Bell Activity
Have a writing prompt projected for students to respond in their journals.
- Sample Writing Prompt 1: Think about the last time you learned something new. What did you learn and why is it important to YOU? What did it feel like to discover something, to learn something, or to find important information?
- Sample Writing Prompt 2: Describe the last time you met someone new, whether it’s a friend, a neighbor, or a classmate. What was it like for you to learn about them, their hometown (if they recently moved here), and their lifestyle? Imagine if you recently moved to a new place and had to start school and make new friends. How would you approach the situation? Compare this to how the Spaniards invaded the coast of Florida, what should they have done differently?
Artifact Bag Activity
Equal to amount of time devoted to one to two social studies lessons
Arrange students in groups of four or five to work on an artifact bag of objects and photos relating to the Explorations of Florida.
- Photos will be related to the content information
Have students carefully examine the items in the bag and discuss what they think the underlying topic is and what the photos are depicting.
- Students should select their favorite picture and explain to the group why it’s their favorite.
- Students should discuss questions they have about the photos/objects together.
- Students should make notes in their journals about any questions or topics they need clarified.
Hold a class discussion to address the topics raised from the groups. Answer questions as a class that groups/students have about the topic and/or pictures.
- Students should be taking notes in their journals about the questions raised and note the answers to their questions.
Groups will discuss the questions and answers raised by the class and come up with one or two interesting, related questions about the Explorations of Florida.
To answer these questions, groups will work together through their artifact bags, textbooks, children’s literature library, and the internet.
- Set up centers for students to rotate between (20 minutes per center)
- Center 1: Technology (limited Internet access; suggested site 1, suggested site 2)
- Center 2: Textbook Discovery (in-depth look at the chapter related to this topic)
- Center 3: Children’s Literature (read short books, look for answers)
Upon conducting research, students will either change or confirm the item, idea or object from the artifact bag they felt was the most interesting to them.
Students will present and explain to the class from their perspective of importance.
New World Adventure Plan of Action Activity
Equal to three to four days of devoted social studies time
Following the brief presentations, the teacher will project a picture from the exploration era. Students will brainstorm in their groups what they think was going on in the picture and decide what role they want to play (navigator, ambassador, explorer, doctor, warrior, crew, etc)
- Students need to work together within their group to decide who will take on which predetermined role?
Students in their groups will
- Gain background knowledge of their role (expectations, duties, rights, roles, etc)
- Research information (information from Internet, books, group members, personal information)
- Complete the provided notebook individually and together with their group
- Explain why they made those decisions
- Present the plan of action to the “King and Queen” (teacher and class) and decide as a group whether to continue with you exploration or stop and come home.
Homework
Students will follow up on the artifact bag activity and the new world adventure activity by writing a brief reflection in their journals. This is will not be graded, but will be checked for completion. Students are expected to reflect on their role within their group and tell about what they learned throughout these two activities.
