Author:
Richard Diamond
Subject:
Social Studies
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Level:
Middle School
Tags:
License:
Creative Commons Attribution
Language:
English

Education Standards

Age of Exploration: Explorer Brochure Project

Age of Exploration: Explorer Brochure Project

Overview

Students will be allowed to select a partner and will be assigned a specific explorer from the age of exploration. Depending on the class, you can let the student select their explorer, but part of the idea is that each group has a different person to research as the projects will be presented to the class and help in the instruction and learning of each explorer. They will inherently be collaborating as they are working in pairs. They will be communicating their ideas, thoughts, and research by publishing their brochure and video for others across the grade level to see. Some will even be used as examples in future years. They are allowed nearly full creative power other than that they have to create a brochure on Canva. The critical thinking piece comes from doing their own research into the lives, explorations, and adventures of their explorer, deciding what is important and what they want to include, as well as how they will present their findings. They will also be tasked with identifying the impact that this explorer had on the world both during their time as well as how that impacts us today.

Instructions

Students will be allowed to select a partner and will be assigned a specific explorer from the age of exploration. Depending on the class, you can let the student select their explorer, but part of the idea is that each group has a different person to research as the projects will be presented to the class and help in the instruction and learning of each explorer. You may also have the students record themselves presenting the information using any number of recording apps/tech. Canva recording, screencastify, etc. They will inherently be collaborating as they are working in pairs. They will be communicating their ideas, thoughts, and research by publishing their brochure for others across the grade level to see and presenting to their own classes. Some will even be used as examples in future years. They are allowed nearly full creative power other than that they have to create a z-fold brochure on Canva. The critical thinking piece comes from doing their own research into the lives, explorations, and adventures of their explorer, deciding what is important and what they want to include, as well as how they will present their findings on the brochure. They will also be tasked with identifying the impact that this explorer had on the world both during their time as well as how that impacts us today.

Instructions/Directions

Directions: Students will work in pairs to research one of the most famous explorers during the Age of Exploration. Students will be assigned an explorer and charged with making a front and back brochure about the explorer's voyages, discoveries, impact on the world, etc.

Explorer Choices: (You can obviously add others if there is a specific person you would like your students to research)

  • Hernan Cortes
  • Vasco De Gama
  • Ferdinand Magellan
  • Francis Drake
  • Jaques Cartier
  • Henry Hudson
  • Amerigo Vespucci
  • Juan Ponce De Leon
  • Francisco Pizaro
  • John Cabot
  • Hernando De Soto
  • Vasco De Balboa

Directions: You're project must be made using Canva and a z-fold brochure and must include 3 pages (a front and a back and a bibliography).

You're Project Must Include at least the Following: (Add anything else that you would like the students to find) My students need baseline questions to guide them.

  • Where were they born?
  • Which Country did they sail for? Who did they sail for?
  • Where did they sail on their voyage(s)?
  • What years did they sail?
  • Why were they sent on those voyages? What was their purpose?
  • Did they accomplish what they set out to do or did they accomplish something else?
  • What kind of person were they? Find out some of their characteristics.
  • Why are they famous?
  • What did they discover? Did they name anything or have anything named after them?
  • Pictures, images, and photos that relate to your explorer and their voyages (a map of their routes would be excellent)
  • What can we learn from this person and their accomplishments? How does this effect us today and what lasting impact does this person have on the world (both in their time and today)?

Remember that all of your research must be cited and put in your own words (add a 3rd page for your bibliography).