5th Grade Age Of Discovery European And American Indians Lesson Plan Example (Social Studies)

Topic: Economic and Cultural Impact of Exploration

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to determine the economic and cultural impact of exploration on European and American Indians.

Materials

• Images of European and American Indians during the Age of Discovery
• Handouts with information about the economic and cultural impact of exploration

Warm-up

• Ask students what they know about the Age of Discovery.
• Share brief information about the economic and cultural impact of exploration on European and American Indians.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of the Age of Discovery and explain that it is the period of time starting in the late 1400s when European explorers began to explore the world beyond Europe.
• Discuss the motivations and goals of the explorers, including the desire to find new trade routes, resources, and territories to colonize.
• Explain that the explorers had a negative impact on the lives of American Indians, because their lands and resources were taken and their way of life was disrupted.
• Use maps and images to show the routes and destinations of explorers, and discuss the economic and cultural impact of exploration on European and American Indians.

Guided Practice

• Divide the students into small groups and give each group a set of images or excerpts from journals of European explorers.
• Have the students analyze the images and excerpts and identify the motivations and goals of the explorers.
• Have the students compare and contrast the motivations and goals of the explorers, and discuss the negative impact on American Indians.
• Bring the class back together and share the findings of the small groups.

Independent Practice

• Have the students choose one explorer to research in more detail.
• Have the students create a presentation or poster about the explorer's motivations and goals, and the negative impact on American Indians.
• Allow the students to present their findings to the class.

Closure

• Review the main points of the lesson: the economic and cultural impact of exploration on American Indians.
• Remind the students that despite the negative effects of exploration, there were also some positive consequences, such as the spread of new ideas and technologies.

Assessment

• Collect the students' journals and use them to assess their understanding of the topic.
• Observe the students during the group activity and independent practice to assess their participation and understanding of the economic and cultural consequences of exploration.
• Evaluate the students' presentations or skits as a way to assess their understanding of the topic and their ability to communicate their understanding to others.