Activity 1: Everyday Life, Then and Now

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Ask students to fill out the following table.

Category	Our Way of Life	Sweet Briar Plantation Life
Food
Jobs
Celebrations
Houses

Activity 2: Homes, Then and Now

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Students draw modern house here...

A Virginian Farmhouse, about 1900. Anchorage Plantation, Albemarle County. Note the structure just visible behind the plantation house and the hedges.

Activity 3: Writing Exercises

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Writing Options, Grades 9-11:

• Write an expository paper describing life on Sweet Briar plantation.
• Write a television newscast informing your audience about Sweet Briar.
• Write a news article reporting a day in the life at Sweet Briar.
• Write a poem focusing upon a major point.
• Write a letter to relatives while posing as a member of the Fletcher family, or a member of the slave family, to inform them about events in your life.
• Write a diary entry representing a week in your life as a family member.
• Create a script for a play demonstrating a day in your life.
• Create a power point that teaches students about plantation life at Sweet Briar.
• Write an interview for Mr. Fletcher or a slave.

Writing Options, Grades 4-5:

• Write a television newscast informing your audience about Sweet Briar.
• Write a news article reporting a day in the life at Sweet Briar.
• Write a poem focusing upon a major point.
• Write a letter to relatives while posing as a member of the Fletcher family, or a member of the slave family, to inform them about events in your life.
• Write a diary entry representing a week in your life as a family member.
• Create a script for a play demonstrating a day in your life.
• Create a power point that teaches students about plantation life at Sweet Briar.
• Write an interview for Mr. Fletcher or a slave.
• Illustrate a poster depicting life on the Sweet Briar Plantation
• Cartoons/comic strips

Writing Options, Grades 1-2:

• Draw a picture to place on the chart in Activity 1
• Sketch a map of your school. Is it square? Circular? Rectangular?
• Write a poem about living on a farm.
• Write a diary entry representing a day/week in your life as a family member.