Lesson Plan One: “What do you know about Famous Explorers?”

At the beginning of this lesson, begin discussing with students what they know from past knowledge or readings related to the Early Explorers of the 1400-1800’s.

Using a KWL chart, allow students to complete their answers orally and record them on chart paper to hang in the class for future reference.

Discuss with the students how exploration began and why it was important for explorers to discover new land for us to benefit and enjoy from. Use the following discussion questions:

A. What do you think it takes to make a great explorer?B. Would you want to become a famous explorer one day?C. Do you think that crossing boundary lines was dangerous for the explorers

as they traveled into unfamiliar territory?

Continue with the lesson by displaying on the Smart board a PowerPoint Presentation from www.teacherspayteachers.com website entitled: “Reasons why Explorer’s Explore.” Students will learn about the four Gs, and the one A throughout the presentation. (Gold, growth, God, Glory, and Adventure). The presentation focuses upon the 1400-1500s exploration period and is a good start to allow students to begin to see the rise of European maritime exploration. Students may take notes on the Power Point in their student notebooks. They will utilize these throughout the unit on explorers.

Vocabulary: Students will also use their I pads to research specific vocabulary words related to exploration. These include:

Voyage Globe Export Import Discover Navigate Descend

For a final activity, students can use the website: www.enchantedlearning.com to read more about the explorers from the 1400’s to the 15th century.

Lesson Plan Two: “Creating a Timeline of Explorers”

Students will begin this lesson using their I pads and the following website to learn more about the age of exploration. (www.thoughtco.com)

Article: “A Brief History of the Age of Exploration.”

1. Discuss with the students how the Age of Exploration was also known as the age of Discovery since it began in the 15th century, and lasted through the 17th century. The overall objective was to find a way to explore the world by sea in search of new trading routes, wealth, and knowledge.

2. Students will read the article as a whole group and begin creating a timeline of events as to how each explorer traveled, where they traveled, and how they traveled. The many faces on the timeline should include John Cabot of 1497, Giovanni da Verrazano, and Lewis and Clark of the early 1800’s. Students may assist one another to create the timeline of events as they occurred and place these events on butcher paper to hang in the class to reference from.

3. Other supplemental texts that the students could benefit from during the construction of the time line would include the following:

A. It was a moment unique in human history, the face-to-face meeting between two men from civilizations a world apart. In 1519, Hernán Cortes arrived on the shores of Mexico, determined not only to expand the Spanish expire but to convert the natives to Catholicism and carry off a fortune in gold. That he saw nothing paradoxical in his intentions is one of the most remarkable and tragic aspects of this unforgettable story. In Tenochtitlán, Cortes met his Aztec counterpart, Montezuma: king, divinity, and commander of the most powerful military in the Americas. Yet in less than two years, Cortes defeated the entire Aztec nation in one of the most astounding battles ever waged. The story of a lost kingdom, a relentless conqueror, and a doomed warrior, Conquistador is history at its most

riveting. Published in 2009, Author: Buddy Levy: A good read aloud for students as they begin to learn and determine the explorers demands as they came upon the new land.

B.

Dramatic, revealing entries — including Columbus' own words — document epochal voyage, heavy seas, discouraged crew, first sighting of land, appearance of island natives, more. Translated into English, reset in large type. 44 illustrations, including a number from rare sources. Fascinating historical document. Publisher's note. Published in 1991: Author: Christopher Columbus from his own journal notes: This would be a good introductionTo how exploration first began for all explorers and the trials they faced.

Lesson Three: “Finding Valuable Resources”

In this lesson, students will learn how to navigate correctly through the use of the Internet to locate valuable resources that will aid them in finding the information needed to complete the chart of information from the site: www.teacherspayteachers.com: entitled: Famous Explorers Chart

1. Students will use the chart of information to navigate through the Internet to find the following information on each explorer:

Name of explorer Area explored Country Date

2. Students may use Google or Bing as a search engine for this lesson. 3. Encourage students to use the following text information found below to

supplement their findings of the mentioned explorer.

Vasco De Gama: Published in :October 6, 2017 by Liz Tay (Author) ›

Ovidiu-Iulian Toma (Illustrator) Sail into the unknown with Vasco da Gama: the bold explorer who, at the dawn of the great Age of Exploration, became the first to connect Europe and Asia by sea. This Tale for Tiny Travellers features 11 full-colour illustrations designed to introduce young children to real-world landmarks and characters. It also includes a handy destination guide to help families visit key elements of the story in person.

By: George Makepeace Towle; Published in April 8, 2018

This edition is presented complete and unabridged, with larger text for easier reading by younger readers, and all the original illustrations and decorations.“I have attempted to transform the somewhat dry and monotonous translation of this narrative into an entertaining story, that may engage the attention and the interest of my young readers; for which it certainly presents ample opportunities. If the task is properly done, no one can fail to follow Marco Polo from his Venetian home, across the entire continent of Asia to the court of Kublai Khan, and in his various adventures and journeys while in the far-off Orient, without eager curiosity and ever-deepening interest. The central figure of the story is heroic, for Marco Polo was in all things manly, brave, persevering, intelligent, and chivalrous; and the scenes and incidents in which he was the leading actor were in the highest degree thrilling and dramatic.”-From the Preface by the Author.

Author: Ron Gragg/ Published in July 2003;Describes the expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the unknown western regions of America at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Includes facsimiles of journal entries, maps, and letters inserted in folders and under flaps. Chronicles the westward journey of Merriweather Lewis and William Clark from the Mississippi to the

Pacific Ocean with replicas of documents, letters, journal entries, and maps from the expedition.

Lesson Plan Four: “On line Fun”

For this lesson, students will be using their I pads and the account created by the teacher from the site: www.study.com

Students will access the article using their I pads entitled: “Famous Explorers, Lesson for Kids.”

Students will read about Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, and Ferdinand Magellan in this article. They will then take a short on line quiz that is multiple choice at the end of the article. Students may work collaboratively on this assignment, so more than three to a group. Students may take notes on the article in their notebooks and refer back to them when needed.

Students can also access their scores after they have submitted their quiz. Teachers may use this as a summative grade, or just as a review. Teachers that have accounts may also print off the actual score and share these with students. *Note: This is lesson 6 on the site. There are many articles pertaining to famous explorers for students to access, read, and learn about.

Lesson Plan Five: “Map it Out!”

For this activity, students will complete a map of the travels of the famous explorers of the European culture that we have been studying. Each student will receive a blank map of the world that indicates the many explorers that we have been studying. A copy of the map can be found at www.teacherspayteachers.com entitled, “European Explorers age of Exploration Route Map Bundle.”

Students will utilize the notes they have taken in their notebooks on each explorer, access the classroom charts within the room, and their Social

Studies textbook to complete the journey map. Upon completion, map should look like the following: (With the color of the explorer matching the color of the route on the map).

Students may then share their ideas of how they constructed the map and share these on the document camera with the class.

Students will then begin the Webquest activity listed on the Weebly page as part of the final grade and culminating activity.