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Overview
Students will research and study accounts of the Mayflower’s voyage
in 1621. They will use what they discover to write fictional diary or
captain’s log entries as if they were a passenger or crew onboard
during the Atlantic crossing.
Background Information
So much of what we know about life before the onset of radio, television,
and instant communication comes from accounts kept by the people who were
there. Diaries and journals kept by everyday people are an invaluable
resource for determining what daily life was like, how problems were solved,
what “really” happened. Their importance cannot be underestimated.
The Pilgrims began as a religious group who felt that the only way to
practice their religion was to separate from the Church of England. These
"Separatists" centered around Scrooby, a village in Nottinghamshire
in the English Midlands. In 1607/8, the congregation moved to Amsterdam
and in 1609 to the city of Leiden in the more religiously tolerant Netherlands.
The community began to move to America in 1620.
To pay for their passage and supplies, the Separatists contracted with
a group of English merchants. The merchants recruited other colonists
to supplement the small group and to provide needed skills for the new
colony. The Separatists called themselves "saints," or members
of Christ’s visible church, and the non-separatists "strangers."
The voyage of the Mayflower was a troubled and stormy one. Although accounts
are few, they all talk of the troubled crossing, at one point even questioning
the chances of the Mayflower successfully reaching America. Sixty-six
days after leaving England, land was spotted.
Objectives
To encourage students to be “then-minded” in studying history
– what were the prevailing attitudes? What were women’s roles?
What was the political climate like? What were the prominent values?
To improve Internet and library research skills
To help students think outside themselves, put themselves in someone else’s
shoes
To strengthen creative writing skills, esp. in the genre of historical
fiction
Materials
Computers with Internet access
Hard copies of captain’s log entries or journal entries for reading
aloud
Paper and pens
Relevant Internet sites
http://www.plimoth.org
http://www.pilgrimhall.org
http://members.aol.com/calebj/mayflower.html
Procedure
1. Motivator – Read aloud one of the authentic accounts of the Mayflower’s
voyage. Ask students to think about what it must have been like to sail
across the ocean in 1620. How did they navigate? What did they eat? Where
was food stored? What did they do for fun? Explain the two distinct groups
of people aboard and discuss the problems and benefits associated with
such a group.
2. Explain that they are going to start a research project. Begin a discussion
about historical fiction – what is it? What distinguishes it from
other types of fiction? Is accuracy important? How do authors of historical
fiction get their information?
3. Tell your students they are going to write fictional accounts by a
passenger aboard the Mayflower. They can use the Internet, the library,
or anything else to gain knowledge and information about the people on
board the Mayflower, the circumstances under which they set sail, and
the voyage itself. What kinds of things are they going to need to know
to write an authentic journal or diary? Write their ideas on the board
or on a piece of butcher paper.
Information should include, but is not limited to:
-roles of crew, men, women and minorities aboard the ship
-prevailing political attitudes and values
-very basic navigation and sailing techniques
-background information on passengers
-religious practices
-attitudes of the two distinct groups aboard – why they were sailing
and what they were hoping to accomplish
Discuss the elements necessary for a journal entry – date, location,
etc. – and for a captain’s log – date, location, weather
conditions, sailing conditions, etc.
4. You can give them the sites above to start or let them do their own
Internet searches. Helpful keywords include “Pilgrims”, “Plymouth”
or “Plimoth”, and “Mayflower”.
5. Students should check in at every stage of the project – research
(should include detailed notes), outline, rough draft, editing, and final
draft.
6. When they feel they have enough information to accurately portray a
historical character and have checked in, they can begin a rough draft.
Diaries and captain’s logs should include at least 5 entries. Number
of entries or pages can be limited by the capabilities of your class,
time constraints, etc.
7. Final copy should be typed and proofread or in neatest handwriting,
with title page.
Assessment
Can be done by rubric (self-assessment) or teacher assessed. How historically
accurate are the facts included? Did the student use historical facts
appropriately and in context? Did he/she accurately and authentically
portray an historical figure? Is the final copy best quality, with no
spelling or grammatical errors? A few accounts should be chosen to be
included on the Tidal Passages Web Site – post an article to NewsNow,
or send several excerpts as postcards.
Further Exploration:
Role Play
Prepare cards with different characters written on them – captain,
first mate, deckhand, “Saint”, “Stranger”, etc.
– one for each person in the class. Have each student choose a card.
They will assume the role of that character. Allow time for collaboration
and research and have the class prepare a skit or improvise situations
given by the teacher
Cooperative Learning/ Problem Solving
Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5. Each person in the group is assigned
a role – captain, “Saint”, “Stranger”, deckhand.
Give each group a controversial problem to solve, either social, political,
or physical. Each student must present their solution based on their assigned
roles’ point of view and the group must come to a consensus on a
solution. Allow time at the end for each group to present their problem
and solution.
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