Researching real people helps students to get a more concrete and compassionate understanding of the culture, lives and history of others. It also allows them to bring history to life! In this activity, students will research a historical Puritan and create a Biography Poster about them. Students may choose from a list of suggested people, or teachers can assign each student a different Puritan.
Using one of the templates or starting from scratch on the poster layout, students will build up a profile of their chosen figure. Depending on requirements or complexity, students can add timelines to their posters. However, the wide variety of characters, scenes, and items makes it very easy for students to customize their project to fit any guidelines.
Find more biography poster templates to add to this assignment if desired!
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Due Date:
Objective: Research a famous or notable Puritan from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Create a Biography Poster that highlights their major accomplishments.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Person’s image, name, dates of birth/death, accomplishments.
Begin by introducing the concept of biographies and their significance in understanding historical figures from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Explain that a biography is a story of a person's life, highlighting key events and contributions. Provide an overview of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the key figures the students will be studying. Share the importance of understanding their roles in shaping the colony.
Assign each student or group a historical figure from the Massachusetts Bay Colony to research. Offer a list of notable figures, such as John Winthrop, Anne Hutchinson, or Roger Williams. Encourage students to choose based on their interests.
Instruct students to conduct research on their assigned historical figure. They should gather information about their early life, major life events, contributions, and any challenges or conflicts they faced. Have students create a biographical timeline using poster boards or digital tools. The timeline should include key events, dates, and illustrations or images that represent the person's life. Encourage them to organize the events chronologically.
Have students present their biographical timelines to the class. During the presentations, each student or group should explain the significance of the events and contributions of their historical figure. Foster class discussions by asking questions related to the impact of these figures on the Massachusetts Bay Colony and how their lives reflect the values and challenges of the time.
In storyboards depicting interactions between settlers and indigenous peoples in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, you can use visuals such as: Illustrations of Meetings: Visualize encounters between settlers and Native Americans, featuring elements like the exchange of goods, language barriers, and gestures. Maps: Show the geographical locations of settlements and interactions, including important sites like trading posts, alliances, or conflict zones. Symbolic Imagery: Use symbols like a shaking hand to represent peaceful agreements and conflict symbols (e.g., crossed weapons) to symbolize clashes or wars. Text Bubbles: Include text bubbles or captions to provide context, quotes, or explanations of specific events within the interactions.
Storyboards are adaptable tools that can effectively showcase the evolving political and social landscape of the Massachusetts Bay Colony over time. To achieve this, you can: Use Timeline Layouts: Create a visual timeline with key dates and events, depicting how the political and social landscape transformed from the colony's founding to the Salem Witch Trials. Multiple Frames: Utilize multiple frames within the storyboard to highlight different periods or significant turning points in the colony's history. Portray Key Figures: Include illustrations of influential individuals, such as John Winthrop and Roger Williams, who played pivotal roles in shaping the political and social climate. Symbolic Imagery: Use symbols or visual cues that represent changing dynamics, such as a gavel to signify legal developments or a church steeple to depict religious influences.
To illustrate the distinctions in daily life between the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other early American colonies in storyboards, you can incorporate visual elements like: Clothing: Show the distinctive clothing styles of settlers and the unique attire of indigenous peoples in the region or colonists in other areas. Architecture: Depict the varied architectural styles of homes and buildings, contrasting the Puritan structures with those found in other colonies. Crops and Agriculture: Use visuals of crops, livestock, and farming techniques to highlight differences in agricultural practices. Lifestyle Scenes: Create scenes of daily life, such as Puritan worship services or indigenous hunting, fishing, and gathering, to emphasize cultural distinctions. Environment and Landscape: Showcase differences in the natural environment, including local flora and fauna, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony compared to other regions. By including these visual elements, storyboards can effectively convey the unique aspects of daily life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and its differences from other early American colonies.