Early People of North America Teacher Resources

Third graders "travel" from Europe to North America as Columbus did. They organize the information into chronoglogical order.

Does Christopher Columbus deserve credit for "discovering" America? What was the impact of the Age of Exploration on native peoples? 

Third graders demonstrate knowledge of exploration by naming and describing accomplishments of explorers. They use the internet to find corresponding information on the explorer and fill in a chart that is provided. Students also...

This is a really neat worksheet! Kids click on each of the provided links to answer each of 11 questions. They'll discover geographical, demographic, environmental, and cultural facts about Latin America. They'll even learn to write...

Explore the world through music with two lessons that bring focus to four composers—Gabriela Lena Frank, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Bedrř˘ich Smetana, and Mason Bates. After listening to musical pieces and viewing informative videos, scholars...

Explore key moments in American history with the click of a mouse! Learners read 50 questions from different eras in early America, and watch the rest of the presentation to find more questions to answer.

Third graders study Columbus and the route he took when he was exploring. In this social science, 3rd graders examine maps, analyze them, compare them to each other, and understand where Columbus wanted to go versus where he actually...

Provide your class with an opportunity to examine race through a variety of literary works. They read and analyze a chosen poem, interview, speech, or story describing race in America. They then use key words from the original work to...

Learners explore, analyze and discuss Colonial America via a variety of different resources. They utilize their inference skills to compare/contrast the past to the present. A short lesson on note-taking is also included within this...

Witness the birth of the Americas in this presentation, which details the European Explorers who contributed to adding vital details on our modern-day maps. Viewers' worlds will literally expand after seeing the results of Cortes and the...

The fabulous book, Molly's Pilgrim is the centerpiece of this sociology lesson plan. Third graders will explore how pilgrims from the past are alike and different from pilgrims of today. After hearing the book read to them, small groups...

Third graders research an explorer that explored Florida, the Southwest or Northwest of America. They discuss the consequences of the explorers actions.

The entire continent of North America changed physical shape multiple times throughout the course of history. The in-depth interactive offers three complementary ways to learn about these changes. Scholars watch three video episodes,...

Students access prior knowledge of why the explorers came to America between 1492 and 1542. In this discovery of America lesson, students follow the route of an explorer and find out why he traveled to another land. Students create an...

Students begin this lesson by charting information about the relationship between the Spanish missionaries and Native Americans at a California mission. Then, students identify the dynamics of those relationships that would have made...

What motivated Europeans to explore the New World, and what effects did their exploration have on Native American populations? The second installment of a 16-part American Passages series prompts pupils to watch a video and read several...

Small groups learn about a present-day nomadic culture in Mongolia and the threats to its existence by exploring a photo essay. The resource includes thoughtful discussion and writing prompts about cultural sustainability, the...

By providing an in-depth and interesting overview of European exploration in the New World, this presentation would be a wonderful complement to a unit on this topic. The 17 slide presentation is both thought-provoking and informative....

A carefully crafted three-day lesson integrates poetry and visual art. By analyzing and comparing Langston Hughes' poem "Mother and Son" and Romare Bearden's collage "The Dove," readers explore the theme of hope. The lesson activates...

Use the text Exploration of North America for this four-day lesson plan. Young readers are guided through this book with various activities designed for learners to focus on making connections, questions, inferences, summaries, etc. Each...

Students participate in a series of activities to explore the lives of slaves in 19th century America. They examine the design of slave ships, the hardships endured, and the ways that owners depended on slaves for their economic survival.

Sixth graders view pictures to discuss then and now.  In this exploration age lesson, 6th graders view pictures as primary sources and discuss the differences between then and now. Students recognize the reasons people explored. Students...

Learners analyze the significance of Jamestown in the broader picture of colonization and analyze a historical document to determine the effects of previous explorations on the expectations of the Jamestown colonizers

Change, growth, and a sense of belonging are the focus of a unit that uses poetry to explore these themes and the distinguishing features of poetry as well.