Evidence shows the Vikings likely navigated by using a simple sundial to find their course. Videos, a short story, and discussion help bring this time period to life as they study European history with a hands-on experiment. Scholars...

Students build their own compass following a given procedure. In this technology lesson, students explain how a compass is used in navigation. They trace the history of its development.

Could you determine longitude based on measuring time? Early explorers used a longitude clock to do just that. Scholars learn about early exploration and the importance of the invention of the clock. Then pupils build their own longitude...

Jazz, Blue Grass, Hip Hop, Swing. Gospel, R&B, Ragtime, Disco. So many music genres born in the USA. After reading an article about the fate of New Orlean's Jazz after Hurricane Katrina, class members investigate the life cycles of...

Students are introduced to the concepts of latitude and longitude. In groups, they identify the Earth's magnetic field and the disadvantages of using compasses for navigation. They identify the major lines of latitude and longitude on a...

Students study economics and timelines of events to understand changes in America.  In this Twenties and Thirties instructional activity, students navigate Internet sites to research famous reformers.  Students recognize the...

Learners explore the court cases and legal organizations that were instrumental in creating a system of juvenile justice in the United States, then present their findings in a composite timeline.

Students examine the Louisiana state quarter and locate Louisiana on a map of the U.S. They relate the location of Louisiana to other states (and vise versa) using directions and the compass rose.

Learners examine how Christopher Columbus determined his latitude.

For this Christopher Columbus worksheet, students utilize the Internet to access a specific website to find the answers to eight short answer questions associated with the voyages of Christopher Columbus.

A lesson looks at the Pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe during the first Thanksgiving. Scholars compare and contrast information presented by an online activity then discuss their findings. Learners examine the two group's daily routines and...

Students examine the craft of cartography and how the Lewis and Clark expedition created and used maps. They analyze maps, read a handout, create a map, participate in a mini expedition and map out a route based on travel directions,...

Learners model how a gyroscope works with string, an old phonograph record and crayon.

Students read and discuss 'Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra: Mixing Treasures by Duke Ellington and Edvard Grieg,' exploring how jazz transformed European music and the influence jazz has had on modern music. They write musical reviews.

Young scholars explore radio news formats, styles, and sequences, and then write segments for a student-centered news radio program. In small groups, students develop and write news segments for a student-centered radio program.

Students reflect in their journals about an everyday object they take for granted. After reading an article, they examine what a cook's tools can reveal about their life. In groups, they research everyday objects and write a museum...

Students analyze why the census is important and the benefits of it. Determine rights and responsibilities in real life situations. They are divided into groups and take a mock census of a list of teachers and students each. Results of...

Pupils, who are teachers, discover the hazards facing sailors hundreds of years ago as they prepare a lesson to use in their classroom. They examine what each group of students will investigate, and how the findings will be discussed.

In this English worksheet, learners read "Blind Pilot Flies from London to Sydney," and then respond to 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 8 true or false questions about the selection.

Fourth graders discuss early Nebraskan history. They view and discuss the painting "Sodhouse Family." Students are directed to the artistic elements of the painting, such as the horizon line. They follow a prescribed procedure to create...

Fourth graders are introduced to the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the New World. In groups, they use the Internet to complete a WebQuest on what conditions were like on the ships. They write journal entries and complete a worksheet...

Students study what a GPS is and use it to challenge themselves and find positions on a map.  In this investigative lesson students find various points on a map using a GPS system and answer questions on a worksheet. 

Scroll to the bottom of this page to access activity resources and lesson plans that encourage students to explore an understand the practicalities and difficulties involved in sailing to new places during the Age of Exploration.