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Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

European Exploration of North America Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers 3rd Standards
Third graders listen to read-alouds and participate in extension activities about European Explorers—Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León, Hernando de Soto, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, John Cabot, Henry Hudson, and Samuel de...
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Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations

For Teachers 5th Standards
A 10-lesson unit explores the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. Over the course of two weeks, scholars read nonfiction excerpts, discuss their findings, and complete activities. An assessment equipped with multiple choice and matching...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Mexican Culture and History through Its National Holidays

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young historians have an opportunity to study the complex history and culture of Mexico by learning about several holidays: The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe), The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los...
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Unit Plan
Missouri Department of Elementary

Equine Science

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
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PPT
Curated OER

Spanish Conquistadors

For Teachers 7th - 9th
A Conquistador is a Spanish name derived from the Reconquista, a period of reclaiming land from the Muslims. However, it became a call of conquest! Here are 17 slides that depict key conflicts between the Spanish and Native Mexican...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spanish Colonials Encounter Quechan Culture

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars use primary sources from the de Anza expedition of the 1770's to research colonial encounters with the Quechan people from Yuma Crossing, Arizona.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Anza's Historical Journals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review the journal of Juan Bautista de Anza. They reflect on his first exploratory expedition into present-day California.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spanish Explorers and Conquistadors

For Teachers 5th
Prior to taking a test of the Spanish explorers and conquistadors, have students review with this informative PowerPoint. Fifth graders will feel more prepared after using this slideshow as a guide to their studying.  
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conquistadors: Hernán Cortes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discover the accomplishments of Hernan Cortes. In this Exploration Age lesson, students discuss the attributes of Cortes and his role as a conquistador. High schoolers then conduct further research to participate in a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conquistadors: Inca Rebellion

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the Incan culture. In this Incan history lesson, students research the rebellions that occured upon the arrival of the Spanish conquistdors. High schoolers write essays regarding the rebellions and whether or not...
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Meso-America

For Teachers 5th
Students will identify and locate Central and South America and their countries and features, as well as Meso-American civilizations. Students will compare civilizations and discuss voyages of relevant explorers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It’s a Big, Big World

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars examine the role of the explorers. In this explorers and conquistadors, students create word puzzles (Wordles) regarding the time period in history. Young scholars conduct research regarding a particular explorer and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Early Explorers

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research European explorers.  For this world history lesson, 5th graders will compare eight European explorers and identify important factual information about each.  Students will be engaged through game-play and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conquistadors: Francisco Pizarro

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the work of Spanish conquistadors. In this Inca lesson, students research factors that led to Pizzaro's conquest of the Inca and compose essays pertaining to their findings.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Land Ho! Early Exploration and Settlement of the Americas

For Teachers 1st
Students complete a unit to learn about early American exploration. In this Americas exploration lesson, students complete eight lessons of activities to learn about Columbus's discovery of the new world and the early exploration of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World History: Legacy of the Conquistadors.

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars examine the influence of the Spanish conquistadors on ancient South American Cultures. In four separate lessons, they discover the relationships of Cortes and the Aztecs, Pizarro and the Incas, Orellana and the Amazons,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's In a Name?

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students research Cabeza de Vaca and other conquistadors. They review how names were given to Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca's family and discuss the achievements, risks, experiences, and characteristics of de Vaca. They write an acrostic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Step by Step

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners create step books to illustrate important events. They discuss how to do things "step by step" and prepare pages to illustrate steps. They select a conquistador and create a step book to illustrate his biographical...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conquistador

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders, after a warm up involving a professional basketball player playing a game against fifteen fifth graders, describe what a conquistador is and how they were able to take over the ancient Indian empires found in the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explorers

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students search interactive sites to discover the history of exploration. They inspect an explorers' timeline and read about them. They participate in a Viking quest game and a multimedia recreation of Marco Polo's explorations.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Mexico: A Look At Its Culture and Geography

For Teachers 1st
Students canvass the Mexican geography, culture, dress, language, crafts, and traditions in this unit of eight lessons. The Mexican Independance Day is compared to our own and the contributions of the Mayan, Azetec, and Spanish are...
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Primary
Curated OER

History Matters: "All Over the Land Nothing Else Was Spoken Of"

For Students 9th - 10th
History Matters provides this fascinating account from Spanish conqquistador, Cabeza de Vaca, about his encounters with the varous Native Americans in the Southwest who came to him for medical attention.
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Teaching With Primary Sources: Hispanic Exploration in America [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This is a great lesson plan from the Library of Congress that shows how to use primary sources in the examination of the Spanish Conquistadors in America. The lesson offers many possible activities for students to use with the primary...
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Website
PBS

Pbs the West: Cities of Gold

For Students 9th - 10th
This PBS site recounts the efforts of Spanish explorers to find the fabled gold of the New World.