Last updated: June 10, 2022
Lesson Plan
The French and Indian War 1754-1763: Who Were The People Involved? - Unit 1
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- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 4.RI.1, 4.RI.2, 4.RI.4, 4.RI.7, 4.RI.9, 5.RI.1, 5.RI.2, 5.RI.4, 5.RI.7, 5.RI.9, 4.W.2.b, 4.W.4, 4.W.7, 4.W.8, 4.W.9.b, 5.W.2.b, 5.W.4, 5.W.7, 5.W.8, 5.W.9.b
- Additional Standards:
- National History Standards: K-4 Topic 2: 3A, 3B, 3D; K-4 Topic 3: 5A; US Era 2: 1B
- Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations.
Essential Question
Who were the people involved in the French and Indian War? Where were the British colonies? Where were the French colonies? Which land was disputed by the French and British? What was life like for the American Indian nations living in the Ohio River Valley in the 1750s?
Objective
Student Objectives: Students will…
• Map the location of the British colonies
• Map the location of the French colony
• Identify the disputed land
• List three facts about the American Indians living in the Ohio River Valley
Background
This is Unit 1 from the teacher’s guide “The French and Indian War 1754-1763.” It includes two lesson plans:
- "The Forks of the Ohio” where students map the British and French colonies and identify the disputed area.
- “A Much Clearer Picture” has students research facts about the lifestyle of the American Indian nations living the Ohio River Valley.
Critical Content: The thirteen British colonies were located along the Atlantic seaboard. The French colony of New France was located in what is now Canada and along the Mississippi River. Between them was the Ohio River Valley, a large area of land that both the French and the British claimed, but neither colony had settled. Many American Indians lived on this land. The three main nations living in the Ohio River Valley were the Seneca, Delaware and Shawnee. In 1753 the French began building forts on this disputed land and set the conflict into motion.
See the “Related Lessons and Educational Materials” section for links to the other units in the teacher’s guide.
Preparation
For the Forks of the Ohio lesson plan, the teacher should make copies of the map and the activity worksheet. The teacher will also need colored pencils or crayons for the students.
For the A Much Clearer Picture lesson plan, the teacher will need to make copies of the activity worksheet and determine what resources the students will use to research the Seneca, Delaware and Shawnee nations.
Materials
The downloaded lesson plan includes an introduction (p 35), teacher instructions (p 36 and 39), and the activity worksheets (p 37-38 and p 40-42).
Download Lesson Plan – Who Were the People Involved?
This color map is will be very helpful in the mapping activity. It shows the French and British colonies and the disputed area. It also shows where the American Indian Nations lived and where French and British forts were located.
Download Map: Indian Nations and French and Indian War Forts 1754-1763
The teacher background covers from the beginning of the French and Indian War to the beginning of the American Revolution. For this unit read pages 15-16, Who Were the People Involved?
Lesson Hook/Preview
In 1753 the French colony of New France began building forts on land claimed by the British colonies. Many American Indians were living on the land. This started a war. Sometimes people think they own something and someone else does too. Write about a time you experienced a dispute over something or a time you heard about people fighting about who owned something.
Procedure
The Forks of the Ohio lesson plan
1. Download the pdf of the lesson plan which includes the teacher instructions and the activity worksheets.
2. Download the teacher background from the Materials section and read pages 15-16.
3. Download the color map.
4. Make copies of the student map (p 37) and the Activity worksheet (p 38).
5. Distribute crayons, the work sheet and map to the students
6. Have the students work independently to use the worksheet to correctly color and label the student map.
7. Discuss with the students the location of the French, the British and the American Indians. Also discuss how the building of the French forts would spark the French and Indian War.
The A Much Clearer Picture lesson plan
1. Download the pdf of the lesson plan which includes the teacher instructions and the activity worksheets.
2. Download the teacher background from the Materials section and read pages 15-16.
3. Make copies of the Activity worksheet (p 40-42).
4. Read all the information with the students
5. Assign individual paragraphs to small groups of students
6. Ask the students to use reference tools you have identified for them to research and write three new facts that add new information to their assigned paragraph. The new facts should be written in paragraph form. Have the students write down the sources for each of the facts.
7. Have the students read their original and new paragraphs to the class, turning what the Activity Worksheet gave them into “A Much Clearer Picture. Discuss the reference tools the students used. Which did they find the most helpful?
Vocabulary
Forks of the Ohio: Where the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River come together to form the Ohio River. It is where the city of Pittsburgh is now located.
Assessment Materials
Assessment Unit 1: Who Were the People Involved?The assessment includes a completed map as an answer key for the Forks of the Ohio lesson and a rubric. There is also a rubric for the A Much Clearer Picture lesson.
Download the assessment document for the answer key and two rubrics.
Assessment The French and Indian War 1754-1763 - Unit 1: Who Were the People Involved?
Supports for Struggling Learners
When teaching the Forks of the Ohio lesson, the teacher can help struggling students by asking them to complete fewer questions. The struggling learners can also have a completed map to copy.
When teaching the A Much Clearer Picture lesson, the teacher can help struggling students by asking them to add only one new fact.
Enrichment Activities
Look at George Washington map of the Forks of the Ohio which can be found here. What did he emphasize? Why were these important to him?
Additional Resources
Fort Necessity National Battlefield web site
A Charming Field for an Encounter the park's handbook
Becoming George Washington a curriculum about George Washington in the French and Indian War
Related Lessons or Education Materials
“The French and Indian War 1754-1763” Teacher’s Education Kit is broken into eight units and a Teacher Background section. Units 1 - 6 chronologically follow the war from start to finish, including how the war set the stage for the American Revolution.
Links to the other units:
Unit 1: Who Were the People Involved?
Unit 2: What Were They Fighting For?
Unit 3: How Did the Conflict Begin? (This includes two lessons on George Washington)
Unit 4: How Did the War Progress?
Unit 5: How Did the Conflict End? What Were the Consequences?
Unit 6: How Did the French and Indian War Set the Stage for the American Revolution?
Unit 7: Biography Cards (there are nine American Indian, nine French, nine British biographies)
Unit 8: Primary Documents and Artifacts
French and Indian War Historic Sites in Western Pennsylvania