Miss Livingston

Social Studies Explorer Project

This project is due on Friday, October 26^th.

You will be researching an explorer and you will need to choose from one of the following projects:

1.    Write a newspaper article

You will need to write an article of at least 3 paragraphs describing the arrival of a European explorer, including a description of a first meeting with Native Americans in the area.  You will need to include a headline and a picture of the route your explorer took.  Your article should include: where your explorer is from(if known), date of birth/death(if known), the explorer's routes, important events and dates, explanation of the importance of the trip, who sent the explorer, and any other interesting facts about your explorer.

2.   Draw a Map

You will be drawing a map showing the route of an explorer.  You will need to write at least 3 paragraphs explaining about your explorer and their route to North America.  Your explanation should include:  where your explorer is from(if known), date of birth/death(if known), the explorer's routes, important events and dates, explanation of the importance of the trip, who sent the explorer, and any other interesting facts about your explorer.

3.   Write a letter

You will need to write a letter of at least 3 paragraphs to a friend in Europe, describing an expedition in which you participated to explore the Americas.  You will write this letter as if you are the explorer.  Your letter should include:  where your explorer is from(if known), date of birth/death(if known), the explorer's routes, important events and dates, explanation of the importance of the trip, who sent the explorer, and any other interesting facts about your explorer.  You will need to include illustrations in your letter(ship, route, etc)

Choose from this list of explorers in Chapter 3:

Lesson 1 – Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus

Lesson 2 – John Cabot, Amerigo Vespucci, Vasco Nunez de Balboa,

Ferdinand Magellan

Lesson 3 – Juan Ponce de Leon, Hernando Cortes, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado,

Francisco Pizarro, Hernando de Soto

Lesson 4 – Giovanni de Verrazano, Jacques Cartier, Henry Hudson

You may use the following resources to get your information:  Social Studies textbook, explorer books/explorer cards located in Miss Livingston’s room, internet, encyclopedias, or any other explorer books you may have.

You will need to create a bibliography listing where you found your information.  See the ‘How to Write a Bibliography’ tab on Miss Livingston’s website for information on how to do this.

Reports may be handwritten(neatly, please) or typed.  

Here is the rubric for this project: