I am designing this unit to teach my students about the look of New Haven in 1750 and how its layout has been determined by plan rather than growing organically along the geography of the location and how people interacted with one another. Also, students will gain a greater understanding of how the town grew from a beginning plan. Many students cannot conceptualize that New Haven didn’t just appear one day and suddenly became a vast city with a lot of interesting places and things to visit. This unit will also provide a visual and tangible beginning for each student by exposing them to the 17th century map which depicts the city. The use of maps, builder’s drawings, probate inventories, and other primary resource documents, in conjunction with secondary sources such as photographs and architectural drawings, will allow students to form personal connections in the planning, designing, and constructing of houses that may still be present in some of their neighborhoods. Students will also be able to strengthen their map skills along with their research skills. Their exposure to probate inventories will definitely be challenging; however, an appreciation for original documents will be gained. I want my students to achieve an understanding and an admiration for structures that were built during the mid 1700’s in New Haven. Students will be able to research and explore how people shaped New Haven in the mid 18
th
century.
This unit will explore New Haven in three distinct but relative aspects. We will begin with the Wadsworth Map of 1748 which will be explored and researched. The map will be used as a starting point as well as a springboard that will lead to the introduction of the “Marketplace,” which later became known as the “Green” and where the meetinghouse was located. The third focal point will be the homes surrounding the town center and their inhabitants in the mid-18
th
century. These three perspectives will provide the fifth graders with a real connection to life in colonial New Haven.
My unit will be taught in ten to twelve forty-five minute sessions with my 5
th
grade students. Instructional lessons can be adjusted to compliment the specific needs and concerns of the each class. For instance, block scheduling would require a reduction in session time.