Understanding the Columbian Exchange Through Old World and New World Foods

If you're interested in teaching your class about the impact of the Columbian Exchange on contemporary society, this is worth a look. The plan begins with an introduction to the topic, which stems from a cell phone poll (polleverywhere.com), and continues with an overview of food production and distribution. Next, small groups list what they had for lunch, by ingredient, and then speculate as to their origins by placing images of the items on a map. As they watch a video on new and old world foods, they move their foods to the correct locations on the map. The class then discusses whether they would have been able to eat the same lunch without the Columbian Exchange. Lastly, individuals research and present information to the class on a specific food. This resource has all of the related resources or information on alternatives. There is not assessment.