Free Christopher Columbus Lesson Plan for 2nd Grade Students

Topic: Christopher Columbus

Objectives & Outcomes

• Children will be able to understand the story of Christopher Columbus and why he is celebrated.

Materials

• Pictures of Christopher Columbus
• Coloring sheets with images of Columbus
• Pencils and paper for the children to practice their art
• Art supplies for the children to use (e.g. paints, crayons, markers, etc.)

Warm-up

• Ask the children if they know who Christopher Columbus is.
• Ask the children if they have ever heard of him before.
• Ask the children if they know why he is celebrated.

Direct Instruction

• Tell the children that today we are going to learn about Christopher Columbus and his voyage to the New World.
• Show the children the pictures of Christopher Columbus and the ships he sailed on.
• Tell the children that Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who wanted to find a new route to Asia.
• Tell the children that he thought that he could reach Asia by sailing west, instead of going east.
• Explain to the children that Christopher Columbus did not know that the world was round, and that he thought he could reach Asia by sailing west.
• Explain to the children that Christopher Columbus set out on his voyage in 1492, and he discovered the New World in 1492.
• Tell the children that the New World is what we now call America.

Guided Practice

• Show the children the painting sheets with pictures of Christopher Columbus on them.
• Tell the children that they will be painting their own version of Christopher Columbus.
• Explain to the children that they need to use the paints and brushes in the correct way.
• Show the children how to hold the paintbrush and how to dip it in the paint.
• Demonstrate how to paint with the paintbrush.
• Have the children practice painting on their own with guidance.

Independent Practice

• Have the children paint their own version of Christopher Columbus using the paints and brushes.
• Encourage the children to be creative and to use the different colors.
• Allow the children time to finish their paintings.

Closure

• Have the children share their paintings with the class and explain what they have painted.
• Review the main points of the lesson, such as who Christopher Columbus was and what he did.

Assessment

• Observe the children during the independent practice activity to see if they are accurately painting what they have researched about Christopher Columbus.
• Collect the children's paintings and use them to assess their understanding of the main points of the lesson.