Students get their first taste of the Age of Exploration through an engaging video about chocolate. Then, they explore facts about the Age of Exploration through the lives and voyages of great explorers. Next, they explain the Columbian Exchange. Finally, they connect the Age of Exploration to explorations in today’s world.
Students read an introduction to the Age of Exploration and consider how European voyages in the late 1400s transformed world history. They view an image related to chocolate and read about its connection to exploration, then watch the beginning of the video The History of Chocolate to learn how chocolate spread globally. Students post predictions on a class wall about other possible effects that the exploration of a new hemisphere might have had on both the Old and New Worlds.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, emphasizing that European exploration was a major turning point in world history. Highlight the connection between chocolate and global exchange to spark curiosity. After students view the video and post their predictions, review their ideas to gauge prior knowledge about the impacts of exploration before unlocking the next scene.
Students examine a map of Magellan’s voyage to see how ocean travel connected the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. They read Age of Exploration and Discovery and watch Age of Exploration—Explorers to learn about major European explorers and their achievements. Using a graphic organizer, they take notes on figures such as Henry the Navigator, Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, John Cabot, Francisco Pizarro, Hernan Cortes, and Bartolomé de las Casas. Students then post on a class wall imagining a conversation with one explorer, including questions they would ask and possible responses, and respond to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesGuide students in interpreting the map to show how sea routes enabled global travel and migration. Introduce the reading and video, clarifying expectations for note-taking in the graphic organizer and modeling how to capture each explorer’s role and impact. Encourage interested students to use additional resources from the student pack for deeper research. After students post and reply on the wall, use their questions and imagined dialogues to launch a discussion about explorers’ motives and legacies, prompting students to consider which motives were most important and whether explorers should be viewed as heroes, villains, or complex historical figures.
Students view images of New World and Old World native plants and read about how European exploration moved plants, animals, and diseases between hemispheres, introducing the concept of the Columbian Exchange as a powerful form of cultural diffusion. They watch The Columbian Exchange and read 10 Interesting Facts about the Columbian Exchange to gather more examples of exchanges and their consequences. Using evidence from the experience, students write a response on a class wall explaining why the Columbian Exchange was important.
Teacher MovesUse the plant images to clarify which crops originated in the New World and Old World, naming examples from each. Explain the idea of the Columbian Exchange and connect it to earlier content about chocolate and global trade. After students view and read the resources, prompt them to use specific examples of plants, animals, and diseases in their written explanations. Highlight and share strong or interesting student responses with the class to deepen discussion about the wide-ranging social, cultural, and demographic impacts of the Columbian Exchange before moving on.
Students examine an image of astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the Moon and read about exploration across human history, from prehistoric migrations out of Africa to modern and future explorations. They watch the video Age of Exploration to review the European Age of Exploration and learn about more recent and potential future explorations. On a class wall, students describe what they think will be the most exciting explorations of the 21st century, explaining why these explorations will be important, and then respond to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesConnect the historical Age of Exploration to broader patterns of human exploration, including space and other frontiers. Frame the video as both a review and an expansion into modern contexts. After students post their ideas, facilitate a discussion using their responses, asking which proposed explorations seem most convincing or imaginative, whether every era can be considered an age of exploration, and why exploration matters to humans (and possibly to animals). Use this conversation to help students see continuity between past and present exploration.
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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