1 of 6
Exploration: Aubrey Austin, Addie Boeving, Lauren Hughes,
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Grade Level:
5th
Learning Objectives
Students will:


Determine where different tangible goods originated from and form a consensus orally
with team members.
Begin to understand how tangible goods lead to exploration by drawing exploration
routes on a map and writing down their ideas.
Grade Level Expectations
Social Studies
Missouri, United States and World History; 3A. Knowledge of continuity and change in the
history of Missouri and the United States; C. Discovery, Exploration and Settlement of the
United States; Outline the discovery, exploration and early settlement of America, DOK 2, ST
SS3 1.8
Tools of Social Science Inquiry; 7. Knowledge of the use of tools of social science inquiry (such
as surveys, statistics, maps and documents); B. Knowledge to create and use various social
studies graphics and maps; Use maps, graphs, statistical data, timelines, charts and diagrams to
interpret, draw conclusions and make predictions, DOK 4, ST SS7 1.4, 3.5, 1.6
Economic Concepts and Principles; 4. Knowledge of economic concepts (including productivity
and the market system) and principles (including the laws of supply and demand); F. Interpreting
the past, explaining the present and predicting the future of economic decisions;
Interpret the past, explain the present and predict future consequences of economic decisions,
DOK 3, ST SS4 3.8
Common Core State Standards
English Language Arts
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Exploration: Aubrey Austin, Addie Boeving, Lauren Hughes, University of Missouri-St. Louis
2 of 6
Blooms Taxonomy
Knowledge: Can you name five goods that came from each: Africa, the Americas, Europe, and
Asia?
Comprehension: What differences exist between Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia?
Application: How would it have affected goods if the trade routes used didn’t exist?
Analysis: What were some of the motives the explorers had when they set out?
Teacher planning
Time required for lesson
One hour lesson
Materials/resources








Plastic food to include the following: nuts, beans, corn, cactus fruit, squash, berries, chili
peppers, pineapple, potatoes, pumpkins, tomatoes, apples, bananas, cabbage, lettuce,
olives, peaches, watermelon, rice
Replicas of other goods to include the following: gold, silver, precious stones, porcelain,
perfume, spices, cotton, silk, cattle, chicken, horses, pigs, sheep
Small cut outs of each food and good listed above to glue onto the papier mache globe
(one set of cut outs per each student)
Papier mache globe (one per each student made the previous day)
Blank world map handout (one per student)
Primary source picture of a painting of Ponce de Leon
Paper
Pencils
Pre-activities
The students will each make a papier-mâché globe (Instructions for constructing a papier-mâché
globe can be found here http://blondemomblog.com/2011/10/10/as-the-world-turns-and-thewine-pours). The students will have background knowledge about the Native Americans and
Beringia (the land bridge). This will be the first activity in this unit which addresses exploration
and how three different worlds meet.
Activities
1. The teacher will have the plastic foods and replicas divided into three groups depending
on the continent(s) they originated from. The three groups will be in three different
Exploration: Aubrey Austin, Addie Boeving, Lauren Hughes, University of Missouri-St. Louis
3 of 6
corners of the room. One group will represent the Americas, one group will represent
Europe and Africa, and the other group will represent Asia.
2. The teacher will divide the students into pre-assigned groups with three students per
group.
3. The teacher will tell the students that they will need to walk around to all three corners
and reach an opinion on what continent(s) the tangible goods originated from. The
students are encouraged to take notes while moving from corner to corner.
4. Once the students are done going to all the corners, they will discuss as a group and reach
a consensus on what goods originated from what continent(s).
5. After all the groups have reached a consensus then the teacher will call on the different
groups to share their consensus and why they thought the way they did.
6. The teacher will share the correct answers with the students, giving them what
continent(s) the tangible goods originated from.
7. The teacher will then give each student a set of cut outs of the tangible goods and they
will glue them on the appropriate continent(s) on their papier-mâché globe.
8. The teacher will then have the students look at their globe and pose the following
questions: How do you think these goods being in different places began exploration?
What routes do you think explorers from Europe to get to these goods?
9. The students will be given a blank map handout and the primary resource picture of a
painting of Chief Agueybana of the Taino people of Puerto Rico greeting Spain’s Juan
Ponce de Leon in 1508 by Agustin Anavitate. First, the students will label the continents
and oceans. Then the students will use the handout to predict the routes that the explorers
took to get these goods. On the back of the map the students will write how the location
of the goods began exploration. The students are encouraged to use the primary source
picture to assist them with this writing prompt. The students will work on this activity
independently. The students will turn in this handout before they leave class.
10. The students will go over their predictions the following day and draw different paths of
different explorers on their papier mache globes over the next few lessons.
Assessment
Informal
The teacher will note the following as the students are working:
Are the students staying on task?
Are the students working together in their groups to come up with a consensus?
Are the students listening and respecting each other’s opinions in their groups?
Are the students working independently on their predictions and blank map handout?
Exploration: Aubrey Austin, Addie Boeving, Lauren Hughes, University of Missouri-St. Louis
4 of 6
Formal
The teacher will assess each student’s papier-mâché globe after the cut outs are glued on and
determine if they are glued in the right place.
The teacher will collect the blank map handouts to assess the students’ predictions and their
opinions on how the location of goods began exploration.
Differentiation
This lesson plan accommodates for different style learners.


The tangible fruits and items brought in for the use of this assignment provide a visual
and tactile piece in the lesson. The students who are challenged to visually picture the
goods and products in the trade lesson will be able to hold the objects resembling the
concepts.
A map that is already filled in may be given to students with challenges rather than a
blank copy of a map for Step 9 in this lesson. Also, a historical map is provided as an
additional visual tool.
For accelerated learners:

The economics standard as listed in the Grade Level Expectation part of this lesson can
provide additional learning for the students who complete this assignment early or
quickly understand the concepts. See additional activity for accelerated learners below.
Additional Activity for Accelerated Learners
Choose one of the two questions below. Brainstorm by creating a concept map. The concept map
could be a chart, a Venn diagram, or another concept map of your choice. Then discuss your
answer in about a paragraph including at least three main details to support your answer.
1. When Europeans came to the Americas they brought with them fruits, vegetables, coffee,
wheat, rice and other goods. These goods helped the Indians living in America. However,
the Indians also had to make a decision on how they would treat the Europeans. How did
the Indians decide to treat the Europeans and why did they decide to treat them this way?
2. How did the Europeans (specifically the Spanish) decision to bring in African slaves to
the New World affect the future of the Americas? Remember the thirteen colonies and
the importance of agriculture. Think about the differences of the northern and southern
colonies.
Exploration: Aubrey Austin, Addie Boeving, Lauren Hughes, University of Missouri-St. Louis
5 of 6
References
Blank world map. (n.d.). – FREE Primary KS2 teaching resource. Retrieved November 6, 2013,
from http://education.scholastic.co.uk/resources/9731
Levy, C. (n.d.). Critical thinking and art with The Snowy Day. Critical thinking and art with The
Snowy Day. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3213
Mom, B. (2011, October 10). As The World Turns (And The Wine Pours). Blonde Mom Blog.
Retrieved November 6, 2013, from http://blondemomblog.com/2011/10/10/as-the-world-turnsand-the-wine-pours
The Nystrom atlas of our country's history: student activities.. (2009). Chicago, Ill.: Nystrom.
The Spanish. (n.d.). MrHouschcom. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from
http://mrhousch.com/?p=24
Map attached.
Exploration: Aubrey Austin, Addie Boeving, Lauren Hughes, University of Missouri-St. Louis
6 of 6
You may download this map, modify it, and use it in any way, provided that you charge no fee for anyone to view or use any item that includes or is based on this map. If you use this map, you
must include the following credit in association with it: "Map courtesy National Geographic. National Geographic does not review or endorse content added to this map by others." Any use in a
product or service for which a fee is charged, by you or someone else, requires a license; contact natgeocreative@ngs.org for more information and to obtain a license.
Exploration: Aubrey Austin, Addie Boeving, Lauren Hughes, University of Missouri-St. Louis