SIGNIFICANT
EXPLORERS OF THE
AMERICAS
WEBQUEST
CREATED BY MRS. DAVIS
FOR CLASS 5-301
SIGNIFICANT EXPLORERS
INTRODUCTION

Introduction
Beginning with the Vikings in the 8th century,
the Americas have been explored by many people. During
the 1500's and 1600's European countries began exploring
across the Atlantic Ocean. Christopher Columbus was one
of the first explorers to attempt this great feat. His
accomplishments sparked the interest of exploration in
many other countries.
Explorers have had various reasons for risking their lives
when setting out across the world. Marco Polo was
searching for new trade routes, David Livingston traveled
across Africa as a missionary, while others were motivated
by the need to chart and map new areas.
In this webquest, you will find out what drove the
exploration for these significant explorers and how did the
motives for explorations differ from country to country?
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST





TASK: You will work in your assigned group or individually to
search the Internet to identify what drove the exploration of your
explorers. During your search you will be looking for certain
aspects of his exploration. Once you have obtained these aspects,
you will be able to complete the following:
Describing each explorer's role in exploration and their
significance to the world.
Complete the hero or invader activity for one of your group's
explorer.
Individually, you will complete a hero vs. invader essay on an
explorer of your choice (using hero vs. invader sheet as your
outline.
Upon completion of this activity, you will have gained an
understanding of what motivated the explorers to leave their
countries, learned of the hardships and difficulties the explorers
encountered, and learned how to combine information from two or
more sources into a Report. You should also know how to create a
Bibliography. Make sure you bookmark your site so that you have
for your Bibliography.
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST


PROCESS: Find your assigned group. Pick one
explorer from the group.
Group One: Leif Ericsson, Ferdinand Magellan & John
Cabot. Group Two: Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Francisco Pizarro & Ponce De
Leon. Group Three: Hernando Cortez, Vasco da Gama
Bartolomeu Dias & Amerigo
Vespucci. Group Four: Marco Polo, Sir Francis Drake
& Jacques Cartier. Group Five: Hernando de Soto,
Francisco De Coronado & Cabeza de Vaca.
Group Six: Samuel de Champlain, Henry Hudson &
Balboa. Or work independently by choosing your
own explorer from any group.
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST
PROCESS CONTINUED:
 Begin your research.
Use the Internet sites listed below
your explorer or civilization's name.
Your group members will need to take
turns being the searcher and the
recorder. Remember to keep a list of
all websites you use. You will need
this information later for your
bibliography page.

EXPLORERS WEBQUEST








RESEARCH PLANNER:
Explorer
_______________________________________________
____
I. Introduction
A. Inclusive years of exploration
___________________________________
B. From what country was he born?
________________________________
C. What country funded the Exploration?
____________________________
D. Who (title) sent the Explorer?
__________________________________
E. What was the GOAL of the Exploration?
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST
RESEARCH PLANNER:
 A. Describe what was achieved. What
lands did he explore or find? Conquer?
 Who were the natives living there first?
 B.. What were the consequences of the
exploration? How did the exploration
 affect the work and knowledge of the
world? C. Draw a map of the explorer’s
route or travels (HYPERSTUDIO) and
import as
 a .jpg to add to the presentation.

EXPLORERS WEBQUEST






Conclusion and Reflection:
A. What did you learn about history from
studying about your explorer?
B. What did you find interesting about this
explorer?
C. Describe the ways this person has been
honored. For example, was anything
named in honor of the explorer? Oceans, lakes,
buildings, streets, etc.
D. Provide any additional information about your
explorer.
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST:












PRESENTATION: Create a Keynote Presentation with a slide for
each:
Slide:
1. Explorer’s Name, Sketch or image, Your Name, Date, Teacher
Name
2. Introduction (from Introduction section of notes)
3. Exploration (from Exploration section of notes)
4. Map of Exploration (export drawing from Hyperstudio) Describe
journey
5. Conclusion and Reflection (from Conclusion & Reflection section
of notes)
5.a. Defense of whether or not explorer is a hero or invader.
6. Images and Extra Information of Interest
7. Bibliography - List only the Websites and Resources used
Add Transitions and Builds (in Only) to finish off your
presentation.
Do not change time on Build. Only “on click”!
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST
 PRESENTATION
(CONTINUED):
 COMPLETION OF HERO VS. INVADER
ACTIVITY SHEET.
 INDIVIDUAL HERO VS. INVADER
ESSAY.
SAMPLE ESSAY OR HERO VS.
INVADER




Hero or Villain?
Summary: Columbus went to explore the ocean and he found a new continent,North
America. He was actually looking for India and its gold but found a different place.
Exploration of North America brought so many bad things to people.
Yes, Columbus discovered America, but do you know how many deaths and how
much destruction it cost? Columbus went to explore the ocean and he found a new
continent, North America. He was actually looking for India and its gold but found a
different place. Exploration of North America brought so many bad things to people.
All of those things happened because of Columbus. It makes one want to say that
Columbus is a villain.First thing that makes Columbus a "bad guy" is lying. Columbus
lied to the queen about the explored island. He said that there's a lot of gold
andspices, and people there would share anything with anyone. Columbus also lied
that he reached Asia, which was his destination spot. He said all those things to make
the queen believe that he's a good man and to save himself from the death. This
doesn't only make him a liar but it also makes him selfish.
EXPLORER WEBQUEST





SAMPLE ESSAY CONTINUED:
Another interesting fact about Columbus being a villain is that he
deculturalized people. When Columbus met Arawak Indians in North
America, he wanted to make them just like Europeans. He was trying to
make them all Christian. He was also giving women less power and less
rights, and women had to work at fields and men had to work on deadly
mines. A lot of people were protesting but if they protested, they were
getting killed. That's another thing that makes Columbus a villain.
The last but the worst thing that Columbus did to gain a "bad character"
name is genocide. When Columbus went to America second time, he
brought a lot of Indians (Native Americans) back with him to make them
slaves to work for his queen. A lot of people died on the way to
Columbus's country, and others were dying because they worked hard as
slaves in mines and fields, which was hard and dangerous. And that's the
third reason to call Columbus a "bad guy" of the story.
Columbus wasn't that much of a hero, as many people would say. It's easy
to call him a villain after hearing all the details of Columbus's adventure.
All the destruction and pain that he brought to people makes him a tyrant.
Don't you think?
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST
RUBRIC-EVALUATION
 You
will receive a score on your
topic's content, technical parts of
the PowerPoint presentation,
grammar and spelling errors, and
cooperative group work, both
individual and as a group.
(RUBRIC WILL BE ATTACHED TO
ASSIGNMENT).
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST




RESOURCES:
Good website with many explorers
http://www.wartgames.com/themes/ameri
can/explorers.html
1.
http://www.kidinfo.com/American_History
/Explorers.html
2.
http://enchantedlearning.com/explorers/a
merica.shtml
3. http://cybersleuthkids.com/sleuth/History/Explorers/
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST:





MORE RESOURCES:
4.
http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/alpha.h
tml
5.
http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/home.ht
m
6. http://www.kidsolr.com/history/page2.html
ALSO GO TO MRS. SOLOMON’S EXPLORER PAGE
AT
http://www.ps165qcomputerlab.com/explorers.ht
ml
EXPLORERS WEBQUEST:
 EVEN
MORE RESOURCES (AND SEE
DOCUMENT ATTACHMENT)
 http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/ti
meline2.html
 http://library.thinkquest.org/20176/c
hengho.htm
 http://academickids.com/encyclopedi
a/index.php/Main_Page