Lucky 13: Colonial Clues
By Adrianne Roggenbuck
Sample Standard: Understand events, trends, individuals and
movements shaping colonial history and settlement in the United States.
Grade Level: 5
Time: 10-15
Minutes
Materials: Clue
cards (one set per group), small prizes
Group Size: Any.
Divide students into teams of 4-5. A heterogeneous grouping works best for this
activity.
Activity:
- Create sets of clue cards for each group of students that
have one colony clue per card. Distribute the same card one at a time to each
group.
- Students will work together for one minute to guess the
colony that relates to the first clue. Have a representative write down the
guess on the score sheet next to #1.
- Then distribute the second clue card to each group and allow
another minute for them to guess the colony and write it next to #2.
- Continue until all of the clues have been revealed. Collect
the answer sheets from each group to determine which one guessed the colony
correctly with the fewest number of clues. Prizes may be awarded to the winning
team(s).
- This process may be repeated with additional colonies on
subsequent days.
Sample Clue Cards for Maryland:
- Declared
independence from Britain
in 1776.
- By
1775, 40 percent of its population was black.
- Tobacco
was its cash crop.
- It is
located on the Mason-Dixon Line.
- Its
capitol is Annapolis.
Adaptations for above
level students:
Have students write a journal entry stating why they
would/would not have wanted to live in that colony.
Adaptation for lower
level and ELL students:
Appoint a fluent reader in each group to read the clues
aloud.
Submitted by Adrianne
Roggenbuck, a former teacher and current training consultant with The
Bob Pike Group.
