Linda Rowan

UIS 350-01
11/23/2014

ASSURE Model Instructional Plan

The European Explorers of America
Third Grade
Social Studies
Lesson length: 75 minutes, or one class period
Analyze Learners
Total number of students: 19
Male students: 8
Female students: 11
Students with low learning skills: 4
SPL IEP: 3
Visual/Spatial learners (approximately 1/4 of students)
Kinesthetic learners (approximately 1/2 of students)
Verbal/linguistic learners (two students)
Interpersonal learners (two students)
Logical/Mathematical (one student)
State Objectives
SOL 3.3 The student will study the exploration of the Americas by
a) describing the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Len, Jacques
Cartier, and Christopher Newport;
SOL 3.5 The student will develop map skills by
c) locating the countries of Spain, England, and France;
d) locating the regions in the Americas explored by Christopher Columbus (San Salvador in
the Bahamas), Juan Ponce de Len (near St. Augustine, Florida), Jacques Cartier (near
Quebec, Canada), and Christopher Newport (Jamestown, Virginia);
SOL 3.6 The student will read and construct maps, tables, graphs, and/or charts.
Select Media, Materials, and Methods
Media:
5 classroom computers with internet access and Google Earth downloaded on each one.
Overhead Projector
SMART Board
Document Camera
Materials:
Brown/ Tan Construction Paper
Pencils

Linda Rowan
UIS 350-01
11/23/2014

Explorer Research Worksheets

Books about the four explorers
Glue
Tin Foil
Coins labeled as sailors, food, water and other supplies
Scissors
Tape
Cardboard

Methods
Whole group introduction of maps and globes.
Whole group map skills to find the United States, Spain, England, and France on a map and
introduce Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Len, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher
Newport.
Whole group instruction of all center activities.
Small group centers
o Google Earth Activity
o Letters Home from the Explorers
o Ship Making
o Explorer Research Worksheet
Utilize Media, Materials, and Methods
Media:
5 desktop computers with internet access that will be used by the students to complete the
Google Earth activity.
1 overhead projector that will be used by the teacher to project the Google Earth map activity
example, world map, and explorer research worksheets as the teacher explains directions for
each.
1 SMART Board, visible to the students, which will be used by the teacher to display sample
maps and worksheets and to demonstrate the Google Earth Activity.
1 Document camera that will be used by the teacher to capture and display the worksheets
for all of the students to see while the teacher gives directions.
Materials:
Brown/ Tan Construction paper that will be used for students to write letters during the
Letters from the Explorers activity.
Pencils for the students to use to write their letters home from the explorers.
Explorer Research Worksheets that will be used by the students in groups as they research an
explorer.
Books about the four explorers for students to look through for facts for their worksheets.

Linda Rowan
UIS 350-01
11/23/2014

Glue that will be used for the students to build their boats.
Tin Foil that will be used by the students when they build their boats.
Coins labeled as sailors, food, water and other supplies for the students to ration out during the
boat building activity.
Scissors for the students to use to cut materials for building their boats.
Tape for the students to use during the boat building activity.
Cardboard to be used by the students to create their boats.
Methods:
Whole Group Map Skills: The teacher will utilize the world map displayed on the Smart
Board using the overhead projector to help students locate and mark America and Europe.
Whole Group Introduction of Explorers: As a first day introduction, the teacher will explain
that many explorers from Europe discovered and helped to settle America, focusing on
Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Len, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport. The
teacher will guide the students in marking the sponsor country of each explorer on the Smart
Board.
Whole Group Instruction of Center Activities: The teacher will introduce each center activity
and give directions for successful completion. The teacher will then divide the class into four
small groups of four or five students and assign each group a starting center. The teacher will
then inform students that they will switch centers every 15 minutes.
Small Group Centers: The students will work both collaboratively and independently to
complete each of the four center activities.
Require Learner Participation
Whole Group Map Skills:
During the first part of this lesson, the teacher will have the students gather on the rug by the Smart
Board and guide them in locating the America and Europe, having a student mark each continent as it
is found. The teacher will then ask students to observe the map and identify what separates Europe
from America (possible answers include other continents, islands, and the ocean). The students will
be engaged during this activity because they will be able to find and discuss the locations actively
through the use of group discussions and the Smart Board rather than simply listening to the teacher
passively.
Whole Group Introduction of European Explorers:
As part of the first day introduction to European explorers, the teacher will provide a verbal overview
of how and why the explorers came to America. The teacher will also ask students to think-pair-share
about explorers that they may have heard about before. This partner activity will engage the students
and get them to connect something new and unfamiliar with what they already know and understand.
The teacher will then have students pinpoint the country of origin for Christopher Columbus (Spain),
Juan Ponce de Len (Spain), Jacques Cartier (France), and Christopher Newport (England) using the
Smart Board.

Linda Rowan
UIS 350-01
11/23/2014

Whole Group Instruction of Center Activities:

The teacher will explain and demonstrate how to complete each center activity. The teacher will
utilize the overhead projector, Smart Board, worksheet, and document camera as part of the
demonstration. The teacher will further explain that each computer at the computer center has Google
Earth located on the desktop and demonstrate how to access it. The teacher will then divide the
students into groups of four or five that will work independently and collaboratively depending on
the center activity. The students will carefully listen to and follow the teachers instructions for each
center in order to successfully complete the assignments. The students will be more passively
engaged and listen intently during the instruction; but they will have the opportunity to become
active participants once the groups are established and they are placed in their centers.
Small Group Center Activities:
The students will work in groups of four or five on center activities. Some of the activities will
require group collaboration while others require them to work independently. Each center rotation
will last 15 minutes. The teacher will give a 3 minute warning so that students can begin printing
their assignments for the Google Earth center activity.
Google Earth Activity- The teacher will pinpoint the locations of each explorers starting
position in Europe and their final destination in America before the class starts. The students
must locate these positions for each explorer and use the path tool in Google Earth to create
a possible path for each explorer and print their finished product for discussion and
assessment. The students will then discuss with their group what type of obstacles they ran
into during on the journey and what the explorers might have done in those situations.
Letters Home from the Explorers- The students in the group will each select a different
explorer and write a letter back to the King and Queen of their sponsor country discussing
their journey and what they might have found in America. If they have time left, they can
share their letters with the group.
Create a Ship- Students will work as a team to make a ship using cardboard, paper, tape, glue,
and tin foil. They will then place in the boat coins labeled as sailors, food, water and other
necessary supplies. The students must agree as a group on the amount of each item to stock
up on for the journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Later in the unit, the teams will have a
chance to reassess their boats and cargo before they place their boats in a container of water
to see which ones can carry enough supplies and still float.
Explorer Research Worksheet- The students will be given a worksheet with specific questions
about one of the four explorers. The students will work with their groups using books
provided by the teacher to answer all of the questions. The sheets will be scanned, put into a
class book, and posted on the class blog for all of the students to see. If there is time at the
end of the lesson, each group can share aloud what they have found about their explorer.
Each of these center activities is designed to appeal to multiple intelligences/ learning styles.
Kinesthetic learners have the opportunity to manipulate the boat building materials and the
computers. The activities are also visually stimulating for visual/spatial learners, especially the
Google Earth activity, which allows the students to plan and plot a course across the ocean like
one of the explorers. Interpersonal learners get to work closely with their peers and collaborate on

Linda Rowan
UIS 350-01
11/23/2014

the research and boat building activities. These learners will also have the added benefit of
ensuring that their partners are successful in the group activities. Independent learners have the
chance to work alone on the other activities. Verbal/linguistic learners will benefit from receiving
important information directly from the teacher and from their classmates during group activities.
Logical/mathematical learners will benefit from calculating the amount of cargo and sailors to
place on the ship and from plotting the best/ most logical path for the explorers to take across the
ocean.
Evaluate & Revise
Student Performance:
The students will be evaluated to some degree on each center activity. The main focus will be on the
Google Earth map skills and the research activity. The students will demonstrate an understanding of
the geographic locations of the European explorers if they can create a logical path between the point
of origin and the destination. The students will also demonstrate their knowledge of European
explorers based on the information found in the books and written on the research worksheets. The
students will demonstrate team work and collaboration skills in some of the centers by completing
the activities and helping their partners to understand and complete the activities as well.
Instructor Performance:
During the group center activities, the instructor can listen to the students explain the concepts to
each other and begin to determine whether or not the material was well taught and understood by the
students. When the students turn in their research worksheets and printed exploration maps, the
teacher will be able to confirm whether or not the lesson has successfully fulfilled the stated
objectives. The teacher may choose to reteach any material that seems unclear to students based on
student performance before the class moves on to more in-depth study of European exploration of
America.
Media Performance:
The media that was used for this lesson allows students to explore the path the explorers may have
taken from Europe to America and consider the dangers or struggles that may have arisen. If students
are able to understand that maps represent specific locations and can demonstrate the ability to draw
a logical path from locations in Europe to locations in America, then the media was used
successfully.