Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Nine

Watch as our ninth and final group hosts a talk show where different famous explorers visit as guests!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Eight

Our eighth group explored the true nature of Christopher Columbus through a talk show with various guest experts!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Seven

Watch to see who really discovered America!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well?

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Six

Watch as Christopher Columbus and his crew prepare for their voyage and begin sailing!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Five

Watch as our fifth group puts Christopher Columbus on trial and uses common picture books as evidence against him!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Four

Enjoy our fourth group's skit about Columbus and his first voyage to America!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Three

Watch as our third group questions their classmates to determine what they know about exploration and discovery!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group Two

Watch as our second group puts Christopher Columbus on trial!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

Exploration and Discovery Project: Group One

Our Exploration and Discovery unit concluded today with the presentation of our final projects. Each group chose a topic they were interested in and created some sort of presentation about their topic. The results are informative, creative and at times hilarious. I'll be posting one video from each of the nine groups. These short videos are just a peak into each group's presentation! Enjoy!

What did you learn about exploration and discovery from watching this video? What did you notice that the group did particularly well? 

(My previous attempts to upload videos directly to blogger were mostly unsuccessfully, but I'm sticking with it! I'm hopeful these new, shorter videos will upload easier.)

Exploration and Discovery Projects

Who really discovered America?  What were the interactions between the Taino and Christopher Columbus like? How did European explorers treat the indigenous populations they encountered? Do the books we read tell the full story of exploration and discovery? 

In small groups, we decided on the question about exploration and discovery that we are most interested in pursuing, and we created our own projects to help us answer that question. Project presentations will take place on Tuesday! Here's just a small sampling of the work we have been doing to prepare!

Students prepare a poster of evidence AGAINST Christopher Columbus to present at their upcoming trial!

Other students make props for their skits. 

Atlases and other classroom resources help us as we prepare our materials. 

Group members share the responsibility for their work evenly.

The props we make require us to be creative and to use our knowledge of the time period. 

Rehearsal is a key step for anyone preparing for an upcoming talk show!

Using resources outside of books helps us add depth to our learning.

A practicing talk show guest uses a visual aid to drive home her point.

Students work diligently to ensure they will be prepared.

Exploring and Discovering During Family Friday!

For Family Friday today, we had a chance to read books about exploration and discovery with our family and friends. We read books, discussed our ideas with others, and used our social studies notebooks to capture our thoughts about exploration. Many of the beautiful books we read today were from www.donorschoose.org, a website that helps public school teachers get the supplies they need for their classrooms.

What did you learn about exploration and discovery today? What big ideas are you growing? What questions are you pondering? Post your ideas, questions, and comments here. Another historian might be able to help you by answering your question or providing some evidence for an idea! Be sure to read the comments so you can help out other historians!