Explorers

A Web Based Reserach Project for 5th Graders

Columbus Day -- October 12th

Web Resources

Below are a number of web sites that may be helpful in collecting information about an explorer.  It is very important that students know what plagerism is and that they synthesis the information in their own words and avoid copying another person's work.
 

Kids Konnect   Explorer Research Links
http://www.kidskonnect.com/Explorers/ExplorersHome.html
 

Discoverers' Web    Explorer Research Links
http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/pages.html
 
 

Web Quest Activities
 

Doing some or all of these activities will help you learn about the Age of Exploration.


Voyage of Exploration: Discovering New Horizons


Enchanted Learning-Zoom Explorers
Explorer Research Links
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/grant/explorers/
Google Searches

English: Click here

Spanish: Click here


http://ouray.cudenver.edu/~kskahre/saws
/resources/webquestexplorers.html

AJ Kids Search Engine

Yahooligans! Search Engine

History.About.com Search

Magellan (en espanol)

Explorers of the New World
http://www.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/CENTweb/explorers.htm
Bibliography - Citing Sources

Student Work from 2002-03 5th Graders
I'm not bragging, but these students did some great presentations!


Project Objectives   California History-Social Science Content Standards for Grade 5

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 (e.g., Christopher
                    Columbus, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado) and the technological developments that
                    made sea exploration by latitude and longitude possible (e.g., compass, sextant,
                    astrolabe, seaworthy ships, chronometers, gunpowder). 
                    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 (e.g., the Spanish Reconquista, the Protestant Reformation, the
                    Counter Reformation). 
                    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 Spain, France,
                    England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Russia. 
 

Project Activities
 
  • Choose An Explorer: First come, first served.  Check out  this 5th Grade Web Quest for ideas.
  • Student Research: Students research the explorer chosen or assigned using printed and web resources.
  • Student Report Outline: Students use an outline to organize their research.
  • Student Written Report: Students create a written report using  Microdoft Word (.doc Template) . and by consulting the provided Report Rubric
  • Student Power Point/Oral Presentation: Following a teacher-made storyboard, students create a Microsoft Power Point about their explorer.  Students then give an oral report in class, using the Power Point Presentation as a visual aid.
  • Student Web Page: Using the Power Point slides (saved as .gif images), students modify the Power Point into a web page.
  • Historical Timeline of the Explorer - Timeline maker: Horizontal   Vertical  Timeline Rubric
  • Map of area explored showing the Explorer's route   World Map    Printable  Maps       Map Rubric
Project Resources
A 5th grader's Power Point bibliography
It is very important that in whatever format students present their work, whether in a written report, power point or web page include a bibliography so as to give credit.

Bibliography - Citing Sources

For information or images from a web site, you should include the following format to show where it came
    from: 

    Basic Web Page Citing: 
    Last name, First name of Author and any other Authors. “Title of Work.” Name of Site. Date of
    Posting/Revision. Organization. Date of Access <electronic address>. 

 Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author,  C. C. (2000). 
                       Title of article. Title of  Periodical, xx, xxxxxx.
                       Retrieved month day, year, from source <http://www.__________.___>
 Refer to: http://www.apastyle.org/elecgeneral.html

    Example: 
    Curry, Robert. “Colonial2002.”  San Jose Teach.  May 30, 2002, SJTeach.org, October 22, 2002 
              < www.sjteach.org/colonial2002.html > 

    For printed sources, use the standard bibliography format  found  at
    http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html#Works-Cited 


Sample of a timeline of an explorer
Online Timeline maker: Horizontal   Vertical

 

Created by RDCurry

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