Explorers Board Game
Due: November 3rd, 2014
Objective to your board game:
Choose ONE “Age of Exploration” explorer to research and create a board game. The game must reflect your explorer’s
life, sea/land travels and/or his or her accomplishments.
Items you will need:
A mount (i.e. pizza box, cardboard, display board, etc.)
Characters (can be anything from clay to pieces of paper, be creative)
Dice or spinner (optional)
Card stock (if you are going to use cards)
To get started:
Research a variety of different board games to see what you want your final project to look like.
Make your game unique, but not too unique that it will take you too much time to develop.
Figure out your main objective and how a player will be able to win your game. You might want more than just one
objective. This keeps the game interesting after multiple plays.
Design the rules of your game. As you design your idea for your game, keep revising your rules to fit your objective.
Gather the materials you need.
Making your game:
Design the path on which your players will go on.
Design the images and pictures to go on your game. Use variations of colors and patterns for an interesting appearance.
Print off or make any other pieces you might need like cards, a spinner, dice, tokens etc.
Lay out your materials before gluing anything down on your board.
A good game will be fun, challenging, non-frustrating, have a reward, and give a fresh experience each time you play.
When finished:
Print out your final game rules. Follow them as you play the game.
Play your game as many times as you can and ask others to play with you.
Revise your game as needed.
Suggestions:
Use a ruler when drawing in order to make it look nice and professional.
Don't rush and don’t do it at the last minute.
Get other opinions before you finalize it.
Once you've put on your final touches, you can laminate it, or cover it in clear packing tape/contact paper/plastic wrap to
protect it.
Make it fun -- no one will play it if it is boring!
You can make an end spot, or you can make it loop like Monopoly.
For extra credit:
Make it 3-Dimensional.
Suggested Explorers
Vasco Nuñez de Balboa (b. 1475 - d. 1519) - Spanish explorer who helped settle Panama. He became the first explorer to see the Pacific Ocean
from the Americas.
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (b. 1498 - d. 1543) - Portuguese explorer who sailed for Spain. Originally joined Panfílo de Narvaez's army, but defected
to Hernán Cortés's side.
John Cabot (b. ca. 1450 - d. ca. 1499) - Italian mariner who settled in England and gained the support of King Henry VII. He sailed to North
America and searched for a westward passage to the Orient. His explorations secured a large part of North America for England. Learn more about
John Cabot
Sebastian Cabot (b. 1476 - d. 1557) - John Cabot's son and one of the most accomplished cartographers of his time. The first explorer to search for a
Northwest Passage to the Orient. He sailed for Spain and explored parts of South America.
Juan de Cartagena - Captain of the San Antonio, one of the ships that set sail in 1519 with Ferdinand Magellan. He was the ringleader of a mutiny
attempt, during which he attempted to kill Magellan and take over the expedition. Magellan had him marooned in Patagonia in 1520.
Jacques Cartier (b. 1491 - d. 1557) - Master navigator who discovered the St. Lawrence River, explored the area that became present-day Montreal,
and searched for a Northwest Passage.
Samuel de Champlain (b. ca. 1570 - d. 1635) - French explorer, navigator, and geographer of North America. Founder of Quebec, the first
permanent French colony in North America in 1608. Explored New England's coast. Discovered Lake Champlain. His writings and maps were
accurate records of the geography of North America.
Christopher Columbus (b. 1451 - d. 1506) - After securing support from the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, was the first to
explore uncharted seas to the west. In four voyages, discovered the Bahamas, Hispaniola, Cuba, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Central America,
and South America. Sought passage to the Orient by going west.
Diego Columbus (b. 1480 - d. 1526) - Born in Portugal to Columbus and Felipa Perestrello e Moniz. His mother died when he was four years old.
When he was of age, he sued the Spanish crown to obtain the offices and privileges that were granted to his father. His claims were never granted.
James Cook (b. 1728 - d. 1779) - English naval officer, surveyor, and explorer. In 1768, made his first famous journey to observe the eclipse of the
planet Venus and to determine the existence of a southern continent. In 1772, sailed on his second voyage to search for the fabled southern continent
and discovered several Pacific islands. During his final voyage in 1776, he sailed in the Pacific, charted the coast of North America from Oregon to
the Bering Strait, and searched for a Northwest Passage in higher latitudes. He was killed in Hawaii in 1779. He was the first sea captain to prevent
the spread of scurvy and other diseases aboard ship. He was one of the first to carry a chronometer, thus assisting him in determining his exact
position on the globe.
Francisco de Coronado (b. 1510 - d. 1554) - Spanish conquistador who became governor over parts of modern-day Mexico and the United States.
Hearing rumors of the Seven Cities of Cibola, he set out with an expedition to explore the southwestern United States.
Hernán Cortés (b. 1485 - d. 1547) - Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztecs in Mexico. He eventually became the governor of New Spain
and sent out several more expeditions into the Americas.
Bartolomeu Dias (b. ca. 1450 - d. 1500) - Portuguese navigator who discovered the Cape of Good Hope and probably named it. He set the stage for
explorers following him to reach India by sea. Dias died at sea when his ship sunk in a squall in the south Atlantic in May 1500.
Francis Drake (b. 1540 - d. 1596) - First English explorer to circumnavigate the globe. Successful pirate who helped break the Spanish and
Portuguese monopoly of key sea routes. First Englishman to explore the Pacific. Died from dysentery off the coast of Panama.
Leifr Eriksson (b. ca. 980 - d. ca. 1020) - Norse discoverer of America. Son of Eric the Red. May have been blown off course and landed in presentday Newfoundland or New England in 1000 A.D.
Vasco da Gama (b. ca. 1460 - d. 1524) - Followed Bartolomeu Dias' route to the Cape of Good Hope and continued sailing along the other side of
the African continent to the east. Discovered a route to India, defeated the Arab fleet in 1502, and opened the way for Portuguese trade routes to the
East Indies.
Henry Hudson (d. 1611) - English navigator and explorer who set sail on four voyages in his lifetime. He looked for a Northwest Passage,
discovered the Hudson Bay and Hudson River. His efforts led to the eventual establishment of New Amsterdam (later called New York). During his
last voyage in 1610, rebellious mutineers seized Hudson, his son, and seven others and set them adrift in a small boat without provisions. They were
never heard from again.
Ferdinand Magellan (b. 1480 - d. 1521) - Portuguese explorer who led the first circumnavigation of the earth by sea for Spain. He discovered the
Strait of Magellan. He was killed in the Philippines in 1521 and his voyage was completed by Juan Sebastian del Cano (or Elcano).
Luis de Mendoza (b. ? d. ?) - Captain of the Victoria, the only ship to make it back to complete the first circumnavigation of the globe. He plotted to
kill Magellan and participated in mutinies against the great explorer. He assisted Cartagena in his attempt to take over the expedition. He most likely
was executed for his treason.
Martin Alonzo Pinzon (b. 1460 - d. 1524) - Sailed with Columbus as captain of the Pinta. He was unwilling to acknowledge Columbus' authority
during the famous voyage. He sailed off to make his own discoveries and met Columbus later, only to find the Niña after the wreck of the Santa
Maria. He died a disappointed man because he desired the wealth and recognition that was bestowed on Columbus, his rival.
Vicente Yanez Pinzon (b. 1461 - d. 1513) - Captain of the Niña during the first voyage with Columbus. He was Martin Alonzo's brother, and a
respected member of his seafaring family. During the voyage, he remained loyal to Columbus. After the voyage, he resented the fame Columbus
received in Spain.
Marco Polo (b. 1254 - d. 1324) - Medieval Italian traveler. One of the first European travelers to cross the entire Asian continent and leave a record
of what he saw and heard. Learn more about Marco Polo
Hernando de Soto (b. 1501 - d. 1542) - Spanish explorer who traveled to Panama, where he met Francisco Pizarro. He joined the Peru expedition,
where he gained fame. This set him up for later expeditions to North America.
Amerigo Vespucci (b. 1454 - d. 1512) - Born into a noble family in Florence, Italy, this Italian navigator made four voyages to America, two for
Spain and two for Portugal.
Additional explorers and information can be found here: www.marinersmuseum.org
Another great link: http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/index.html
More Explorers information: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/explorer.html
Great ideas for creating your own board game: http://www.microsoft.com/canada/home/memories-and-crafts/articles/all-a-board-create-a-personalized-board-game.aspx