Age of Exploration Activities Early European Explorers Activities Map Project

Explore the Age of Exploration with our comprehensive activities resource bundle, tailored for 5th to 7th-grade Social Studies! This all-inclusive package features seven StudentSavvy resources: an Interactive Notebook, engaging Reading Passages, a dynamic Interactive PowerPoint, Project-Based Learning Activities, innovative STEM Challenges, Google Classroom Projects, and thorough Assessments/Exams/Tests, ensuring a well-rounded and interactive learning experience.

This bundled product contains the following 7 StudentSavvy resources!

Interactive Notebook

Reading Passages

Interactive PowerPoint

PBL Activities

STEM Challenges

Google Classroom Student Projects

Assessments / Exam / Test

This resource is part of the US History Complete Curriculum

More information on each resource:

Interactive Notebook

5th Grade United States History Series

This resource is designed for a United States history unit. Topics covered in this unit include: Exploration, Age of Discovery, Trading, the Silk Road, Tools & Technology (Compass, Astrolabe, Octant, Sextant, Chronometer, Gunpowder) Marco Polo, The Description of the World, Songhai, Caravans, Spanish Reconquista, Christopher Columbus's Voyage, Trade to Africa, Trade to China, The Columbus Exchange, Ferdinand Magellan, Circumnavigation, Hernan Cortes, The Northwest Passage, John Cabot, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Prince Henry and Much More!

Reading Passages

Quick overview of topics covered in this resource include:

1.) Exploration and the Age of Discovery

-15th century – 17th century period, overview of the Silk Road and motivation for discovery of new cultures, inventions, and European trade.

-locations of major trade routes

-Famous explorers during this period Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco de Gama, etc.

2.) Tools for the Age of Discovery

Overview of how explorers used different types of tools and their purposes.

-Description of a compass and how it is used

-Description of the astrolabe and octant and how they are used

-Description of sextant and how it is used

-Description of chronometer and how it is used

-Description of gunpowder and how it is used

Keywords: compass, astrolabe, sextant, chronometer, gunpowder

3.) Marco Polo and The Description of the World

Overview of Marco Polo and his life, known for his story telling

-How he spent 17 years in China and became friends with Kublai Khan.

-How he discovered paper money, printing, and gunpowder in China

Overview of his writings: The Description of the World, The Book of Marvels, and The Travels of Marco Polo

-Description of how mapmakers used his books to create drawings and maps of routes for expeditions

-His writing created an interest in exploring Asia, it also had details about the Silk Road

4.) Trade, Exploration, and the Silk Road

-Overview of the Silk Road, growth of trading during 1400’s

-made up of both land and water routes.

-European merchants traveled to purchase silk and spices from China. Discovered new inventions

-List of exploration tools and how they were used

-Overview of what was traded in different locations (China: silk, tea, gunpowder spices, etc. / India: Ginger, sandalwood, cane, sugar, gold / Europe: silver, gold, jewels, metals, walnuts/ Africa: Salt, gold, etc).

-traded news and information as well as goods.

Keywords: The Silk Road

5.) Columbus, Magellan, and Hernàn Cortés

-Overview of Christopher Columbus, the Spanish Reconquista, and his first voyage.

-Description of how the Spanish Reconquista had an impact on Christopher Columbus.

-Description of where the European sailors landed during the first voyage (who they met and where they thought they were instead)

-Overview of Ferdinand Magellan and how his crew was able to circumnavigate the world. (Unfortunately he was killed in Asia and was not part of the crew to return to Spain)

-Overview of Hernan Cortes and his expedition to Mexico for gold in 1519.

-Claimed all of Mexico and defeated Aztec empire.

Keywords: the Spanish Reconquista, circumnavigation, Aztec Empire

Interactive PowerPoint

This teaching resource is quite the virtual experience! This US History PowerPoint can be used as a powerful classroom presentation or students can click their way through it on individual computers.

***This product was created with PowerPoint (2016). The effects and transitions may not display properly on older versions.

PBL Activities

Age of Exploration PBL (Project Based Learning) Activities | Early European Explorers

Cross-curricular challenge for students who are studying US History and the Age of Exploration

Welcome to the Age of Discovery! You have traveled back in time to the 15th and 17th centuries, during a time of exploration and discovery. Explorers traveled from their home countries to new corners of the world.

Students will create their very own PBL booklet. PBL activities utilize creative learning and real-world problem-solving strategies!

Students use mapping skills as well as knowledge of simple machines to build tools!

Sample pages (answer key) included in the file.

STEM Challenge

Age of Exploration STEM Challenge | Early Explorers

Cross-curricular challenge for students who are studying US History and the Age of Exploration!

This resource has science, technology, engineering, and ,math activities to do with your upper elementary kids that will really enhance their learning!

The STEM Challenge in this resource has detailed directions, photo examples, a list of materials needed, prediction section, brainstorming section, trials 1, 2, & 3, final results section with drawings, and a reflection section.

The STEM Challenge: Using a list of supplies, STEM groups (of 4) must design a sailing ship. The goal of this challenge is to create the fastest sailing ship. This will be measured by one member of the STEM group powering the ship by blowing through a straw. The STEM teams will line up their ships to compete. The fastest ship wins the challenge! (more instructions included in the resource)

Google Classroom Student Projects

This product contains 3 digital projects that students can complete using Google Slides! This resource has a brochure project, a timeline project, and a info-graphic / poster project.

Each student-centered project has a sample project, answer key, and detailed project instructions for the students.

Assessment/Exam

This product contains an assessment that has vocabulary matching, fill in the blank, short answer, essay, and an info-graphic! It has 19 questions total.

It also contains an ANSWER KEY and an EDITABLE powerpoint file

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