Description

Students will work in small groups to complete a research assignment and presentation on one explorer and the impacts of his exploration. These impacts can be both negative and positive.

Learning Targets

Students will:
-Use technological tools for research and presentation.
-Communicate information, draw conclusions, defend a position or point of view. Exchange information, questions, and ideas while recognizing the perspectives of others.
-Write formally and informally.
-Participate in formal and informal presentations and discussions of issue and ideas using appropriate sources.
Organize data into useful forms for analysis and presentation.
-Use multiple sources of evidence to support a claim about the past.
-Construct an argument using claims and evidence from multiple sources.
-Critique arguments. Critique explanations.

Create and use a chronological sequence of related events to compare developments that happened at the same time.
Identify the disciplinary concepts and ideas associated with a supporting question that are open to interpretation.
Generate questions about individuals and groups who have shaped significant historical changes and continuities.

Teaching

Students will choose an explorer to research more in depth. Reference the resource "Age of Exploration Research Source Links", for specific explorers that students may choose to learn about, as well as resources they can use to conduct their research.

1. Example Group Research Format - The Life-Preserver Model

Divide students up into groups of blended reading and writing skill level. Each group will research one explorer using guiding questions posed by teacher/classmates.

Each group will get a piece of chart paper with a "life preserver" drawn on it (see photos in resource section). Within groups, each student will independently take notes in their section with a different color marker. (It may be helpful to have each student use a different, reliable source for their research for fact-checking purposes.)

Once all students are finished with their independent notes, develop a protocol for sharing out and prioritizing the most important facts to put in the middle of the life preserver. For example:
Each student shares out the "most important" fact they found. If another person can verify this fact, it goes in the middle. If not, more research can be done if needed.

2. Example Presentation Format:

Students can work with their groups to organize and publish the information from the center of their life preservers as a poster. Students can write their information out in paragraphs or follow a different format chosen by the teacher, i.e. Early Life, Motives for Exploration, Positive Impact, Negative Impact, etc. help shape student work by providing prompts that focus on standards (this should help students do analysis and not simply relay biographical facts...

Possible Drafting Procedure: Students discuss possible ways to organize information. Then, (all using one color, likely a pencil for drafting and a black pen or marker when publishing) take turns writing each sentence/section/paragraph onto the poster. The roles may vary, but the idea is for all students to be equally involved. Once rough draft is complete, teacher will look over and provide feedback before publishing.

Possible Presentation Procedure:
Students work together in teams to decide how to present the information on their poster. Students may choose to act out their explorer's story, give information in the form of a skit, rap, gameshow, or song.

Notes

We need to identify standards and write student prompt and scoring guide to ground lesson.

Extensions

Work with students to develop a format for responses to other group's presentations. For example, a post-it note with compliments on one side and questions/suggestions on the other.

Resources