European Exploration of the Americas is a unit designed for third grade students. The unit walks students through European Explorers: Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport, focusing on the reasons and results of each explorers exploration. The unit also has a layered component to it, where students outside of their social studies block but during the same time frame as the unit discuss how European Exploration affected Native Americans.
Unit Map:
Essential Question:
What were the reasons and results of the exploration of North America by Europeans?
Sub Questions:
What is an explorer?/ Why did European Explorers explorer North America?/ What were the outcomes of European Exploration?/ What was life like for Native Americans before European Exploration? How were the Native Americans affected by European Exploration?
Enduring Understandings:
Over-Arching Standard:
History - 3.3 The student will study the exploration of the Americas by
a) describing the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport;
b) identifying the reasons for exploring, the information gained, the results of the travels, and the impact of the travels on American Indians.
NCSS Standards:
I. Culture
II. Time, Continuity, and Change
III. People, Places, and Environments
V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
VI. Power, Authority, and Governance
VIII. Science, Technology, and Society
X. Civic, Ideals, and Practices
Unit Map:
Essential Question:
What were the reasons and results of the exploration of North America by Europeans?
Sub Questions:
What is an explorer?/ Why did European Explorers explorer North America?/ What were the outcomes of European Exploration?/ What was life like for Native Americans before European Exploration? How were the Native Americans affected by European Exploration?
Enduring Understandings:
- Christopher Columbus traveled from Spain and found San Salvador near the Bahamas. He set off to find a western sea route to Asia and found a route to America instead.
- Juan Ponce de Leon traveled from Spain and found Florida. He set off to find riches and conquer land and accomplished claiming Florida for Spain.
- Jacques Cartier traveled from France and found Canada. He set off to discover the New World and accomplished claiming a part of North America from France.
- Christopher Newport traveled from England to Jamestown, VA. He set off to find a western sea route to Asia, colonize Jamestown, and discover riches. He accomplished four voyages to Jamestown bringing more people each time.
- loss of land taken by the people settling in the area brought by the Explores,
- diseases brought by the Europeans killed Native Americans because they were not immune to the diseases
- being forced to practice European religions
- population decrease because of wars with Europeans, diseases, and crops being taken by Europeans
- being forced to become servants or slaves for the European settlers
Over-Arching Standard:
History - 3.3 The student will study the exploration of the Americas by
a) describing the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport;
b) identifying the reasons for exploring, the information gained, the results of the travels, and the impact of the travels on American Indians.
NCSS Standards:
I. Culture
II. Time, Continuity, and Change
III. People, Places, and Environments
V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
VI. Power, Authority, and Governance
VIII. Science, Technology, and Society
X. Civic, Ideals, and Practices