Explorers

Significant Explorers and Civilizations of the Americas
A WebQuest for 5th Grade (Social Studies)

Introduction

Beginning with the Vikings in the 8th century, the Americas have been explored by many people. During the 1500's and 1600's European countries began exploring across the Atlantic Ocean. Christopher Columbus was one of the first explorers to attempt this great feat. His accomplishments sparked the interest of exploration in many other countries.

Explorers have had various reasons for risking their lives when setting out across the world. Marco Polo was searching for new trade routes, David Livingston traveled across Africa as a missionary, while others were motivated by the need to chart and map new areas.

In this webquest, you will find out what drove the exploration for these significant explorers and how did the motives for explorations differ from country to country?
The Task

You will work in your assigned group or individually to search the Internet to identify what drove the exploration of your explorers. During your search you will be looking for certain aspects of his exploration. Once you have obtained these aspects, you will be able to complete the following:

Describing each explorer's role in exploration and their significance to the world.

Upon completion of this activity, you will have gained an understanding of what motivated the explorers to leave their countries, learned of the hardships and difficulties the explorers encountered, and learned how to combine information from two or more sources into a Report. You should also know how to create a Bibliography. Make sure you bookmark your site so that you have it for your Bibliography.

(Skip the part below if you are completing the assignment individually)
Find your assigned group. Pick one explorer from the group.

Group One: Leif Ericsson, Ferdinand Magellan & John Cabot.
Group Two: Christopher Columbus, Mayan Civilization & Ponce De Leon.
Group Three: Hernando Cortez, & Amerigo Vespucci.
Group Four: Francisco Pizarro, & Jacques Cartier.
Group Five: Hernando de Soto, Francisco De Coronado & Cabeza de Vaca.
Group Six: Samuel de Champlain, Henry Hudson & Balboa.

Begin your research.
Use the Internet sites listed below your explorer. Your group members will need to take turns being the searcher and the recorder. Remember to keep a list of all websites you use. You will need this information later for your bibliography page.

Good website with many explores
http://www.wartgames.com/themes/american/explorers.html

Here are some sites specifically for an explore in your group:

John Cabot:

http://www.biography.com/people/john-cabot-9234057

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/cabot.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cabot

http://allaboutexplorers.com/explorers/cabot/

Ponce de Leon:

http://www.biography.com/people/juan-ponce-de-león-9444105

http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/lessons/de_leon/de_leon1.htm

http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/worldhistory/juanponcedeleon1.htm

Amerigo Vespucci:

http://www.biography.com/people/amerigo-vespucci-9517978

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci

http://geography.about.com/cs/historicalgeog/a/amerigo.htm

http://www.studyworld.com/Amerigo_Vespucci.htm

Jacques Cartier:

http://www.biography.com/people/jacques-cartier-9240128

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Cartier

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/jacques-cartier.htm

http://allaboutexplorers.com/explorers/cartier/

Cabeza de Vaca:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81lvar_N%C3%BA%C3%B1ez_Cabeza_de_Vaca

http://alkek.library.txstate.edu/swwc/cdv/

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/cabezadevaca.htm

http://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/devaca/devaca_flat.html

http://www.floridahistory.com/cabeza.html

Balboa:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_N%C3%BA%C3%B1ez_de_Balboa

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/vasco-nunez-de-balboa.htm

http://allaboutexplorers.com/explorers/balboa/

http://www.biography.com/people/vasco-núñez-de-balboa-9196350#synopsis

Other Explores and additional links:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/

http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/Explorers/index.htm

http://www.landofthebrave.info/american-history-of-early-explorers.htm

Click on the name to link to the website
Amerigo Vespucci

  Antarctic Explorers

  Cabeza de Vaca

  Christopher Columbus

  David Livingstone

  Estevanico the Moor

  Ferdinand Magellan

  Francisco Coronado

  Francisco Pizarro

  Frederick Cook

  Henry Hudson

  Henry Morton Stanley

  Henry the Navigator

  Hernan Cortes

  Hernando de Soto

  Jacques Cartier

  James Cook

  John Cabot

  John Hanning Speke

  John Wesley Powell

  Juan Ponce de Leon

  Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo

  Leif Ericsson

  Marco Polo

  Matthew Henson

  Pierre Le Moyne Iberville

  Ponce de Leon

  Richard Byrd

  Roald Amundsen

  Samuel Hearne

  Samuel de Champlain

  Sir Ernest Shackleton

  Sir Francis Drake

  Sir Richard Francis Burton

  Thor Heyerdahl

  Vasco Nunez de Balboa

  Vasco da Gama

  William Dampier

  William Marmot III

Research Planner
Explorer Accomplishments
Explorer?
Year born?
Nationality (What country was he born in)
Dates of Exploration
How many expeditions?
Countries explored for?

Answer the following questions about the explorer you have been traveling with:
Why did he take this voyage? Explain.
What did he want to accomplish? Explain.
What did he actually accomplish? Explain.
What was the most interesting fact you learned?

Significant Explorers and Civilizations of the AmericasA WebQuest for 5th Grade (Social Studies)

Significant Explorers and Civilizations of the Americas
A WebQuest for 5th Grade (Social Studies)