Lesson Plan Age of Exploration

Time Frame: 1-2 class periods, 48 minutes each. Content Standards: Students will analyze the developments of the Renaissance in order to assess their impact on science technology art and politics. Lesson Objective: Students will be able to discuss well known explorers in order to draw conclusions about the risks and benefits of voyages during the Age of Exploration. Materials: 1. 2. 3. 4. Eggs Fact slips Worksheet PowerPoint (for reference)

Starter

This is the first lesson of the unit so I will ask follow up questions from the previous unit on the Renaissance and Reformation What were some of the big changes that were happening in the Renaissance that we discussed previously? *Remind students that the Protestant Reformation and Age of Exploration were happening around the same time. (Luther was only 10 when Columbus sailed to the Americas) This is a way to remind students what we learned and then link that to our lesson. As changes occurred in ideals and philosophy, people began to be curious about the world around them. (Look for answers related to thisremember the world SECULAR) People in Europe wanted to travel in search of new land, and riches. Today were going to search for our own riches. Count off to put students into groups of 4. (Probably will have groups of 2 for 6th hour. Since 6th hour is a well-behaved class, I might have them pick their partners) Groups will have 5 minutes to go together around the room to search for eggs. Each egg contains information about explorers and the voyages that they went on. Whichever group collects the most eggs will win candy! *Definitely might have to modify this for 5th hour Now read through your information as a group and answer the questions using the information that you have. We will then go over the worksheet together so that we can puzzle together the information.

3-5 Minutes

Transition

1 Minute

Lesson Part 1

5 Minutes

Part 2

10-15 Minutes (Ideally)

Part 3

Go over the worksheet to puzzle together the information (go around the class and do this?) and make sure that everyone gets the information that they need. We will also discuss the questions as we go along.

Exit slip? Or in class next day

Wrap-up

"Imagine you are an adviser to a European king in the 1500's. The rulers of several other countries have sent explorers to search for new trade routes. Your king doesnt want to fall behind. Now a young sea captain has come to the royal court with a daring plan. The king is interested. What would you advise the king to do? Make sure that you use information you used today about this time period to support your answer. Today we talked about the Age of Exploration. We had our own search for 5-7 Minutes knowledge (the eggs) and worked together to find information about this time. We talked about new inventions and discoveries that made travel easier. We also talked about some of the reasons that these voyagers and the royals that backed them, may want to risk everything for these voyages. As a class, discuss what the majority said that they would dosend the sea captain or not send the captain? (In reality, most sent them because the rewards would outweigh the risk. God, glory, and gold)

15-20 Minutes (Possibly carried on to next day) 10-15 Minutes

Notes: Ideally I would like to finish this in one day, but it will probably take a day and a half/ two days for these classes. I would like to allow groups more time to puzzle in the information. I also might modify the lesson to omit the eggs and just give a certain amount of slips to each group to go over.

Name:____________________________________ Date:_________________ Mod:________________

Age of Discovery

What were some of the main events, discoveries, and inventions that led to the Age of Discovery?

Why did people want to go on voyages?

What were the main countries involved in these voyages?

Who were some other explorers? What were their accomplishments?

Where did the European explorers want to go? Why? Name of Region Reason for wanting to travel to the region

Describe Columbuss voyage to America. Date Country What was he trying to do?

Name:_____________________________________ Imagine you are an adviser to a European king in the 1500's. The rulers of several other countries have sent explorers to search for new trade routes. Your king doesnt want to fall behind. Now a young sea captain has come to the royal court with a daring plan. The king is interested. What would you advise the king to do? Make sure that you use information you used today about this time period to support your answer. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Egg Fact Slips 1. Some advances in science and technology enabled people to make longer, safer sea voyages. New compasses helped sailors figure out where they were.

2. Improvements in mapmaking helped people plan safer routes for their journeys.

3. Acquiring much of their knowledge of sailing from Arabs, Europeans created new ships, called Caravels. These made sea travel safer and could travel farther then older ships could.

4. Some explorers were curious about the unknown. They hoped to find out what lay beyond the horizon. 5. Some explorers were looking for adventure and excitement. 6. Some explorers wanted to spread the Christian faith. 7. Some explorers wanted to get rich and find treasure. 8. Leaders encouraged these voyages because they thought that it might benefit their countries through increased trade and wealth. 9. Explorers from Europe began to search for an all water route to Asia so that they could get goods from China and India. 10. Silks and spices could be found in Asia, but not in Europe. 11. The first explorers to search for a sea route to Asia were from Portugal.

12. In 1497-1498 a Portuguese explorer named Vasco da Gama sailed around the southern tip of Africa and on to the west coast of India. 13. In 1492 Queen Isabella of Spain helped pay for a voyage led by Christopher Columbus. 14.Christopher Columbus hoped to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic. 15. Columbus thought he had found a route to Asia, which Europeans called the Indies. Europeans came to realize that he had reached a land unknown to them. 16. When it was first discovered Europeans referred to the Americas as the New Land. 17. Once America was discovered explorers set out from Europe to learn more about the new land. 18. Explorers from Spain, Portugal, France, England, and the Netherlands set off to explore North and South America. 19. Some explorers went to the Americas in search of the best water route to Asia. 20. Some explorers went to the Americas in search of riches. They heard that native people of the Americas had a lot of gold. 21. Some explorers wanted to conquer the lands and the people of the Americas. 22. Inspired by Phoenicians and Egyptians whom had sailed around Africa by 600 B.C., Prince Henry of Portugal (Henry the Navigator) sent ships to circumnavigate Africa.

23. Henry the Navigator founded a school for sailors, where they could study geography and astronomy. They learned from experienced sea captains and mapmakers from all over Europe. 24. Henry the Navigator believed that there was a faster and less expensive way to travel to Asia. He was determined to find an all water route from Europe to Asia. He thought that the best way would be to travel around the southern tip of Africa. 25. Vasco de Gama was the commander of the first fleet to sail around Africa and make it to the coast of India. 26.Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailor, was the first person to try to circumnavigate, or travel all the way around the Earth. His crew made it around the world, but he was killed in the Philippines in a conflict with the natives.

27. Columbus, who was fascinated by Marco Polos account of experiences called The Travels, wanted to now explore the exotic East. 27. Merchants, adventurers, and state officials had high hopes of expanding trade, especially for the spices of the East. 28. Spices of the East were highly sought out by explorers. They were needed to preserve flavor and food and were highly expensive. 29. Hernan Cortes, the Spanish conqueror of Mexico. 30. Hernan Cortes stated that all natives of the New Land must be introduced into the holy Catholic faith. 31. John Cabot, explored the New England coastline of the Americas for England. 32. Amerigo Vespucci of Florence went along on several voyages to the Americas and wrote letters describing the lands he saw. These letters led to the use of the name America (after Amerigo) for the new lands. 33. Gold is most excellent; gold constitutes treasure; and he who has it does all he wants in the world, and can even lift souls into Paradise. Quote from explorer Christopher Columbus