European Explorers Lesson #2—Map/Globe Skills
Lesson by: Fiona Ryan
Audience: Stonehouse Elementary Grade 3
Standards:
SOL 3.3 The student will study the exploration of the Americas by describing the
accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León, Jacques Cartier, and
Christopher Newport and identifying the reasons for exploring, the information gained, the
results of the travels, and the impact of the travels on American Indians
SOL 3.5 The student will develop map skills by locating the countries of Spain, England, and
France and locating the regions in the Americas explored by Christopher Columbus (San
Salvador in the Bahamas), Juan Ponce de León (near St. Augustine, Florida), Jacques Cartier
(near Quebec, Canada), and Christopher Newport (Jamestown, Virginia).
Materials/Space/time: European Explorers chart, All About European Explorers PowerPoint,
Multiple choice question strip, pencils, crayons, markers, Stonehouse Social Studies Workbook,
European Explorers Map Review Game PowerPoint, “Known World 1492” map sheet, Current
World map sheet, document camera, laptop, 23 world maps with key worksheets for
Instructional Input and Independent Practice, overhead projector, blackboard, dry erase marker;
average classroom space and whole group (22 students), one hour.
Lesson Description
Anticipatory Set: Display “known parts of the world in 1942” map and “Current World Map”
sheet on document camera for all students to see. Ask the class, “What looks different about the
two maps in front of you?” “What continents are missing from the 1492 map compared to the
current world map?” (The continents missing are North America, South America, Antarctica,
and Australia). Tell the students these missing continents if they still have trouble finding out
which ones are missing. “Why do you think North America, South America, Antarctica, and
Australia are missing in the 1942 map?” After the students observe the differences, explain the
world looked different to Europeans before European explorers went to the Americas. Discuss
that the Europeans came to the Americas because they wanted to find new sea routes, wanted to
colonize, and were in search of gold and other riches (more descriptive reasons are located in the
Background information section).
Objective and Purpose: 1. Given a map of the world, students will identify the locations
where Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport
explored and what countries the explorers are originally from in order to help them understand
how to identify locations on a map and to review continents. 2. The students also identify the
reasons for exploring these new locations by teaching methods such as a review game and direct
instruction in order for them to understand each individual Explorer’s contributions.
Input/Model: Explain the reasons why European explorers came to America (see Background).
Open “All About European Explorers” PowerPoint and go through each slide in detail that
focuses on an explorer and explains where they went, sponsored country for voyage, reasons for
exploring, and the results and achievements of each explorer. Students receive a chart (provided
in Materials section) with all the information from the PowerPoint to read off of during
Instructional Input, to study off of for future tests, and to help them during Guided and
Independent Practice. Display a map of the continents on the projector and hand out a class set
of these maps that students can write on. The map has dots that show the locations (Virginia,
Quebec, San Salvador, and St. Augustine) of where the explorers went and what country they
came from (Spain, England, France). Model where Christopher Columbus went by first finding
the dot for Spain; color half the dot red and explain both Ponce de León and Columbus came
from Spain so the other half is colored later. Students know what a map key is because they
learned about it from previous grades. Explain to the students Columbus traveled to San
Salvador and point to it on the map. Color the dot completely red and explain even though two
explorers came from Spain, only Columbus went to San Salvador. Next, connect Spain and San
Salvador by making a dashed red line between the two.
Check for Understanding: Using the map, say the rest of the explorers and drag finger on the
map to show where the explorer came from. Students wait to give thumbs up when they see the
finger is on the right location. Once everyone has their thumbs up on where explorer came from
the teacher does the same for where the explorer colonized. Teacher waits for all thumbs to be up
to show understanding. If a student does not have thumb up, ask why they disagree.
Guided Practice: Students break into teams of two to play a PowerPoint quick review game on
the explorers. The students are asked a series of questions to help them remember information
from the lesson of the day. Students are asked questions such as: Where is Christopher
Newport/Christopher Columbus/ Juan Ponce de León/Jacques Cartier from? Where did
Christopher Newport/Christopher Columbus/ Juan Ponce de León/Jacques Cartier sail to? What
ocean did they all cross? Finally, teacher asks the individual reasons for each explorer on why
they went on their journey. Teacher keeps track of the number of questions each team gets right
and determines the winner. After the game, students complete the Juan Ponce de León portion of
their map as a class. Teacher asks students where he was from and where he went. Once
students are correct, they color St. Augustine Florida and the other half of Spain is colored green.
Students then draw a solid green line to connect the two dots.
Independent Practice: Students complete the rest of the map after completing Juan Ponce de
León. Students can use their chart given earlier to help them locate where the explorers came
from and where they went. Students color the rest orange for Cartier and blue for Newport.
Students use their crayons also to connect the locations together. Cartier is a dashed orange line
and Newport is a solid blue line. Students turn in these maps and teacher checks for completion
and helps students who confuse locations in the future if needed prior to testing.
Closure: Collect the map worksheets. Pass out multiple-choice question strip that the students
must complete independently as an exit ticket before they sit on the carpet for reading.
Evaluation:
Formative: The teacher observes participation during ‘Check for Understanding’, ‘Guided
Practice’, and while the students are working on their maps. The teacher should correct and help
any student who seems to be confused about instructions.
Summative: The teacher evaluates the final answers on the map worksheet given at the end of
class. Teacher also evaluates answers given on the multiple-choice question.
Content/Background information:
Many explorers long ago became famous due to their discovery of the Americas. Many
of the explorers who came to North America were called Europeans, or people from Europe.
There were many famous explorers who came to North America during between the 1400’s and
1600’s. Four important European Explorers are Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León,
Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport. These were explorers who greatly impacted the
United States and North America (Stonehouse Workbook, 2014). Christopher Columbus was an
explorer from Spain. His reason for exploring was to find a western sea route to Asia in order to
trade for spices. He was also the first European to discover a sea route to America. He landed in
San Salvador (near the Bahamas) and discovered the western hemisphere in 1492
(http://enchantedlearning.com, 2000). Another famous explorer is Juan Ponce de León. Juan
Ponce de León was also an explorer from Spain. His reason for exploring was to discover riches
and conquer land for Spain (Stonehouse Workbook, 2014). He was the first European to land in
Florida and helped Spain claim Florida in 1513 (http://enchantedlearning.com, 2000). They
landed near St. Augustine, Florida when they discovered this new land. The third famous
European explorer is Jacques Cartier. He was an explorer from France whose reason for
exploring was to colonize the New World. He explored the St. Lawrence River Valley and
helped give France a place in North America to claim in 1541 (Stonehouse Workbook, 2014).
The St. Lawrence River Valley is located near Quebec, Canada. The final explorer was
Christopher Newport who was an explorer from England. His reason for exploring was to
discover riches, find a western sea route to Asia, and to colonize Virginia. Christopher Newport
helped colonize Jamestown by bringing people over on several different voyages. To colonize
means to send a group of settlers to a place and establish political control over it. He was also
one of the first men to reach the Fall Line on the James River near Richmond. Christopher
Newport helped start Jamestown in 1607 (Stonehouse Workbook, 2014). The impact of
colonization on Native Americans will be covered in the controversial issues lesson.
Students develop map skills by locating the countries of Spain, England, and France and
locating the regions in the Americas explored by Christopher, Juan Ponce de León, Jacques
Cartier, and Christopher Newport. Students are exposed to the different continents and oceans in
the world prior to this lesson. This makes navigating from Europe to North America easier on
the students because they are able to grasp the concept. Students are able to identify the
explorers all crossed the Atlantic ocean because these are map and globe skills the students are
already familiar with. Students become more descriptive in describing continents such as Europe
by being able to identify England, Spain, and France in Europe. Students are able to navigate
which direction these explorers went by using their cardinal directions they learned earlier in 3rd
grade and drawing compass roses on their map. Cardinal directions are North, South, East, and
West. They can also use intermediate directions, which are Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and
Southwest. Intermediate directions are directions located between the cardinal directions
(Stonehouse Workbook, 2014). Game based learning encourages “diplomatic and organized
communication between children” and “improve children’s focus and lengthen their attention
spans” (Schuna, 2014). A student’s creativity, work ethic, and self-esteem increase when they
are able to work collaboratively with peers in a friendly competitive setting. Games help
challenge minds and help relationships amongst peers. This is why incorporating games in daily
lessons is important.
Resources
Christopher Columbus: Explorer - EnchantedLearning.com. (2000, January 1). Retrieved
October 13, 2014, from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/c/columbus.shtml
Juan Ponce de Leon: Explorer - EnchantedLearning.com. (2000, January 1). Retrieved
October 13, 2014, from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/deleon.shtml
Known World at the Time of Columbus, 1492. (2009, January 1). Retrieved October 13, 2014,
from http://etc.usf.edu/maps/pages/1100/1182/1182.htm
Large scale maps. (2014, January 1). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
http://cnx.org/contents/32a7059a-1e94-4fb9-973d-48c05dd240c8@1/Large_scale_maps
Schuna, C. (2014, February 4). The Advantages of Playing Learning Games with Kids. Retrieved
October 13, 2014, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/214084-the-advantages-of
learning-games-for-kids/
Stonehouse Elementary 3rd Grade Social Studies Interactive Notes Workbook
Assessment
What country did Christopher Columbus come from? (2 pts)
A. Spain
B. United States of America
C. France
D. Africa
Materials
(Anticipatory Set Map) Known World at the Time of Columbus, 1492 Map
Current World Map (Anticipatory Set)
Instructional Input European Explorers Chart (Students will receive this chart to place in their
Social Studies Folder for Future studying)
European Explorer
Sponsor Country
Reasons for Exploring
Successes/Results
Christopher
Spain
To find a western sea -First European to
Columbus
route to Asia
discover a sea route to
the Americas
-Discovered the “New
World” (landed in San
Salvador)
Juan Ponce de León
Spain
To discover riches
-First European to
and to conquer land
land in Florida (near
St. Augustine)
Jacques Cartier
France
To colonize the New
-Explored the St.
World
Lawrence River
Valley (near Quebec,
Canada)
-Gave France a North
American claim
Christopher Newport
England
-To discover riches
-Arrived at present
-To find a western sea day Jamestown
route to Asia
-Made 4 more
-To colonize Virginia voyages bringing
more people to
Jamestown
-Was one of the first
men to reach the Fall
Line of the James
River