Make Your Own Compass

Make Your Own Compass

Before to the compass, sailors used landmarks and the position of the sun and stars to tell them which direction to sail. They often kept within sight of land, in case it became foggy or cloudy. The invention of the compass allowed sailors to navigate safely away from land. A compass's magnetized needle aligns itself with the lines of the earth's magnetic field. When the compass is level, the needle turns until one end points to the North magnetic pole,...
Download a Printer-Friendly PDF

Featured in Explorers of the New World

Explorers of the New World

More Projects Like This

A Different Kind of BattleField

A Different Kind of BattleField

From World War I

In the early years of WWI, army recruiters mined soccer games and rugby matches for recruits. According to historian Adam Hochschild, soccer games “proved the single best venue for recruiters.” Arriving spectators would see recruiters wearing sandwich boards bearing the message, “Your Country Needs You.” The game would start with a patriotic speech. Players often stepped forward to enlist, and fans quickly followed their lead.

View
My World

My World

From Global Citizenship

Through the “My World” Survey, people can identify which of the 17 SDGs matter most to them. At www.myworld2030.org, you can take the survey and select six SDG priority areas. You can also view results by country to see what people care about across the globe.

View
Make Your Own Gordian Knot

Make Your Own Gordian Knot

From The Silk Road

One legend says Alexander conquered Asia by solving the puzzle of the Gordian Knot. According to a prophecy, whoever untied this endless knot would rule the continent. Alexander took the direct approach—he cut the knot open with his sword. Today, a “Gordian knot” means an unsolvable problem. No one knows exactly what the Gordian Knot looked like. But you can make a knot called a Turk’s Head appear “endless” by joining the ends after it’s...

View
Make a Culture Collage

Make a Culture Collage

From The Renaissance Thinkers

We use the term Renaissance to define the years in Europe from the 1300s through the 1600s. Is there one word or phrase that defines the era we live in right now? Let’s make a Culture Collage and see if we can find one.

View

Reviews

School Library Journal
“This informative, entertaining activity book takes readers on a fascinating voyage of their own . . . Numerous inserts, ‘Did You Know?' sidebars, maps, black-and-white representations of explorers, and sketches of events add additional facts and interest to the presentation. Nearly every page includes a brief list of words to know. Each chapter concludes with ‘Make Your Own' activities that bring life to the history with instructions for the construction of a logbook, clay activities, recipes, games, etc. Some may require the assistance of an adult but are not complicated or time-consuming. An appealing and useful resource.”

Children's Literature Review
“This combination history and activity book from the ‘Build it Yourself' series will enliven home school and classroom history units.”

Eclectic Homeschool Online (EHO)
“Explorers of the New World is one in a series of books that encourage students to interact with the subject being learned. There are 22 hands-on projects, but that's not all. The author presents factual information in a breezy, conversational style, emphasizing relevant vocabulary by bolding new words in the context of the text, and then defining them in a set-off box (‘Words to Know') on the same or a facing page. There are also ‘Did You Know' boxes at frequent intervals, containing snippets of interesting trivia . . . Explorers of the New World is well suited to the homeschool as well as classroom use. The activity instructions are clearly written, with illustrations that help you to follow the directions.”

Marla Conn, Educational Consultant
"This title is informative, and relevant in teaching about explorers of the New World and the age of exploration."

Project Templates

Reading Explorers of the New World now? Download your Make Your Own Quadrant template here.

Detailed Book Description

Explorers of the New World: Discover the Golden Age of Exploration offers a fascinating look at the explorers and their voyages during the Age of Exploration and Discovery. Readers ages 9–12 can delve into the expeditions of Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, John Cabot, Hernán Cortés, and more. Using common household items and minimal supervision, kids enjoy 22 hands-on activities to help them learn about these legendary explorers and their voyages. Discover how the adventures of a few people 500 years ago changed world history.

Projects include creating and using a compass, learning to tie a sailor's knot, and baking and eating sea biscuits. Along with detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, Explorers of the New World includes biographical sidebars, engaging illustrations, interesting facts, and vocabulary words that allow kids to experience this era in a fun, interactive way.

Available In:
Hardcover, $21.95
9781936313440		 Paperback, $15.95
9781936313433
Includes: Table of Contents | Timeline | Maps | Glossary | Resources | Index
Specs: 8 x 10 size | black and white interior | 128 pages
Subject: Social Studies
Content Focus: World History
Leveling: Ages 9-12 |Grade Level 4-6 |GRL S |Lexile 930L
- Show Keywords -

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Timeline

Introduction
Exploring in the Age of Discovery

Chapter 1
Searching for a Water Route to Asia

Chapter 2
Voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus

Chapter 3
Searching for the Northwest Passage, John Cabot

Chapter 4
Circling the Globe, Ferdinand Magellan

Chapter 5
The Spanish Conquistadors

Chapter 6
Journeys Inland

Glossary
Resources
Index