Find TWO details from the letter that support your answer.
Turn & Teach
Turn & Teach
Tell your partner what you discovered.
Sentence Starter:
William Hilton describes New England as a place with ______ and ______. These things could help settlers because ______.
Page 88 — A Description of New England
Page 88 — A Description of New England
Read either the Original Text (left) or the Contemporary English version (right).
This reading explains how young people could move to New England, find work, and learn skills from experienced workers.
As You Read:
Look for the different jobs mentioned in the reading. Think about why young people would work with someone who already knew how to do a job.
Main Idea Question
Main Idea Question
How could young people earn a living and learn a job in New England?
Find TWO details from the reading that support your answer.
Turn & Teach
Turn & Teach
Would you rather learn to be a carpenter, brick mason, or fisherman? Why?
Sentence Starter:
I would rather become a ______ because ______.
Page 89 — Culture: Image Analysis
Page 89 — Culture: Image Analysis
Notice → Think → Evidence
Look at the FOUR images on page 89.
These images show how people lived in New England.
As You Look:
Discuss what they are doing in each image.
Main Question
Main Question
Look at TWO images.
What do you think was important to people in New England?
A. Religion — Going to church.
B. Rules — Following laws and punishing people.
C. Family — Working and living together.
Sentence Framework
Sentence Framework
I think __________ was important to people in New England.
In the first image, I see __________.
In the second image, I see __________.
These images show that __________ was important.
Page 92 — The Mayflower Compact (Government)
Page 92 — The Mayflower Compact (Government)
Read either the Original Text (left) or the Contemporary English version (right).
The Mayflower Compact was an agreement made by settlers to create a government and follow laws.
As You Read:
Look for WHY the settlers needed a government and HOW they planned to make decisions.
Main Question
Main Question
Why did the settlers agree to create a government?
A. To choose leaders and make laws.
B. To build houses and farms.
C. To trade with other colonies.
Sentence Framework
Sentence Framework
The settlers needed a government because __________.
In the text, I found __________.
Turn & Teach
Turn & Teach
Which is MORE important for a community?
A. Choosing Leaders — Having people make decisions.
B. Following Laws — Having rules everyone must follow.
I chose ______ because ______.
🖼️ SECTION 4 | Page 89 — Culture: Image Analysis
🖼️ SECTION 4 | Page 89 — Culture: Image Analysis
1️⃣ STEP #1 — LOOK & DISCUSS 🔍
Look at the FOUR images on page 89. These images show how people lived in New England. Discuss what they are doing in each image.
2️⃣ STEP #2 — MAIN QUESTION 💡
Look at TWO images. What do you think was important to people in New England?
A. Religion ⛪ — Going to church.
B. Rules 📜 — Following laws and punishing people.
C. Family 🏡 — Working and living together.
3️⃣ STEP #3 — SENTENCE FRAMEWORK (In Notebook) ✍️
• "I think ______________________________________ was important to people in New England."
• "In the first image, I see ______________________________________________________."
• "In the second image, I see _____________________________________________________."
• "These images show that ______________________________________ was important."
Document 3: In the Stocks
"People were locked in the stocks for small rule-breaking, like skipping church, cursing, gossiping, or working on Sunday—why do you think the leaders punished them out in public like this instead of in private?"
"Looking at all four pictures, what was most important in daily life for the New England colonists—
a- strict rules,b- religion,
c- or family hard work?"
Southern Colonies
Southern Colonies
What would you need most to make your farm successful?
A. Land (Most Important): Land is the primary foundation. Without space, soil, sunlight, and water access, a farm cannot exist.
B. Workers: Important for scaling up, but a farmer can manage a small plot alone at the start.
C. Transportation: Matters later when shipping bulk surplus to distant markets, but early farms focus on local sales.
Turn & Teach: Which would you choose, and why?
All three choices are important.
Location?
Image Analyses Page 94
Image Analyses Page 94
Page 94 — Image Analysis: A Tobacco Plantation
Page 94 — Image Analysis: A Tobacco Plantation
Directions: Study the image carefully. Use details you SEE to answer each question.
1. List what you NOTICE — What do you SEE?
What are the people doing in this image?
2. THINK — What is happening?
What are the large barrels being used for?
3. EVIDENCE — How do you KNOW?
What details in the image show that tobacco was an important crop?
Turn & Teach — Socratic Discussion
Turn & Teach — Socratic Discussion
Who do you think benefited the MOST from the work being done on this plantation? The Least? Why do yo think?
A. Plantation Owners — They could sell tobacco and make money.
B. Workers — Their labor helped produce the tobacco.
C. Merchants — They could transport and sell tobacco.
Follow-up: Does everyone who helps produce something always benefit equally? Why or why not?
Page 95 — The South Depends on Slavery
Page 95 — The South Depends on Slavery
Page 95 — The South Depends on Slavery
Page 95 — The South Depends on Slavery
Primary Source: Reverend Peter Fontaine
Read Fontaine's letter from beginning to end. Answer each question as you read. Underline the words in the text that support your answer.
1. Why did Fontaine say people needed enslaved workers?
2. What two things did Fontaine say people needed to buy?
3. How much did it cost to hire a worker each day?
4. Why did Fontaine think buying an enslaved worker was cheaper than hiring someone?
Turn & Teach: Who benefited from slavery, and who suffered?
Turn & Teach —
Socratic Discussion
Fontaine believed slavery was necessary to make money.
Is it morally right for most people to benefit if many others must suffer? Why or why not?
Remember: Fontaine's letter explains a slaveholder's justification for slavery, not the perspective of the enslaved people.
4. Group Challenge — Connect the Evidence (7 minutes)
4. Group Challenge — Connect the Evidence (7 minutes)
The Big Question: How were farming, slavery, and trade connected in the Southern Colonies?
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