Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I'll Trade a Ponce de Leon for a Columbus...

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders research the discovery of the Americas by various explorers. They create a multiedia presentation about an explorer of their choice including their motivations, obstacles, and successes. Their explorer information will be...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ponce de Leon

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explain that the discoveries of Ponce de Leon were important, both in and of themselves and to the destinies of Europeans and Native Americans. They write an essay highlighting two of his important discoveries.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Explorations: To the End of the Earth and Beyond

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students analyze the factors that affect exploration such as religion, trade, territorial expansion, and science. In this Great Explorations lesson plan, students determine the names of famous explorers as well as their routes and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We're Going on a Bison Hunt

For Teachers K
Students examine significance of Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery, and compose journal entry to demonstrate their knowledge of the use of the American bison as a resource to both the Corps and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Life

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Mini-marine biologists use Scholastic Explorers website to learn about declining numbers of leatherback sea turtles and dusky dolphins. They fill out a K-W-L chart and observation journal worksheet, which are both provided in the lesson...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pilgrims: The First Americans

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time.  In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...
Handout
swmcdn

AP US History Test Review

For Students 11th - 12th Standards
Every major concept, key term, and definition that an AP US history student should know for a test prep session and the big exam is right here in this comprehensive, well-organized study guide. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Columbus Discovers America

For Students 4th - 5th
In this word search worksheet, students identify the words related to the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. Students find 20 words in the word search.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Which Side Is Which?

For Teachers K
Students study the Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Lewis and Clark. They examine the Peace Medal nickel to differentiate between the heads side and tails side. They participate in a coin flip activity, graph the results and analyze...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Early Native Americans

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders locate on a globe where the land bridge was. They describe the progression of nomadic people into North America.
Website
Mariners' Museum and Park

Mariners' Museum: The Ages of Exploration: Age of Discovery

For Students 4th - 8th
This Age of Discovery page presents naval artifacts and explorers of the 15th century to the early 17th century. It looks at European explorers who journeyed to North and South America, the search for the Northwest Passage, and...
Interactive
Mariners' Museum and Park

Mariners' Museum: Exploration Through the Ages

For Students 9th - 10th
A history of the world from the perspective of those who sailed the seas in great waves of exploration, from ancient times through the nineteenth century. Learn about the explorers, their ships, the tools they navigated by, and their...
Interactive
Mariners' Museum and Park

Mariners Museum: Exploration Through the Ages

For Students 9th - 10th
This website focuses on exploration and offers links to Ancient Exploration, Medieval Exploration, The "Age of Discovery" and Modern Exploration. It also provides pictured links to four explorers: currently they are Christopher Columbus,...
Handout
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools

Loon Lake Elementary: Explorers: The Age of Exploration

For Students 3rd - 7th
This Age of Exploration table is an organized, concise overview of famous explorers from the 15th to the 17th centuries.
Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: Discovery and Exploration

For Students 9th - 10th
This American Memory site documents the discovery and exploration of the Americas with both manuscripts and published maps, many of which date from the European Age of Discovery. The site includes 22 map titles and descriptions, as well...
Handout
Steven Kreis, PhD

The History Guide: The Age of Discovery

For Students 9th - 10th
A survey of the explorers of the Renaissance period. Includes a general look at the main explorers, with links to biographies of many of them.
Website
Other

Radford University: Prelude to European Settlement of Virginia

For Students 9th - 10th
This site traces the early voyages of explorers from Portugal and Spain who were trying to find new resources.
Handout
Other

Slippery Rock University: The Treaty of Tordesillas

For Students 9th - 10th
Some very basic information on the Treaty of Tordesillas and geographic information related to South America.
Website
British Library

British Library: The Search for the Northwest Passage

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Detailed third grade lessons help students understand what skills and knowledge were required in order to become an explorer. Includes specific lessons on John Cabot, Jacques Cartier, and Henry Hudson.
Primary
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Vasco Da Gama

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Fordham University provides a look into the thoughts of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama by examining his journal entries during his voyage to India.
Handout
BBC

Bbc: Captain Cook: Explorer, Navigator and Pioneer

For Students 9th - 10th
A engaging biography of the great British explorer that discusses not only his contributions to expanding the British empire but also his work in the prevention of scurvy. Archived.
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Other Worlds the Voyage of Columbus

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This site has a lesson plan designed for grades 9-12. The lesson plan deals with understanding the culture from which Columbus came, Renaissance Europe, and the culture he found in the New World.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: 1492: An Ongoing Voyage

For Students 9th - 10th
An exhibit by the Library of Congress supplies diverse facts on the famous 1492 voyage. The exhibition first examines the encounter between the European explorers and the native people. They explore five geographical areas: The Caribbean...
Unit Plan
Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum (London): The Endeavour Botanical Illustrations

For Students 9th - 10th
A series of articles and online exhibits that gives information on the various specimens, plants and animals that were collected and illustrations were then made. Cook led the world's first scientific naval expedition to the South Pacific.