Curated OER
European Exploration, Trade and Colonization
Students complete many activities including mapping, reading books, and Internet research to learn about European exploration. In this European lesson plan, students study geographical mapping, trade, and colonization.
Curated OER
European Explorer IMovie
Film is a wonderful way to communicate any concept or idea. Fifth graders will use IMovie and GarageBand software to create a IMovie about one of eight European explorers. They will chose an explorer, research his travels and life, then...
Curated OER
Glory, God and Gold: Voyages and Adventures - America 1500
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....
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
European Explorers
To compare how the Spanish, French, and English approached the exploration of North America, class groups examine primary source documents and become experts on one of four explorers: Francisco Coronado, Robert LaSalle, Samuel de...
Curated OER
Early European Explorers
Fifth graders complete a variety of activities surrounding European exploration of the New World. They research one explorer and write and present an essay or script in which they portray that explorer as he makes his final report to his...
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Columbus wants to find a shorter route to Asia
Eighth graders identify the reasons why Columbus wanted to find a shorter route to Asia. They make a timeline of the sequence of events surrounding his explorations. Students draw a map of the routes taken by early explorers around...
Curated OER
'European Exploration, Conquest, and Trade
Fifth graders examine the motives, progress and results of the European exploration and conquest of Asia, Africa and the West Indies from the 15th to the 17th centuries. They use maps to trace spice routes and research the role of spices...
Curated OER
Magellan and Coronado
The best part of elementary school is learning about the explorers. Take your 5th graders on a quick trip with European explorers Coronado and Magellan. Described here are their routes, personal histories, and encounters in the New...
Curated OER
European Explorers in France, England, Portugal, and Spain
Students, in groups, research either France, Spain, Portugal, or England. They create a poster describing various aspects of their country and how their country participated in the exploration of America. They present their project to...
Curated OER
European Explorers
Seventh graders research European Explorers lives. They create a Word Document, or slide show based on their research.
Curated OER
de Soto's Expedition: An Alternate Route
Eighth graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. For this Exploration Age lesson, 8th graders compare historical maps with new maps focusing on the route of Hernado de Soto.
Curated OER
Why Europeans Explored
In this motivations behind exploration study guide worksheet, students read a brief overview pertaining to the time period in world history and then respond to a reflection question.
Curated OER
European Exploration
Sixth graders analyze key European explorers and focus on where and why they explored. They research who sponsored the explorers as well as the accomplishments of the explorers. They discuss the lasting effects of the expeditions in...
Curated OER
Early European Explorers Map
Fifth graders create an explorer's map. In this explorers instructional activity students use a map of the world as reference to draw their own map of Europe, North America, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. The students use...
Curated OER
Chapters 14 & 15 – Age of Exploration
In this U.S. history activity, students read assigned textbook pages regarding the Age of Exploration and respond to 49 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Silk Road Assessment
In this ancient trade routes worksheet, students respond to 10 multiple choice questions and 1 essay question about the Silk Road and its significance.
Curated OER
Early Travel Routes
Students explore explorers in the Pacific Northwest by examining primary source documents. After the research is finished students write a journal as if they were one of the explorers. Visual aids are needed as well.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 1: On the Road with Marco Polo: A Boy in 13th Century Venice
Learners investigate Marco Polo's life as a young boy in 13th century Venice. They analyze maps, explore various websites, complete a chart and answer discussion questions, and create a travel brochure about visiting 13th century Venice.
Curated OER
The Great Explorers
Students examine the importance of culture and economy changes that occurred due to the great explorations. In this explorations activity, students create a list of major explorers. Students focus on one main exploration and give an oral...
Curated OER
Early Explorers
Fifth graders explain the reasons why Europeans decided to explore and colonize the world. In this European explorers lesson, 5th graders complete a wall matrix about the explorers and write a summary about the explorer of their choice.
Curated OER
Explorers
In this explorers worksheet, students read a detailed text about the Age of Exploration from 1450 to 1700. Students then answer 7 matching or multiple choice questions.
Curated OER
Triangular Trade Route
Eighth graders explore The Middle Passage and the Triangular Trade Route. They read their text to explore the treatment of African slaves and their route to America. After observing maps and pictures of slave ships, 8th graders share...
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Exploring Explorers
Ninth graders illustrate the routes taken by different explorers on a world map. They explain the need for the different exploration voyages. Students explore the web for information that may contain different points of view or...
Curated OER
Exploration of North America
Fifth graders examine some famous explorers who have helped to discover our country. They discuss explorers from three countries today. They are: Spain, Portugal, and England.