# Grade or HS Content or Course

Unit: # Lesson: #

© 2008, TESCCC Template page 1 of 2

Alternative Lesson: Learning About Christopher Columbus

Our Definitions for Content Specific Terms in this Lesson:

Word/Term Definition

voyage a trip to a place far away

explorer a person who travels and discovers new areas

map a picture showing the land

ship a boat that travels in deep water

crew the people who sailed with Columbus on his ships

Indians the name Columbus gave to the people living on the land that he thought was the West Indies

GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION

Textbook Resources: bulletin board paper

markers

picture book about Christopher Columbus and his journey to the New World

floor map of the world

plastic ship or pointer

Homework Options: 1. See second lesson on Columbus for a homework option.

Additional Background Information: Columbus Day is celebrated in the USA on the second Monday in October. It is a day in which we celebrated Christopher Columbus' trip from Spain to Hispaniola, North America in 1492. He was sent by King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain. Columbus' crew sailed on the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Columbus was looking for a faster route to the far east (Asia) in order to trade for valuable spices. Instead, he found North America, after sailing for five weeks. The ship Santa Maria sank in Hispaniola, but the Niña and the Pinta both made it back to Spain.

ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY

Instructional Procedures Notes for Teacher

ENGAGE 1) Prepare prior to lesson a KWL (What do you know, What do you want to learn, and What did you learn). Title the KWL “The Reasons Why Columbus Wanted to Sail”. 2) Ask the students “Why do you think Columbus wanted to set sail?” list about three responses under the K. 3) Then ask the students “What do you want to know about Columbus’ journey?” list three student responses under the W.

Suggested picture books titles: In 1492 by Jean Marzollo A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David A. Adler Columbus Day (Rookie Read- about holidays) by Christina Mia Gardeski Christopher Columbus (Rookie Biographies) by Mary Dodson Wade What Columbus Found: It Was Orange, It Was Round by Jane Kurtz

EXPLORE 1) Read a picture book about Columbus and his journey to the New World. 2) Discuss needing help and helping others. 3) Relate to how Columbus needed others to help him with his travel. Emphasize how King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella eventually helped Columbus.

113.2 (b) (2) (A) (3) (B) (15) (B)

# Grade or HS Content or Course

Unit: # Lesson: #

© 2008, TESCCC Template page 2 of 2

Instructional Procedures Notes for Teacher

EXPLAIN 1) Show large floor world map and locate the following areas: Spain, Atlantic Ocean, the Bahamas, and Cuba. 2) Recall the names of the three ships Columbus took on his journey to the New World. 3) Use a toy ship or pointer to show students the journey to the New World that Columbus made with his 3 ships. 4) Briefly discuss what the voyage would have been like. 5) Ask the students to recall the name Columbus gave to the people living on the island. Discuss why he called the people Indians. 6) Discuss why we celebrate Columbus Day and how we celebrate it. 7) Ask the students what they learned. Place responses under the L part of the KWL chart.

(4) (A) (5) (A) (1) (A) (B) (15) (B) (16) (B)

ELABORATE 1) Ask "Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in fourteen hundred ninety two. The question is - Was Columbus smart about safety?” 2) Ask “Can you imagine what it would be like to live on a crowded school bus for eight long months? Columbus and his men had a little more room than that, but not much.” 3) Discuss how a voyage on a ship during Columbus’ time would be different from a road trip on a school bus in today’s time.

Use the following website for more information on Columbus’ ships. http://events.askacop.org/columbusday.html (14) (A)

EVALUATE 1) The teacher will evaluate the students’ knowledge of Christopher Columbus’ life and voyage during the discussion throughout the lesson.

EXTENSION 1) Make newspaper sailor hats. See website for instructions. http://www.dltk-

kids.com/crafts/columbus/newspaper_sailors_hats.htm

2) Make an easy spyglass telescope out of a paper towel tube. See website for instructions.

With our toilet paper tube telescopes we sing: Sung to: "Row row row your boat"

Sail, Sail, Sail your ship Sail it night and day. Look for land, look for land All along the Way.

When someone points and yells, "I see land" we all stop singing and look. That child describes what the land looks like and what might be on the shore.

http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/columbus/mespyglass.htm

3) Have students use construction paper to make a brown ship with white sails. Students can tear blue paper to make the ocean. Students can make one ship or all three. Students can label the ships.