Unit Plan: The Age of Exploration

Lesson Plan for Thursday

Grade: Fifth Grade
Social Studies Strand: History
Submitted By: Jessica Jones

EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science
Nevada State College Spring 2014
Instructor: Karen Powell
Lesson Plan for Thursday Strand: History submitted by: Jessica Jones

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2
B. Summary of the Lesson Plan:
Students will explore join teams of four to five to explore why Spain, England, France, and the
Netherlands were all competing for colonies and trade during the age of exploration to answer
what motivated them to travel and settle in the New World. What conflicts arose as a result? As a
team student will create a map with pins (actually marker marks) of places their country traveled
to. Students will create a one page outline of what occurred during their countries exploration
and any conflicts. This will serve as a starting page for their project on Fridays lesson.

C. Basic Information:
Grade Level: 5
th
grade
Time to Complete this Lesson: Approximately 50 minutes
Groupings: Whole class and cooperative learning groups
D. Materials:
Computer lab/Classroom computer (if available)
Pens/Pencils
Washable Markers/Washable Crayons
Books (check out from library)
o Around the World in a Hundred Years From Henry the Navigator to
Magellan by Jean Fritz
o The World Made New: When the Age of Exploration Happened and How it
Changed the World by Marc Aronson, John W. Glenn
o Navigating the Age of Exploration by Ted Widmer
o England On The Eve of Exploration by Paul E. J Hammer
E. Objectives:
o NV State Social Studies Standards
H2.5.1 Describe the competition among the English, French, Spanish,
Dutch, and Indian nations for control of North America.
o Student-Friendly Standards
H2.5.1 I can research and explain what motivated European countries
to explore and migrate to the New World.
F. Vocabulary
Exalted (of a person or their rank or status) placed at a high or powerful level; held in high
regard.
Vigilant - keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
Lesson Plan for Thursday Strand: History submitted by: Jessica Jones

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3
G. Procedure:
1. Introduction: During this time I will explain students that we will be breaking off into
cooperative learning groups (different members than the lesson on Monday) and
assigned a country. The students will then be required to make a map with marks of
every country theirs traveled during the Age of Exploration, and an outline on what
motivated them and what problems arose.
2. Instruction: Students will count off when the teacher points at them numbers 1-5. They
will then meet in their groups.
3. Cooperative Learning Groups: The teacher will go around with a bucket and have the
groups draw a name. The groups will be assigned country and use media and print to
discover to research what motivated the exploration and what problems they
encountered during their travels. They make a map and mark places of travel. They will
make an outline on notebook paper that is one page long. This will carry over into their
activity for Friday.
4. Review: Each group will turn in their map and outline. It will have all group members
names on it. The teacher will go over it and make notes as necessary and make a
copy for each member which will be presented to them on Friday.
H. Assessment:
What will you use to measure student understanding?
Observation. I will walk around and observe the groups as they work with each other. I
will note anything I feel needs to be addressed or modified.
Group Map. The group map with the markings will be turned in at the end of the lesson
and reviewed by the teacher.
One page outline. The group outline will be turned in at the end of the lesson and
reviewed by the teacher.
Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson.
Competition of the lesson plan activity which states reasons for exploration, problems
that occurred, and competition with a neighboring European country.
I. Closure:
Closure for this lesson will be when students can answer the questions posed in the
introduction and put them into writing on their outline. This will carry over into the lesson
for Friday.
J. Reflection:
1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach?
I think the introduction will be the easiest part for me to teach. I will pose important
thought provoking questions that will help guide students in their research.
2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach?
Lesson Plan for Thursday Strand: History submitted by: Jessica Jones

Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 4
I believe that the most challenging part to teach will be the transition at the end of
the lesson because this lesson will carry on to Fridays. I have never taught a
transitioning lesson before.
3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson?
This lesson is part of a unit so it will carry over into Fridays lesson which will be
creating an infographic of their assigned country. This will serve as the follow up.
4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts?
For students who didnt grasp the concepts, I would have them put together a list
of questions they wanted clarification on. During the lesson on Friday, I would have
them research these concepts for their infographic.
5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change?
I would like to have a wider media and print to choose from. It is hard finding age
appropriate books available in libraries in Las Vegas for this topic. I wish I had more
reference for myself and the students.
6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part?
Finding books. Some of the books I had found for the first lesson on Monday worked
great for the research portion of this lesson. I had to go out and find other book and
that was a challenge. I wish there was a list somewhere online that just had history
books categorized for this topic by each grade level.