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...

What motivated Europeans to explore the New World, and what effects did their exploration have on Native American populations? The second installment of a 16-part American Passages series prompts pupils to watch a video and read several...

Students 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...

Students practice analyzing skeletal remains for clues by using the Internet.  In this scientific investigation instructional activity, students research the La Belle shipwreck using the Internet and written materials, later...

In this explorers worksheet students see the names of 18 Spanish explorers on name cards. There is no information given on this page.

Seventh graders explain Spanish motives for establishing Mission San Sab?? and the reasons for the mission's failure. This lesson should be used when students already have an understanding of the Spanish mission-presidio system in Texas.

In this context clues learning exercise, students define context clues and use them to define words in a reading passage.

Students explore the history and domestication of the Bovidae family and their importance to our prairie ecosystem. Using a map of the United States, students located the American Great Plains. They complete worksheets and discuss...

Fifth graders complete a worksheet. In this bison and great plains lesson, 5th graders read information about bison and complete a worksheet of comprehension questions. Students locate the American Great Plains on a map and answer the...

Teaching approach that examines the writings of European New World explorers from the late 1400s through the 1600s. Includes Christopher Columbus, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Rene Goulaine de Laudonniere, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Fray...

Provides a brief explanation of the role of captivity narratives in the pre-Colonial and Colonial periods in American history. Contains reproductions of primary source documents. RI.11-12.9 17,18.19th Cen Historic