New ReviewThe 2004 U.S. bicentennial sparks a discussion about its meaning and importance to United States history. Readings, maps, tables, and reflective writing prompt small groups to explore the westward expansion, Lewis and Clark, and how...

Historians have proven that as early as 1497 skilled navigators were using a kamal to sail across oceans. Scholars learn about navigation tools and astronomy before building their own kamals. They then learn how to use it to determine...

Young voyagers face the challenge of the wide dark sea, travel with Yunmi and Halmoni, and even get trapped by the ice as they explore the reading selections offered in these enrichment activities designed for the Houghton Mifflin...

Intrepid explorer or ruthless exploiter? This is the perfect video to accompany the observation of Columbus Day in your class, as well as in considering whether Christopher Columbus should or should not be credited with the discovery of...

Salman Khan corrects an incorrect calculation from the previous video. It was wrong due to the fact that there was no actual year zero. He discusses how to correctly determine the year based on the common AD, BC, or BCE abbreviations.

Think of a few of the great explorers in world history. Are you thinking of any women? Chances are, probably not, and this will most likely be the case for many of your class members. But in many ways, female explorers may exemplify...

A British explorer weaves himself in and out of the forest in search for various amphibians. He spots a snake, frog, and a few more creatures during this short journey.

Bring the Age of Exploration into the 21st century with this ancestry activity! Learners get a chance to explore the complex genealogy of the Spanish settlers through watching two video clips (approximately five minutes each) featuring...

Students engage in a Jeopardy-style PowerPoint presentation on the life of Christopher Columbus. The categories are Columbus, Santa Maria, Nina, Pinta, Parts of a Ship. This excellent resource should lead to a firm understanding of...

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....

New ReviewA read-aloud anthology focuses on Columbus and the pilgrims. Young scholars listen to several stories covering Christopher Columbus, the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, pilgrims, meeting Native Americans, and the first Thanksgiving. Nine...

An informational text focuses on Lewis and Clark. Scholars read the text and answer 10 questions to test their reading comprehension skills.

An informational text focuses on the Age of Exploration. Scholars read the passage and then answer 10 questions to test their reading comprehension skills.

An informational text about Ponce de Leon tests scholars' reading comprehension skills. Learners read the text and then answer 10 questions. Question types include multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank.

Scholars compare statues of Columbus and discuss how each memorial captures his personality. Academics also complete a worksheet and discuss how some people have called to remove statues honoring Columbus. 

Kon-Tiki, the record of Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 raft journey across the Pacific Ocean, is the focus of three classroom activities. In a lesson on connotation and bias language, class members record instances of Heyerdahl's word choice....

Sixteen slides showcase an average day on the job for a paleontologist, Ross MacPhee. Engaging images include world maps and real-world photographs from an archeological dig in Antarctica. A brief description accompanies each slide.

Lewis and Clark's famous expedition is a prime example of the United States' westward expansion. Aspiring historians examine maps from Lewis and Clark's journey, as well as discuss their interactions with Native American tribes. The...

Known as the first European to see places like Australia and New Zealand, Captain Cook led the way for the English into the world of exploration. A primary source image of Cook's firsthand account of his voyages and discussion questions...

We all know about Christopher Columbus, but who else explored the Americas, and specifically, the future United States of America? Learners find out these answers and more in a resource that includes four different reading sections,...

Did you know that horses have two sets of teeth?  There is much to learn about horses, of course, and those interested in equine science will learn much from a 10-lesson agricultural science course that covers not only equine dental and...

If it's on the Internet, it must be true ... right? Introduce young Internet explorers to the importance of fact-checking through a fun web-based activity. Pairs work together to read and analyze biographies about world explorers, then...

After watching Treasure in the Sea, a documentary about Channel Islands National Park and the video First Contact, about the voyage of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo to the Channel islands, groups research and then compare the experiences of...