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CURRICULUM
GUIDE
Unit Title: Explorer's Museum
Grade Levels: 5-8
Subject/Topic Areas: North American Explorers
1400-1800
Key Words: American History; European history,
colonialism; imperialism; explorers; living museum
Unit Designers: Olukemi Tuyo, Lisa Troy
Unit first taught: Haggerty, 2001
Time Frame: 4 weeks
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Click here for Teacher
Resources:
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Link to Massachusetts Standards:
History and social sciences #1 (chronology and cause), #3
(research, evidence and point of view) #7 (physical spaces
of earth), #9 (Geography); Arts Theater #1 (acting), #2
(reading and writing scripts), #3 (directing), and #5
(critical response)
Brief Summary of Unit (including what students
will understand as a result of this unit)
The efforts of one single explorer often had consequences
that shaped the course of history. Students will study an
historic character in depth and create and perform a
dramatic monologue that demonstrates understanding of the
myriad reasons for exploration; the circumstances of travel;
and the results of these voyages on the North American
continent.
Drama Strategies
Monologue performance; dramatic tableaux; character
research; hot seating characters; improvisation; peer
critique; guided writing; public speaking
Key Concepts (What statement(s) clearly expresses
what I want students to know and understand?)
Multiple factors such as economics, politics, and
imperialism led powerful European nations to finance
explorations in the New World. The individual quests of men
such as Vasco de Gama, John and Sebastian Cabot, Jacques
Cartier, Ponce de Leon, Frances Drake and others had an
impact on North American culture that can be felt even
today.
Essential Questions (What specific questions will
guide this unit and focus teaching and learning?)
- What circumstances made some people in Europe sponsor
expeditions to the New World?
- What factors led different individuals to begin
exploring the North American continent?
- What was the effect of the European explorers on the
indigenous people?
- How is it possible that one person's "voyage" can
change the course of history?
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Students will know
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Students will be able to
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• effective strategies for listening,
speaking and presenting ideas in formal and
informal contexts.
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• use multiple strategies to explore and
narrow a topic
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• the history and details of European
history beginning around 1400; what prompted
nations to send explorations to the New World and
what happened to the indigenous people
afterwards
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• research and write creatively about
historical events
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• what makes a scripted, live performance
effective, arresting and authentic
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• share ideas and critique each other's
acting/performance skills in a positive manner;
recognize and produce good dramatic monologes
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• rudimentary drama skills: how to be
comfortable standing on stage, how to speak
publicly, how to focus
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• develop a voice and character as a
performer; perform a monologue effectively; work as
a group
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EVIDENCE OF STUDENT
UNDERSTANDING:
Summary of performance tasks and projects
- Students research one explorer and complete an
"Explorer Profile" that includes a description of the
person's life and personality, historical information, an
analysis of the effects his exploration had on indiginous
peoples, a map of voyages and a bibliography of research
sources
- Students write a tall tale about their explorer's
adventures that could have been told to a crowd of
admirers
- Students write and rehearse a speech to be publicly
performed as part of an Explorers Museum event
Summary of quizzes, tests and prompts.
- Criteria sheet, outlining specific information to be
included in individual explorer speeches
- Expectation sheet, suggesting ways to make speeches
interesting and full of life
- \Reflection sheet - to be filled out after the final
performance
- Evaluation sheet - both student and teacher fill out
as part of assessment
Other Evidence (e.g. observations, work samples
and dialogues)
- video of performance
- teacher observation of peer critiques
- teacher observation of small group rehearsal
behavior
- improvisations&emdash;teacher observation of how
students apply content to create appropriate
improvisations
SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES:
What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will
equip students to develop and demonstrate the desired
understandings?
Part One: Research (2 weeks)
Teacher introduces idea for exploration unit:
How can one person's quest change the world?
Teacher gives historical, political, economic and
social background information on various imperial
European countries such as Italy, England, France and
Portugal.
Students read selections from books about Explorers
compiled by teacher.
Students brainstorm: What makes an explorer
explore?
Teacher introduces major explorers: Vasco de Gama,
John and Sebastian Cabot, Jacques
Cartier, Ponce de Leon, Prince Henry the Navigator,
Bartolomew Diaz, Frances Drake, Giovanni da Vernazano,
Balboa, and Cabra.
Students choose one explorer and do individual
research in the school library; begin work on Explorer
Profile (Explorer Profile checklist and questions to
reasearch in resources).
Teacher introduces idea of museum and theatrical
performance. Leads vocal warm up and improvisational
games to help get students ready for public speaking (see
resources). Establish regular "drama training" time (30
minutes) each week, beginning with vocal warm-up for
improved articulation (see resources for specific
exercises).
Creative writing exercise: write a tale someone would
tell about their travels to excite their listeners (let
the tales get bigger and bigger; students read tale
outloud to convince others).
Teacher-led dramatic improvisation and writing
exercise: each student writes down 3-5 reasons his/her
explorer wanted to go to sea; improvises a speech
pleading his/her case to a potential "sponsor."
Field trip to local town library for research.
Homework: Students work on Explorer Profile.
Teacher introduces maps of the time period, students
draw map of their explorer's travels to deepen
understanding of the world as it existed then.
Homework: Finish maps.
Teacher leads discussion of the effect of explorers on
indigenous people (e.g., English explorers on the
Wampanoag tribe; how the Native American's lives changed
after the introduction of European customs).
Homework: Students finish Explorer Profile.
Students perform guided writing exercise: imagine your
explorer as he first went on land - who was with them,
what did they see, who did they see, were there friendly
or unfriendly encounters with native peoples, etc.?
Part Two: Explorers Museum (2 weeks)
Teacher leads theater vocal exercises and
theater games; "hot seat" individual explorers and have
class ask questions of each one (see resources).
Homework: Students begin draft of their explorer's
monologue (guidelines and samples in resources).
Teacher leads theater improvisation (e.g., improvise
scene of explorers all meeting at a round table; compare
and contrast their experiences in the New World. Teacher
plays moderator; directs questioning).
Homework: Students finish first draft of monologues.
In pairs, students get feedback from each other on
initial readthroughs of their monologues; teacher gives
feedback on rough drafts.
In groups of 4-5, students perform monologues for each
other, get feedback.
Homework: Students finish revised monologue and bring to
class a costume piece or pieces to add to theatricality
of presentation.
Whole group rehearsal of monologues in classroom with
music added; peer and teacher feedback.
Museum concept is put on its feet - the students are
asked to remain in their own spots and pretend to be
frozen until they are brought to life by their "tour
guide" - parents are invited to an "Explorers Breakfast"
to watch performances.
"Travelling Explorers Museum": Performance of
Explorers Museum for students in other classrooms;
students fill out reflection sheets and evaluations
(Explorere Monologue Reflection/Assessment guides in
resources).
What resources are helpful and/or necessary to
accomplish this curriculum?
Books
The First Americans, Joy Hakim, Oxford University
Press,NY, 1993
The Age of Exploration, World History Series,
Sarah Flower, 1952
Age of Discovery Vol. 3, 1492-1815, John
Haywood
The Discovery of the Americas, Betsy and Giulio
Maestro
Exploring the World, Fiona Macdonald and Gerald
Wood
Seeing the Whole Through Social Studies, Tarry
Lindquist, Heinemann Press, Portsmouth, NH, 1995
Dramatizing Literature in Whole Language
Classrooms, John Warren Stewig and Carol Buege, second
edition (creative dramatic ideas from chapter 6 section on
"drama for social studies," grades 4-8)
Live On Stage!: Performing Arts For Middle School,
Carla Blank & Jody Roberts. (Teacher Resource Book).
Palo Alto, CA: Dale Seymour Publications, 1997.
1-57232-209-8.
Videos
There is a wonderful series of videos about explorers
from Schlessinger Media. Go to http://libraryvideo.com and
type "explorers" into the search box to see the
selection.
Materials
- Costume pieces for each character
- Maps and charts
- Music to play at beginning and ending of Explorers
Museum
- Extra costume pieces for character hot seating and
other improvisations: swords, hats, bags of gold,
etc.
Curriculum developed by the Department of
Drama and Dance, Cambridge Public School teachers and
Studebaker Theater artists involved with the Cambridge
Public School Drama Collaborative, a project funded in part
by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. CMSDC
is a multi-year teacher training program that helps teachers
integrate drama into the curriculum.
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