NAME:_____________________________________
CLASS PERIOD:________
Age of Exploration Group Project
Overview: The Age of Exploration is a critical period in World History following the Renaissance and
Reformation. For the first time in human history the entire world, east and west, is now connected into
one global community. In order to better understand this time period and the magnitude of the events
that followed, you and your group will focus on one of the major powers of the period. Half of the
groups will examine the rich and powerful civilizations of the Americas and paint a picture for the class
of the “New World” before Europeans. Meanwhile the second half of the groups will take on the role of
the major European Powers and examine the lasting effects of European colonization. You will have one
week of in class time to work plus a weekend to prepare your presentation.
Project Calendar:
Tuesday Workers:
4/25: Planning time following the Renaissance Mini-Test
4/29: Project Work Time
5/1: Project Work Time
5/2: Project Work Time
5/3: Project Work Time
5/6: Presentations Begin (All Presentations and Essay submitted this day)
Thursday Workers:
4/24: Planning time following the Renaissance Mini-Test
4/26: Project Work Time
4/29: Project Work Time
4/30: Project Work Time
5/1: Project Work Time
5/3: Presentations Begin (All Presentations and Essay submitted this day)
The Project (64 Points): Your group will develop and create an in depth presentation to present to the
class which will educate the class on your particular culture. Below you will find a section on each of the
cultures with the objectives of your presentation. Each culture has a unique set of learning objectives,
areas of focus, and vocabulary terms that you must focus on and present to the class. Your presentation
will be close to 25 minutes long (half the class) and we will have two presentations a day. You have
complete freedom over how you present your nation/civilization to the class so long as you clearly
teach the class the established objectives, cover the areas of focus, and define the vocabulary terms.
Regardless of how you decide to present you nation/civilization it MUST BE APPROVED BY MR.
TELLEZ. In addition to the presentation, the one other requirement is that the class receives something
physical to take away from the presentation (notes, worksheet, homework, article, etc.). This portion is
important because this will become the way in which the class studies what you present in preparation
for a quiz.
NAME:_____________________________________
CLASS PERIOD:________
Individual Part (36 Points): Although the group presentation is the focus of this project, each group
member will be required to write a brief one to two page reflection essay. All essays need to be typed
and use 12 point font. Your personal reflection essay should cover the following questions:
1. Overall, what in your opinion are the strengths and weaknesses of your culture? Provide specific
evidence to support your claims. (9 Points)
2. In what ways did you culture benefit, suffer, or both from the interaction between the New and
Old Worlds? Provide specific examples to support your claims. (9 Points)
3. If you had to pick one thing, what would you say is the one most important thing your culture
contributed to our modern world? (9 Points)
4. Imagine that it was another 300 years before the New and Old Worlds were connected and
interacted with one another. Would this affect your culture at all? Why or why not and how so?
Would the interaction that took place be any different than the one that did occur? (9 Points)
Nations/Civilizations:
Maya: Page 446 to 451
Objectives: 1. Describe key features of Maya Kingdoms. 2. Explain Maya beliefs and
achievements. 3. Identify reasons for the decline of the Maya.
Areas of Focus: Mayan City-States, Mayan Agriculture and Trade, Mayan Religion,
Mayan Language, Maya Architecture, The Decline of the Maya, and Area of Choice
Vocabulary Terms/Concepts: Tikal, Glyphs, Codex, Popol Vuh
Aztecs: Page 452 to 458
Objectives: 1. Describe the Teotihuacan and Toltec cultures of the valley of Mexico. 2.
Describe Aztec society, religion, and urban planning. 3. Identify factors that led to the
decline of the Aztecs.
Areas of Focus: Valley of Mexico Cultures (before Aztec), The Aztec Empire, Aztec
Society, Tenochtitlan, Aztec Religion, Problems with/Decline of Aztec Empire, and Area
of Choice
Vocabulary Terms/Concepts: Obsidian, Quetzalcoatl, Triple Alliance, Montezuma II,
Aztec Calendar
Inca: Page 459 to 465
Objectives: 1. Trace the Incan rise to power. 2. Describe Incan government and religion.
3. Describe discord in the Incan Empire.
Areas of Focus: Incan Empire Origins, Incan Government, Incan Cities/Public Works,
Incan Record Keeping, Incan Religion, Decline of Incan Empire, and Area of Choice
NAME:_____________________________________
CLASS PERIOD:________
Vocabulary Terms/Concepts: Pachacuti, Ayllu, Mita, Quipu
Portugal: Page 529 to 535 and 557
Objectives: 1. Explain what led to European exploration. 2. Describe the steps in
Portugal’s discovery of a sea route to Asia. 3. Explain the rivalry between Spain and
Portugal and how the pope resolved it.
Areas of Focus: Europeans Seeking New Trade Routes, Christianity and Exploration,
Technology/Tools in Exploration, Portuguese in Africa, Portuguese in Asia, Portugal’s
Trading Empire, Portuguese in Brazil, and Area of Choice
Vocabulary Terms/Concepts: Bartolomeu Dias, Prince Henry, Vasco de Gama, Treaty of
Tordesillas
Spain: Page 553 to 560
Objectives: 1. Describe the voyages of Columbus and his contemporaries. 2. Describe
the Spanish conquests of the Aztecs and the Inca. 3. Identify the effects of Spanish
colonization on the Americas.
Areas of Focus: The Voyages of Columbus, Spanish Conquests in Mexico, Spanish
Conquests in Peru, Spain’s Pattern of Conquest, Spanish Influence Expanding,
Opposition to Spanish Rule, and Area of Choice
Vocabulary Terms/Concepts: Christopher Columbus, Colony, Hernando Cortes,
Conquistador, Francisco Pizarro, Atahualpa, Mestizo, Encomienda
England/France: Page 561 to 565
Objectives: 1. Summarize competing claims in North America. 2. Identify English colonial
activities in North America. 3. Describe the Native American response to land claims
made by Europeans.
Areas of Focus: Establishment of New France, French Trading, English Settlement of
North America, Struggle for North America, Native Americans Response, and Area of
Choice
Vocabulary Terms/Concepts: New France, Jamestown, Pilgrims, Puritans, French and
Indian War, Metacom
NAME:_____________________________________
CLASS PERIOD:________
Group Presentation Rubric:
Category
No Evidence
Approaching
Expectations
Meeting
Expectations
Learning
Objectives
(12 Points)
The Culture’s
learning objectives
are not
demonstrated in the
presentation
Some but not all
of the Culture’s
learning objectives
are demonstrated
in the
presentation.
All of the
culture’s
learning
objectives are
demonstrated in
the
presentation.
Areas of
Focus (12
Points)
The Culture’s areas
of focus are not
demonstrated in the
presentation
Some but not all
of the Culture’s
areas of focus are
demonstrated in
the presentation.
Vocabulary
Terms and
Concepts (12
Points)
The Culture’s
vocabulary terms
are not
demonstrated in the
presentation
Some but not all
of the Culture’s
vocabulary terms
are demonstrated
in the
presentation.
Student
Handouts (10
Points)
Not student
handouts or activity
are present
Student handouts
are present but do
not assist the
student in
studying for a unit
quiz.
Group
Participation
(8 Points)
Only one or two
group members
took part in the
presentation
Some but not all
group members
are active in the
presentation
Overall
Presentation
Quality (10
Points)
The presentation
was clearly not
thoroughly done
and limited effort
appears to have
been applied.
The presentation
is coherent but
gets side tracked
at times.
Sometimes
confusing in
message.
Exceeding
Expectations
The group has
gone beyond
required learning
objectives and
provided
additional
valuable
objectives.
All of the
The group has
culture’s areas
provided more
of focus are
than required
demonstrated in areas of focus.
the
presentation.
All of the
The group has not
culture’s
only defined
vocabulary
required
terms are
vocabulary but
demonstrated in has used it
the
effectively in the
presentation.
presentation.
Student
Student handouts
handouts are
are exceptional
present and
and engaging.
informative.
They allow the
Clearly link to
student to truly
objectives.
study the
material.
All group
All group
members
members played
played an active an active role and
role in the
show a clear
presentation.
ability to work as
a team.
The
The presentation
presentation is
is truly
thorough and
memorable and
clearly
leaves the
demonstrates
audience engaged
mastery of
and wanting to
content.
learn more.
Totals