Introduction

This lesson will lead students in discovering the profound environmental impact European colonization had on North America. In doing this, they will identify the plants and animals native to North America and those brought here during exploration and colonization. European reaction to America's foreign environment and unfamiliar wildlife will also be explored. Comparisons to the settling of the students' own community will be made.

Objectives

During this lesson, students will fulfill the following objectives:

• Identify plants and animals native and foreign to colonial North America
• Examine and evaluate the environmental impact of European exploration and colonization
• Relate the environmental impact of Colonization to that of your community's beginnings
• Interpret primary sources as historical records

Time Required

Approximately 2-3 class periods

Grade Level

8th grade

Curriculum Fit

The objectives of this lesson comply with the Texas Education Agency's Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Eighth Grade Social Studies listed below:

T.E.K.S. Code

• 113.24.b.1.C. Explain the significance of the following dates: 1607, 1776, 1787, 1803 and 1861-1865.
• 113.24.b.11.B. Compare places and regions of the United States in terms of physical and human characteristics.
• 113.24.b.11.C. Analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major historical and contemporary events in the United States.
• 113.24.b.12.B. Describe the consequences of human modification of the physical environment of the United States.
• 113.24.b.30.A. Differentiate between, locate and use primary and secondary sources such as computer software, databases and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines and maps.
• 113.24.b.30.B. Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions and drawing inferences and conclusions.
• 113.24.b.30.C. Organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines and maps.
• 113.24.b.30.D. Identify points of view from the historical context surrounding an event and the frame of reference which influenced the participants.
• 113.24.b.30.G. Evaluate the validity of a source based on language, corroboration with other source, and information about the author.
• 113.24.b.31.B. Use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure and punctuation.

Resources

Online

• Focus on Your Community  Resource Page
• Steven Fox's Slide Presentation about Heights' Architecture
• Articles from Virtual Jamestown
  • "Observations by Master George Percy," 1607
  • "First Hand Account by Captain John Smith," 1612
  • "Letter of John Pory, Secretary of Virginia, to Sir Dudley Carleton," 1619

Off-line

• Maps of early America
• Your Textbook

Materials

• Worksheet 8.2

Preparation

• Read the recommended primary and secondary sources
• Become familiar with the photographs used

Procedure

Step A: Colonial Impact

1. Either inside or outside of class, ask students to read the highlighted portions of the following primary sources:
   • "Observations by Master George Percy," 1607
   • "First Hand Account by Captain John Smith," 1612
   • "Letter of John Pory, Secretary of Virginia, to Sir Dudley Carleton," 1619
2. Ask your students to consider these primary sources using Worksheet 8.2
3. Discuss how these sources compare to one another. Look for a secondary source on the same subject and compare the primary sources to the secondary ones.

Step B: Your Community's Impact

1. With your class, examine the following photos of Houston Heights' development:
   • "The Clearing of the Ravine-West Boulevard"
   • "Beginning to Grade the Boulevard"
   • "Heights Boulevard"
   • "Houston Heights"
   • Panoramic of Houston, 1891
2. Use the following questions to initiate a class discussion about the content of the photographs:
   • What change in the physical environment is most noticeable?
   • What actions pictured likely impacted the environment?
   • What are some specific effects of these actions?
3. Ask your students to compare and contrast the environmental impact of Colonization with that of your community's development in a short essay

Evaluation

Below is a sample grading rubric for this lesson.

Conclusion

Students should be able to answer the following questions upon completion of this lesson:

• How did Colonization impact the environment? Your community's own development?
• How did Europeans respond to and describe the new things they encountered in North America?
• What plants and animals did Europeans bring to North America? What plants and animals were native to North America?

Extension

1. Science
   • Explore the various ecosystems of North America and compare them to those of Europe.
   • Discuss modern environmental concerns such as the greenhouse effect and deforestation.
   • Discuss modern environmental issues such as recylcing and the introduction of foreign animals and plants today (i.e. the Kudzu in southern states, the Nutra Rat in east Texas and Louisiana, etc.)
2. Art
   • Design posters to encourage recycling within your school and community.
   • Compare early European descriptions of the New World and it inhabitants to images of Antiquity.
3. Writing/Reading
   • Discuss the unusual grammar, punctuation, spelling and diction used in the primary sources from the 17th century.
   • Read and discuss poetry and literature about Colonial America.
4. Social Studies
   • Visit Quia! to play some games about Conservation/Environmental Issues