Early Explorers

5.2.2

C. Smith, Homan Elementary School

Printer Friendly Lesson Plan

Designer:  Curtis Smith

Publication Date:  June 17, 2005

Standard (Include analysis skills and language arts standards):

• 5.2           Students trace the routes of early explorers.
• W2.3   Write research reports about important ideas, issues, or events.

 

Key concepts (California Concepts Collection II/Vocabulary):  explorers, routes, motives, astrolabe, compass, Northwest Passage, Conquistadors, contagious disease, and Sponsors

Learning Outcome/ “Big Idea”/ “Essential Learning” (Objective): 

In this lesson, students learn about the European exploration routes and the technological developments in the 15th and 16th centuries.  In the Harcourt Brace Social Studies book students will observe and compare different maps showing explorers' destinations, routes, and dates.  With a partner students will record their findings on a graphic organizer and trace the explorer routes on a large world map.  A class discussion will be held to answer questions about destinations, origins, routes and dates of explorers.  After this the teacher will show the students how to neatly trace a route of an explorer.  The teacher will also demonstrate for the students how to write a paragraph on the routes of explorers using the routes, dates, and names of explorers on their map.  Finally, on their own students will apply this learning in a Processing assignment of writing two paragraphs of two different explorers. 

TCI Strategies:

Preview, skill builder, processing activity

EL/Inclusion Strategies: 

• The teacher will pair up students with different English abilities.
• Teacher will implement for EL learners a mini vocabulary lesson during ELD.

Materials: 

• Costa Rica pictures on computer to project
• Harcourt Brace Social Studies Book
• Large world maps on 11 X 18 paper
• Colored pencils

 What will students need to do to achieve knowledge and skills identified in standards and learning outcomes?  Students will need to read the information in the text book, fill out the graphic organizer, and write a paragraph explaining aspects of an explorer.

Technology Component: 

        Laptop computer with a power point presentation and scanned pictures of explorers routes

Primary sources:  map of the new world as written by the explorers

TCI Resources:  TCI strategies

Other Resources:  District Adopted History Text and Atlas

Assessment (Description of 2 or more assessment tasks with specific directions, questions, and prompts):  Students were assessed on their map and their paragraph written

1.     Attach rubric to explain criteria (required)

Students had to write where the explorer sailed from, their destination, their route, and dates sailed

• Content 5 points
• Conventions 5 points
• 10 points for map
• 6 explorers mapped with a key included

Reflection:

What did student samples reveal?

It appeared that the students grasped the standard taught.  This was evident by the successful maps drawn and paragraphs written.  The class seemed to understand the Language Arts standard more thoroughly when have to make some text features of their own on their map.

What do I need to model, change or adjust regarding criteria, assessment and opportunities to learn? 

I feel that I would not change anything in this lesson except to use more TCI resources to teach the subject matter.