Develop historical analysis and interpretation with your older students. They will study and analyze three given interpretations of Christopher Columbus' life, which includes significant events, his character, and the impact he made on...

Students research, design, rehearse, record, and present a 60 second Public Service Announcement, based on Columbus' arrival in the America. The students, working in groups, utilize the design process in creating their PSA. This...

Students investigate the trip Christopher Columbus took to the new world.  In this U.S. History lesson plan, students create a fictional ship from cardboard and construction paper simulating the ship Columbus used to get to the New...

Eighth graders study the famous explorer Christopher Columbus.  In this World History lesson, 8th graders analyze and compare primary and secondary sources.  Students discuss as a class the accomplishments of Columbus....

Students gather information about Columbus' impact on the Americas. They use the information to determine whether or not a fictitious community should continue to recognize Columbus Day.

Learners investigate U.S. history by examining North American timelines. In this American exploration lesson, students research the events that led to Columbus finding America and participate in a jeopardy game regarding his adventure....

What do papayas, peanuts, pineapples, and potatoes have in common? Why, they are foods explorers brought back to the Old World. Young researchers use the Internet to investigate how New World explorers helped change the Old World's diet....

Fourth graders will use AlphaSmarts/Neos to create a one page newspaper in Word which features an early explorer. This lesson can be done entirely in the classroom. The students will perform research about the explorer prior to the...

Students gather information about a 15th to 17th century explorer and prepare a script in talk show format about the individual. Finally, students make a video following the script and present it to the class.

Students investigate various expeditions throughout history to new and/or uncharted territories. They work in groups to develop and 'produce' television news magazine segments about some of these historic expeditions.

Eleventh graders examine why major tribes were involved in the French and Indian War. They write a short paragraph about the causes and answer an essay question based on text and Internet research, citing sources. They research text...

Students identify periods of history and read a news article about a librarian who wrote an award winning book. In this current events activity, the teacher introduces the article with a class challenge and a vocabulary activity, then...

Fourth graders become familiar with the explorations of Hernando DeSoto. In this DeSoto instructional activity, 4th graders recognize the routes and territories of DeSoto's explorations. Students use primary and secondary sources and...

Fourth graders research explorers of the New World.  In this American history lesson, 4th graders conduct internet & textbook research about various New World explorers.  Students compare and contrast the sources used for...

First graders research amazing Americans during the first 100 years of American history. After a lecture/demo, 1st graders use a worksheet imbedded in this plan to write 2-4 sentences about 4 of the Americans presented in class.

Fourth graders study exploration of the New World. In this Exploration Age lesson, 4th graders research early explorers and create time lines that include picture, captions, and the routes of the explorers studied.

Students examine the difficulties of exploration and some of the motivations for exploration. They investigate various types of explorers and identify the difficulties faced by the New World explorers. Students create a journal of...

Learners examine the difference between primary and secondary sources by examining the journal of Cabeza de Vaca and creating a poster about the Coahuitecan Indian groups. They portray a scene of the groups in 16th Century south Texas.

Students examine the migration patterns of the Athabaskan and Navajo tribes. After taking notes on a lecture, they compare and contrast the two groups. To end the lesson plan, they write their favorite Navajo story in their journals.