Early Explorer’s
Home Page
It’s Time to Set Sail!
Introduction * Tasks * Explorer’s
Page * Life
at Sea Page * Teacher’s
Page
Introduction:
It is time for your crew to set sail on a journey of adventure. Your crew is about to embark on a voyage to
find new lands for your country. Your
crew must prepare by researching the explorers who have gone before you,
contact the monarchy for funding, make a coat of arms, decide what cargo to
bring, and log your journey. Good luck
on your long voyage at sea. May you
find fortune and bring honor to your country!
Tasks: *Your
crew has ten days to complete the following five tasks. *You may use only the links provided, and
each crew must work together as a real crew would on an expedition in the
1500’s. *Remember
to
place
all projects in the folder provided by the teacher. *You may scroll down to view the tasks or
click on the buttons below.
Task
#1 Task #2 Task #3 Task #4 Task #5
Task
#1: As part of your exploration preparation,
your crew will need to research the explorers who have gone before. As a crew, you must decide upon four
explorers to research. Each crewmember
will report on a different explorer.
You will use the links provided below to complete your research. Each crewmember must click here or
on the 
worksheet symbol to print off a copy of the
worksheet and complete it. Click on the
Explorers Page to view sites you
need to use to complete your explorer research. Remember to place all worksheets in the portfolio and turn in
when all five tasks are completed. You
are fortunate to learn from other explorers.
Use what you learn to help plan the rest of your journey at sea.
* Task
1 Grading Rubric
Task #2: Before your crew sets sail, you must write a letter to the
monarchy requesting funding. In your
letter, you must include reasons why the monarchy should support your crew and
how your journey will benefit the monarchy and their country. You must word- process your letter and
present it to the rest of the class.
View Columbus’ letter to the king and queen of Spain by clicking on the
following link. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus2.html.
Task #3: Your crew needs to create a coat of arms to represent what your
crewmembers. A coat of arms contains
symbols that represent characteristics of the crew without using words. Click
here to view a picture and explanation of Christopher Columbus’ coat of arms.
Every member of
your crew will contribute one symbol to your crew’s coat of arms. Each crewmember needs to write an
explanation why he or she chose the symbol.
Task #4: As a crew, you must now decide upon what you want to bring with
you on your voyage. You have a limit of
five additional items besides the clothes you are wearing. Food will count as one item. You will need to explain what types of food
you will bring. Click on the Life at
Sea Page to help you make your decisions.
You must create a word-processed document that identifies each of the
five items your crew chose and the reason(s) why you chose them.
Task #5: You are on your journey. Each
crewmember must create three journal entries.
Entry #1: Explain what a day was like on the ship.
Entry #2: Describe a struggle you encountered on your journey. Explain the attitudes of the crewmembers
during this time.
Entry #3: Describe where you landed and what you found. Explain what impact your discovery had on
your crew, your country, and the world. *Click on this site to view a journal entry by Columbus. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.html *
Task 5 Grading Rubric
Task
#1 Task #2 Task #3 Task #4 Task #5
