Students interact with vocabulary words that they will encounter throughout Unit 2: European Exploration and Settlement.
Students interact with vocabulary words that they will encounter throughout Unit 2: European Exploration and Settlement.
Students are introduced to the unit vocabulary for European exploration and settlement by reading definitions for key terms such as colonization, competition, convert, exploration, friar, frontier, glory, migration, mission, missionary, and presidio. They then focus on the word “friar,” examining a photograph of a modern-day friar and reading the nursery rhyme about Brother John before predicting, in a shared table, what a friar is or does based on these clues.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objective, review the vocabulary list, and ensure students understand that these words will recur throughout the unit. Guide students’ attention to the image and nursery rhyme, prompting them to use context clues to predict the meaning of “friar.” Clarify the definition and briefly connect friars to their role as missionaries in Spanish missions in Texas.
Students shift to vocabulary about exploration by viewing images and reading short text about scientists exploring in laboratories and the Latin root of “exploration.” They respond to a word cloud prompt by naming something that can be explored, then post to a collaborative wall explaining why space and the ocean are sometimes called the last big frontiers, using the definition of “frontier” as the outer edge of an area where people have begun to live.
Teacher MovesHighlight the root and meaning of “exploration” and connect it to different types of investigating or searching. Encourage a wide range of student examples in the word cloud, then use their responses to emphasize that exploration can involve many subjects but this unit will focus on exploring unfamiliar places. Support students in using the term “frontier” accurately and, if needed, model or share sample explanations about space and the ocean as frontiers.
Students read about how people move from place to place and learn that movement from one region to another is called migration. After viewing an image and description of migration, they contribute to a word cloud by naming another species that migrates. They then read how migration can lead to the establishment of a colony, called colonization, and answer a multiple-choice question identifying synonyms for the word “colony.”
Teacher MovesClarify the distinction between everyday movement and the specific term “migration,” prompting students to think of animals that migrate and affirming accurate examples. Explain how migration can result in colonization and connect this idea to European exploration in the Americas. Review student responses to the synonym question, correcting misunderstandings and reinforcing the meaning of “colony” and related terms.
Students deepen their understanding of vocabulary used to describe Spanish activity in Texas by examining an image of Spanish conquistadors and then completing a drag-and-drop activity in which they match words—competition, convert, glory, frontier, missionary—to their definitions. They then answer a multiple-choice question to identify which words (mission, presidio, colony) describe places where people may live.
Teacher MovesUse the image and caption to situate the vocabulary in the historical context of Spanish exploration and settlement. Monitor the drag-and-drop activity, providing feedback on correct and incorrect matches and prompting students to use the words in oral examples. Review the multiple-choice responses to ensure students can distinguish between vocabulary that describes people or actions and terms that describe types of settlements.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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