7th Grade Social Studies Enrichment Resources
U n i t 8 : E u r o p e E n t e r s t h e M o d e r n Ag e
Biography Resources
Resources
from www.teachtci.com
TCI does not offer any
biographical sources for this
unit.
Literature Resources
Types
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel
Defoe (about 1660 - 1731)
Writing Ideas
from www.teachtci.com
Comments
Additional Ideas
 Pick an explorer, invention, or
philosopher of interest, research
independently, and present
information to the class.
 Ideas for presentations:
PowerPoint, poster/tri-board,
essay, graphic novel,
poem/song/rap, original play, or
dramatic dialogue.
Students write a journal
about an imaginary
voyage of exploration.
The excerpts from Robinson
Crusoe should stimulate the
imagination of students. This
activity could be a lot of fun!
 Write a letter to your family at home,
describing your voyage so far, and
explaining why it was necessary for
you to leave in the first place.
 Write a short original story about a
voyage that ends in shipwreck.
Explain why you braved great
danger to go on this voyage.
Investigating Primary Sources
Essays
Biological and Cultural
Exchanges During the Age of
Exploration
The source material for these
assignments is meaty and
requires high level reading
skills.
 Both sources can be used to write
expository or persuasive essays.
 Create a string map with index card
summaries.
European Missionaries and
the Spread of Christianity,
1500 - 1750
Students print out a world
map and color it with
symbols to illustrate the
spread of Protestantism
and Catholicism from 15001750.
Freedom of Thought and
Religion by Baruch Spinoza
(1632 - 1677)
After reading an excerpt
from Spinoza’s Freedom of
Thought and Religion,
Students answer questions
and offer a considered
opinion on the topic of
natural rights.
Students will be more
successful with this challenging
assignment if they have a good
grasp of the content in chapter
35. They may need to refer
back to it to compare. Class
discussions would strengthen
the background knowledge
needed to make this source
meaningful.
 Translate Spinoza’s ideas from the
excerpt into plain English. Write
your own philosophical tract on
“natural rights” and the role of
government.
Students write an
illustrated children’s
story that depicts the
successes and challenges
of European explorers.
Students can draw from chapter
33 for this, and are advised to
use the internet connections for
further research.
 Create a comic strip or graphic
novel of an explorer’s adventures.
Unit 8: Europe Enters the
Modern Age
Internet Project
Students fill out a matrix
detailing the biological and
cultural exchanges
amongst several
continents.
Internet Connections:
http://www.pbs.org/opb/conqui
stadors/home.htm
 Think of a leader (past or present)
who has violated Spinoza’s ideal.
Write a letter to him/her explaining
how they have breached Spinoza’s
“code”, and why they should change
their behavior.
 Create an explorer’s journal, with
maps and other illustrations.
Great internet connections!
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied
_history/tutor/eurvoya/
http://www.mariner.org
 Write a letter of advice to a
potential explorer, warning him/her
of the challenges ahead, and how
best to prepare for them.