Description of lesson/activity
1. locate the political boundaries of Europe and existing world trade routes prior to 1492.
2. describe the prevailing conditions in Europe prior to 1492 that caused the Europeans to explore.
3. identify the personal characteristics of someone who might become an explorer.
4. gather relevant information to answer the question/problem.
5. record information in an organized way.
1. The teacher may want to review the Crusades and the results of the Crusades as an introduction to this question/problem.
2. The teacher should then introduce the question/problem.
3. A copy of the student worksheet "Geographic, Economic, Technological, and Political Factors" should be distributed to the students. The students should be directed to gather information to complete the activity using the resources available.
4. At this point note-taking skills should be discussed. Skills to be stressed include the use of key phrases rather than copying complete sentences, the use of relevant information, and recording information in the appropriate spot on the worksheet.
5. Suggested answers are included for the teacher. It is expected that sufficient information will be gathered so that students can develop a good understanding of the factors that caused Europeans to explore prior to 1492.
6. Evaluation of student research is up to the teacher.
7. After completing the research activity, students should focus specifically on the geographic factors by completing the map activity entitled "Political Boundaries and Trade Routes by 1492." A student guide sheet and a blank map are provided.
8. The goal of this activity is to provide students with an understanding of what the world looked like during this time period. It also requires students to draw some conclusions from a completed map. Teachers should provide a variety of resources to show the topography of Asia, the routes in detail, etc. Evaluation of the completed map and the students' inferences is up to the teacher.
9. The "Personal Characteristics of an Explorer" activity is used as a transition from national to individual reasons for exploration. The teacher may want to introduce the activity by defining the terms explore and explorer. To explore is to invest igate the unknown, and an explorer is one who investigates the unknown; explorations have a purpose while discovery could be by accident. The teacher may also want to focus on the types of ships used during this time; and the dangers, the unknowns a nd the navigational knowledge of the time. Maps of this time period may be of interest to students.
10. The class discussion should then focus on the personal characteristics of an individual which would lead to exploration.
11. The teacher should have students complete the activity "Personal Characteristics of an Explorer," either as part of the class discussion or as an individual assignment. Students could share their descriptions with the class.
12. Students might include the characteristics listed below as well as reasons to support those chosen.
Explorers would be:
13. Teachers should conclude the activity by sharing with students the accompanying quote by Samuel Champlain. Champlain was describing his view of "a good and perfect navigator." Students may want to compare the qualities they thought were important with those identified by Champlain, a successful navigator in his own right.
2.
Geographic. Economic, Technological, and Political factors: Student Worksheet
(Suggested Answers)
3. Map of Political Boundaries and Trade Routes by 1492: Directions
5. Resource 5: Personal Characteristics of an Explorer
6. Resource 6: Personal Characteristics of an Explorer: Suggested Answers