We created worksheets for this unit. There was a lot of reading involved. We also used primary documents including maps and pictures for students to look at. We also used read-aloud during the unit including Remember Patience Whipple by Karyn Lasky. We wanted students to get a better feel about what life was like on a ship.

Instructional Objectives

Students will:

• Incorporate technology

• Understand what life on a ship was like

• Introduce Columbus and focus on instruments of navigation

Technology played a major role but was balanced with read-aloud, primary documents and homework. This was a three week study. Laptops were used twice a week for about one hour.

Students were assessed through in-class observations, homework and partnership work. We also created class charts including a KWL chart which demonstrated what they had learned. 

We wanted students to focus on life aboard a ship, what ships looked like and important instruments used for navigations. For step 1, students mostly read about Columbus.  Step 2, we created the ship worksheets. For step 3, students wrote journal entries and the map worksheet to look at the map of Columbus’s first landing. When reading about Columbus and celestial we gave them the Astrolabe and compass worksheets.

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Student Work Samples

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