Last updated: May 19, 2021
Lesson Plan
Coquina: The Mighty Tiny Shell
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Literacy and Language Arts,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
- Thinking Skills:
- Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.
Essential Question
What is coquina and why is it significant to St. Augustine?
Objective
The students will understand the importance of historical documents, how they are used to decipher history. Students will practice using historical documents, summarizing and synthesing information. Students will also practice unit conversions and solving real world problems using volume and area formulas.
Background
Read Who Built the Castillo.
Preparation
Please review Background Information and Procedure sections.
Materials
Download Solving Word Problems-Volume & Area
Lesson Hook/Preview
In this lesson, students will learn about coquina and why the material was chosen to construct the fort.
Procedure
Introduction Activity 1 (15minutes):
Show students the picture Why did Spain Build the Fort. Ask students to use what they know about reading text features and their inferencing skills to answer the title of the picture, "Why do you think Spain Built the Fort? The picture shows the need to protect the Spanish fleet from pirates. They wanted to protect their trade route (Gulf Stream) that they used back to Spain. Also, England's settlements were encroaching on the Spanish territory.
Teacher to explain and use information for questioning: There had been nine other wooden forts built but were burnt by raids or suffered from natural elements. (Students to give ideas of what kinds of natural elements may have affected the fort?)
One fort was destroyed in 1586 by a raid lead by Sir Frances Drake to avenge the deaths of fellow French hugonets that had been killed by order of Pedro Menendez. Another wooden fort and the town of St.Augustine was destroyed in 1668 by pirate Robert Searles. After burning the town down, it was apparent to Queen Marianna that the settlement needed better protection. Construction of the Castillo was granted.
Reading Activity 1 (30minutes):
Read passage What is Coquina? Teacher to either assign reading passages a close read, partner read or students may read independently. After reading, have student summarize the sequence of how Coquina is formed. Have students draw illustrations for each sequence.
Reading Activity 2:
Reading Passage:The Castle Has Begun The reading is Affidavit Recording the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Castillo de San Marcos, October 2, 1672 by JN MORENO YSEGOVIA.
After reading whole group, independently or with apartner ask students to complete the following journal response.
Journal Response: Imagine yourself standing as a citizen of St. Augustine over 340 years ago, watching the first coquina brick being laid for your new fortress. How do you feel? What are you thinking? Why is this an important day for you? Justify your response. Students to share their responses.
Arana, Luis Rafael and Albert Manucy.The Building of Castillo de San Marcos. Philadelphia:Eastern National, 1977.
Manucy, Albert C. The History of Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas from Contemporary Narratives and Letters. Washington D.C.:United States Government Printing Office, 1955.
Weitzel, Kelley. Coquina Queries Archaeology Lessons for Northeast Florida. www.coquinaqueries.org
Activity 3 Math (30 minutes):
Download the "Solving Word Problems - Volume and Area" Worksheet found under "Materials" on this webpage. This worksheet may be used individually or with partners to have students apply what they know about area and volume to solve real world problems. Prerequisites: Students should have prior knowledge on how to find area and volume of both a rectangular prism. Students should have an understanding of the difference between cubic and square feet. Students should know how to find the area of trapezoid and triangle. Students should be able to multiply by 3 digit by 3 digit numbers.
Assessment Materials
The summary students construct after reading What is Coquina will allow the teacher to know if the student can summarize and sequence correctly. The students' journal response for the Castle has Begun may be used to informally assess the students' understanding of how life was like in St. Augustine at the time of the construction of the fort, 1672. Teachers may use the math problem solving with area and volume worksheet as an assessment.
Related Lessons or Education Materials
To teach students about the importance of historical documents, understanding primary sources and the construction of the Castillo de San Marcos. This lesson uses primary sources such as the Affidavit Recording the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Castillode San Marcos,October 2, 1672 by JN MORENO Y SEGOVIA. By analyzing this account, students will better understand need to build the Castillo de San Marcos and the overall tone of the event. Also, students will understand the rare and expensive nature of coquina and the process in which it forms.