Early
Explorer’s
Teacher’s 
Page
Preparation *
Rubrics * Objectives * Standards
·
Students
will be divided into groups of four.
·
Each
group needs to be given a folder to store all completed tasks. Students will turn in all tasks at the same
time.
·
Students
need to start on the word document titled “introduction.”
·
Students
have 6 days to complete all five tasks.
·
Students
will be graded according to rubrics.
You can click on the rubric number below to show a printable rubric form
for each of the five tasks.
Task
#1: Explorer Research Worksheet
Task
#2: Letter to the King and Queen
Task
Instructions Given to Students:
Task #1: As part of your exploration preparation, you
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.
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’s research. Remember to place all worksheets in the
portfolio to 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 #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
you 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 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus2.html.
Task #3: Your crew needs to create a coat of arms to
represent what you are sailing for. A
coat of arms contains symbols that represent characteristic 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 explain, using the
following format, why he or she chose the symbol and what it means for their
journey at sea.
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 and the food you will eat.
Click here
to go to 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 of the journey.
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.
Millard
Public School’s Grade Five Enabling Skill: (Also meets Nebraska State
Standards)
·
Traces routes of and
evaluate early explorations of the Americas.
National
Standards:
·
I.
Culture
·
II.
Time, Continuity, and Change
·
III.
People, Places and Environment
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