ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
Annotated Lesson Plan: The Age of Explorers
Lara Landry
National University
1
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
Lesson Description:
Content Area: Social Studies
Title: The Age of Exploration
Grade Level: 4 (14 students, 2 ADHD, 1 ELL)
Rationale: Humans have not always known our Earth to be round, or how great in size it
really is. There was much that was unknown to man before the growth of modern
technology. Before the Age of Discovery, European's didn't know of the western
hemisphere or of the Americas. It wasn't until only 300-500 years ago that the lands were
discovered. In purpose of finding new trade routes, new goods and new trading partners,
European began exploring the world by sea. Some too set sail to simply learn more about
the world. Whatever the reasons, the information gained during the Age of Exploration
significantly helped in the advancement of geographic knowledge. This lesson teaches
students about our changing world; when, where, how and why the continents of both
North and South America came to be known and developed.
Goal:
Students will learn about the exploration era and the explorers who first came to
America.
Objectives:
Students will be able to
1. Identify the time period of the early explorers
2. Identify the reasons for exploration
3. Identify two prominent religions; Christianity and Islam
4. Identify the goals of the early explorers
2
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
5. Analyze the role of six prominent explorers and evaluate their importance
6. Identify the routes of the explorers of the Americas on a map
7. Access websites to conduct research
8. Cooperate and collaborate with a partner
9. Keep papers and materials organized
Standards:
CA standard 5.2: Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early
explorations of the Americas.
1. Describe the entrepreneurial characteristics of early explorers and the
technological developments that made sea exploration by latitude and
longitude possible.
2. Explain the aims, obstacles, and accomplishments of the explorers, sponsors,
and leaders of key European expeditions and the reasons Europeans chose
to explore and colonize the world.
3. Trace the routes of the major land explorers of the United States, the distances
traveled by explorers, and the Atlantic trade routes that linked Africa, the
West Indies, the British colonies, and Europe.
4. Locate on maps of North and South America land claimed by European
powers.
ELL Accommodations: The teacher introduces new words the students will be exposed to
in this lesson; i.e. Renaissance, Vasco de Gama, Portugal, Christianity. The spelling of
each new word and the names of the explorers and countries mentioned are written on the
board for the class to reference. The teacher reads each new word aloud and the students
3
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
repeat them in chorus. When a word is mentioned in the video the teacher thinks may be
challenging, the teacher pauses the video to explain.
The ELL student is partnered with a student who is willing to be patient in helping him
understand the material; one with patience who enjoys helping others.
Vocabulary:
1. Exploration: noun for of explore, to make a careful search for something by
traveling to different places
2. expedition: a journey especially by a group of people for a specific purpose
(such as to explore a distant place or to do research)
3. the Renaissance: the period of European history between the 14th and 17th
centuries when there was a new interest in science and in ancient art and
literature especially in Italy
4. Amerigo Vespucci: an Italian explorer
5. Vasco de Gama: an Explorer from Portugal
6. Portugal: a powerful country during the Exploration Era, neighbor to Spain
7. Portuguese: someone from Portugal
8. religion: an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship
a god or a group of gods
Christianity: the religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ
9. Muslim: a person whose religion is Islam: a follower of Islam
10. Islam: the religion which teaches that there is only one God and that
Muhammad is God's prophet: the religion of Muslims
11. caravels: the ships used by Portugal and other nations to explore
4
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
12. conquer: to take control of (a country, city, etc.) through the use of force
Materials and tools:
True/False Pre-quiz
Multimedia projector
Great Age of Exploration video
Video questions handout
Explorer Website list handout
Computers
Internet project fill in the blanks assignment sheet
List of Explorers and Accomplishments with dates
Blank timeline to fill in
Student Post Evaluation Paper
Student self-Reflection paper
Pencil
Colored correcting pen
Procedures:
Introduction (5 minutes): Teacher will briefly discuss the Age of Exploration; giving the
time period, the objectives, and the outcomes of the European exploration period.
Presentation:
Day One:
Pre-Quiz (5 minutes): The teacher will distribute and ask the students to complete the
pre-quiz on the Age of Exploration to see what the students know prior to the lesson.
5
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
Video (45 minutes- 1 hour): When the pre-tests are complete the each student is given a
handout with questions to answer on the 30-minute video they will watch, The Great Age
of Exploration. The teacher reviews the questions with the class prior to the video
presentation. After the video, the students are assigned to heterogeneous groups of 2
students of different skill levels to complete the video questions. Each student will
complete their own paper, but they will collaborate with their group members to come up
with the correct answers. After the video questions are complete, the teacher leads the
students in a discussion on the video and the questions. The answers are shared by the
groups with the class and the teacher provides correction where or if needed. The
students correct their own papers with a correcting pen.
Day Two:
Internet Project (45 minutes): In their assigned groups, the students complete a fill in the
blank assessment on the early explorers by referencing specific Internet sites in the
computer lab. The list of Internet sites they are to access for the information as well as the
fill in the blank assessment of their knowledge of the early explorers is given to the
students prior to going to the computer lab. The teacher reviews the assignment with the
students and answers any questions. Each student has their own paper, but they work
together to find the correct answers to fill in. The students will complete this in their
groups of 2-3 students. The teacher walks the computer lab while the students complete
the assignment and is readily available to assist in locating information on the websites or
for any questions the students might have while completing the assignment. The teacher
gives praise when the students locate a correct answer. After the students finish filling in
the handout, they come back to the classroom and discuss their finding as a group. Each
6
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
group shares the answers to 1-2 of the questions. Any correction that the students make is
done in a colored correcting pen.
Day Three:
Timeline: Students complete a timeline in their groups of the early explorers from a list
of explorers given to them. Again, each student has their own paper, but they work
together to put the dates and nations in the correct places on the timeline.
Day Four:
Students complete an open book/note evaluation/test, and closed book True/False post-
test.
Assessment and Evaluation:
The teacher constantly assesses the group work by canvasing the classroom while the
students are working. After the video questions are answered, the teacher goes over the
worksheet with the class. Each group takes turns giving the answers to the video
questions, 2-3 questions per group are shared with the class. If a group got a particular
question wrong, they are asked to correct the answer with a colored correcting pen. After
the Internet project, the teacher engages the students in discussion about their findings.
The answers to each of the questions are reviewed and corrected. After the final
assignment where the students complete a timeline of the early explorers, the teacher
reviews the handouts for accuracy with the class. The three final papers are submitted and
graded.
Homework (15 minutes): Given on the third day, the students complete a crossword
puzzle on the early explorers. This crossword puzzle has a word bank to help students
with their spelling. This is done independently and the assignment is submitted for
7
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
grading. The crossword is corrected in class and students make any correction to their
paper with a colored correcting pen.
Evaluation (20 minutes): The student is given a final "open note" evaluation of their
knowledge of early explorers and the Age of Exploration. After, the students re-take the
pre-test without notes to see how their knowledge of this era has improved. The final
paper to be completed by the students is a self-reflection where the students are asked
four questions about their opinion of the lesson; what they liked the most, the least, what
was the most challenging and what was the least challenging. The self-reflection and all
other assignments are treated as classwork assignments and are only graded for
completion. The test is the summative assessment.
All documents needed follow the lesson plan.
8
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
Age of Exploration and Early Explorers Pre-Test
Directions: Answer the following True/False questions by writing a T for true or F for false to the left of each number.
1.America was called the New World.
2.Christopher Columbus was the first explorer to find the New World.
3.Columbus started the first Spanish colony in the New World.
4.In the 1400s, Spain and Portugal were leaders in world exploration.
5.Vasco Da Gama was a Spanish explorer.
6.In 1400, no Native American had ever seen a horse.
7.The development of gunpowder by the Aztec Indians in Mexico allowed them to win most of their battles against the Spanish.
8.North and South America were named after the Americo plant found only in the New World.
9.Amerigo Vespucci is an explorer for which America was named.
10. Ferdinand Magellan was an explorer who sailed all the way around the world.
9
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
"The Great Age Of Exploration" Video Questions
1.What was the time period after the Medieval Era called (it was a historical period of cultural rebirth)?
2.What country developed the important school of navigation in the 1400’s?
3.Who was the first European explorer to reach India by sailing around the tip of Africa?
4.What were the new exploration ships in the 1400’s called?
5.What were the three important goals of the early explorers?1.
2.
3.
6.What did Columbus think was 4000 miles west of Africa?
7.Who established the first Spanish colony in the New World?
8.Who is the New World named after?
9. Who conquered the Aztecs?
10. Who conquered the Incas?
10
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
Student's Names:
Age of Exploration Internet Project
Directions: Use the websites on The Age of Exploration Internet Project: Website List to answer the following questions.
1. America was named after in the year .
What were the four goals of the early explorers?1.2.3.4.
2. What did students learn at the school of Navigation built by Prince Henry?1.
2.
3.
3. Who commissioned (sponsored) John Cabot's journey?
4. After crossing the Atlantic, where did Cabot land?
5. Cartier was an explorer who sailed for the country of .
6. Cartier sailed 1000 miles up the River.
7. Cartier named the entire region he explored .
8. Vasco de Gama led the first expedition that traveled from Europe to by sailing around Africa.
9. Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to .
10. The strait at the southern tip of South America is called . Why?
11. Who started the Age of Exploration?
11
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
The Age of Exploration Internet Project: Website List
This is a partner project that will require you to use the Internet. Complete the fill in the blank worksheet using the following websites;1. www.enchantedlearning.com2. www.ducksters.comThe link to each explorer you will read about is under each explorer's name.
Age of Exploration Web Sites:
Henry the Navigatorhttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/h/henry.shtml
Christopher Columbus http://www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/christopher_columbus.php
Vasco de Gamahttp://www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/vasco_da_gama.php
John and Sebastian Cabothttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/indexc.shtml
Ferdinand Magellanhttp://www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/ferdinand_magellan.php
Amerigo Vespuccihttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/indexv.shtml
Jacques Cartierhttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/indexc.shtml
12
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
The Age of Explorers Evaluation
Now that you have learned about the Age of Exploration through the video and webquest, let's see what you have learned! Answer the following questions independently, in complete sentences. You may use your video responses and internet project responses to answers the questions.
1. What was the school Prince Henry the Navigator established? What did students learn there?
2. Name four important goals of all the early explorers.
1.2.3.4.
3. What was the time period following the Medieval Era called? a. (Hint: This was a time when education and art started becoming important
again.)
4. What was the name of the king John Cabot explored for?
5. Where did Vasco de Gama go?
6. Which explorer was America named after?
7. Magellan was first man to sail from the Atlantic Ocean into which ocean?
8. For which country did Cartier explore?
9. What modern day country did Cartier name?
10. Name two Indian nations the Spanish conquered.
13
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
Student Name: Date:
The Age of Exploration Lesson: Self-Reflection
1. The part of this week’s lesson on the Age of Exploration I liked the most was…
2. The part I liked the least was…
3. The part of the lesson that was the most challenging for me was…
4. The part of the lesson that was the easiest for me was…
14
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
In creating this lesson plan, I knew I must create something that is pertinent to the
curriculum of my 4th grade students, as this is where I would be conducting the
implementation of the lesson. Currently in history class, we are studying the early
European explorers, which meet the standards for 5th grade social science. We had
previously gone through the lessons on Christopher Columbus, John Cabot and now
Ferdinand Magellan. The way our book is set up, the students focus on each individual
explorer rather than the time of early exploration, or the Exploration Age. I have found
that the students have had a lot of questions in regards to the reasons these explorers were
exploring and why they were doing so for nations not of their own. For example,
Columbus was Italian but he explored for the Spanish and John Cabot was also Italian but
explored for the English. I knew because of the questions the students had and their lack
of understanding in regard to the time of exploration, this is where I wanted to focus my
lesson plan.
At the school in which I teach we do not utilize enough technology in the
classroom. And in coming down to fourth grade from 6th, I realize the students even
more so need to make visual representations of the text they are reading. This is after all
their world. They are over stimulated with technology in their everyday lives and are
used to being informed and learning about new things or concepts via visual and audio
interaction. I work in a fairly affluent community and these children have iPads, and
iPhones at their disposal, yes, even in 4th grade.
My first step was to make sure the lesson plan followed SDAIE: Specially
Designed Academic Instruction in English. After learning about SDAIE in the first unit, I
couldn't be more of an advocate of this style or method of teaching. In the PowerPoint
15
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
presentation it stated that some view SDAIE as "just good teaching" and well, I couldn't
agree more. The method teaches to every ability and allows for success for every student.
The key aspects of SDAIE needed to be included in my lesson; modeling, bridging,
contextualization, schema building, text re-presentation, and metacognition. And, I feel
that I have done so in creating my lesson plan.
In regards to modeling, I clearly explained what was expected of them prior to the
lesson, which included a video presentation, "The Great Age of Exploration," a video I
located on the Internet that clearly spoke to the time period of the early explorers. This
video showed replicas of the ships that were sailed, showed maps of the explorers’
voyages, showed pictures of the explorers so the students could visualize what these men
look like. It showed what life was like during this time period and how and why it was
the way it was. It spoke of the history before the Exploration Age, the Middle or
Medieval Age, and talked about the coming of the Renaissance period.
Before the lesson, I want to be sure to bridge from the knowledge the students
possess, and then move form the known to the unknown. So, I plan to ask them questions
about what material has already been covered; who was Columbus? Where was he from?
Why did he set out on an expedition?, etc. The video to be shown covers the
contextualization aspect of the SDAIE method. By explaining that all the explorers they
have studied so far lived in the time period of the Exploration Age, the teacher is
connecting multiple facts and isolated concepts to a larger body of knowledge; the
students are seeing the big picture, which in terms of learning helps the students find
value. Text re-presentation will be used by means of the Internet project that follows the
video assignment. Much of the information discussed in the video is seen again in the
16
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
second part of the lesson. After the lesson is complete and the week is coming to a close,
the students are to complete a self-reflection on the lesson and their learning; this covers
the metacognition aspect of the SDAIE method.
In regards to the ESL student we were to profile, I chose option 4, to create my
own, as the first three did not fit the criteria I needed to follow in order to implement my
lesson plan. In terms of the classroom setting, I needed to focus on a 4th grade student. I
chose to highlight characteristics of a student currently in our school, a young boy who is
in third grade from Iran named Ali. I may teach this student next year, and I thought it
best to create a lesson with this boy in mind. Should he be at the school next year, he
would be a 10-year-old 4th grade student who moved with his family from Iran one year
ago. His father is in business management and his mother does not work. He has an older
brother in 8th grade who is much more proficient than he, as they did receive some
English in their school in Iran. Ali, however has limited English proficiency, but is eager
to learn. He speaks fluent Farsi and can read age appropriate book and magazine in his
primary language. His report cards from his previous school reflect above average grades.
He is outgoing and active in sports, and he get along well with the other students,
language barrier aside. He is well liked and welcomed by his peers. His CDELT results
indicate an overall score in the Early Advanced range, and he has been identified as an
English learner (Listening and speaking= Intermediate level. Reading= Early advanced.
Writing= Early advanced).
Luckily for Ali, there are two other students in the class of Persian decent, one
that speaks broken Farsi, and one who is able to identify a few key words. Regardless,
they have cultural similarities and this helps in making Ali comfortable in his school
17
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
surroundings. They have been very helpful in helping translate direction that are
confusing or text that he does not understand. In creating partners for this lesson plan, I
would be sure to group him with one of these students to ensure Ali took as much from
the lesson as he could.
A stated in the Serdyukov and Hill, biliteracy is important to foster and develop in
ESL students. A teacher should not lose sight of the fact that ESL students need to
maintain a cultural identity as well (2009). In one of the videos we were assigned to
watch, a teacher at the international school in Brooklyn, New York had created a lesson
that allowed for the students to work in homogeneous groups and interview people of
their own culture in their community. This was a great way to develop the students
English proficiency as they had to complete much of the assignment in English, yet the
project allowed for the students to strengthen their community ties. A teacher must
always respect and encourage diversity in the classroom, and allow ESL students to
maintain their cultural diversity while developing their English proficiency and helping
them acclimate to their new surroundings, without losing their cultural identity.
Serdyukov and Hill states, "many of the strategies that teachers use to develop native
literacy are useful for assisting students to develop literacy in a new language" (2009).
Hudelson suggests "teachers create a print-rich environment, provide opportunities for
collaboration, and organize instruction so that students engage literature in a meaningful
way and write purposefully" (1994). Another aspect to keep in mind when creating
lessons for ESL students is that text is embedded in cultural and social contexts, which
may be unfamiliar to second language learners.
18
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
In creating any lesson plan going forward, I will keep in mind the SDAIE
strategies I have learned in this course. I look forward to having the ESL student
mentioned above next year in my class and to the exciting challenges that will bring to
my teaching career.
19
ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN: THE AGE OF EXPLORERS
References
Faltis, C., & Hudelson, S. (1994). Learning English as an additional language in k-
12 schools. TESOL Quarterly, 28: 457–468. doi: 10.2307/3587303
SDAIE: Specially designed academic instruction in English and related strategies.
[PowerPoint lecture] Retrieved from National University TED 621A class site.
Serdyukov, P., & Hill, R. (2009). Methodology for second language development.
Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Serdyukov, P., & Ryan, M. (2008). Writing Effective Lesson Plans – A 5-Star Approach.
Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Sitko, J., Ph.D. (Producer). (2004). The great age of exploration. Chariot Productions.
Retrieved from http://video.google.com/videoplay?
docid=7843799197761762374
20
Top Related