Topic: Greatest explorers

Target group

6th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

VIII. Great geographical discoveries. Student:

1. explains the causes and evaluates the impact of geographical discoveries on the socio‑economic and cultural life of Europe and the New World;

2.\\ places in time and space discoveries of Krzysztof Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, places in space colonial estates of Portugal and Spain.

General aim of education

The aim of the lesson is to learn about key discoveries and discoverers such as Krzysztof Kolumb, Vasco da Gama, Ferdynand Magellan.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• what led to the great geographic discoveries;

• who were the great explorers;

• which territories they discovered.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher plays the recording of the abstract. Every now and then he stops it, asking the students to tell in their own words what they have just heard. This way, students practice listening comprehension.

Realization

1. Reading the content of the abstract. The teacher uses the text for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

2. Discussing information presented on the timeline. The teacher then divides the class into groups - as many as there are events on the axis. Each team works on one assigned issue, deepening the information contained in the abstract. Then the students present their discussions.

3. The teacher together with the students sums up the current course of classes.

4. The teacher displays the map from Task 2. He reads out the task and, if necessary, helps student work out the answers.

5. Students analyze the gallery of illustrations and execute Task 3. To answer the question, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

6. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 1. The teacher checks if the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback to students.

Summary

1. The teacher asks a willing student to summarize the lesson from his point of view. He asks other students if they would like to add anything to their colleague's statements.

2. The teacher carries out a summary part of the lesson using the trash and suitcase method. The teacher hands out small pieces of paper in two different colours (e.g. green and yellow). On the green pieces of paper the students write down the useful knowledge and skills they acquired during the class. The yellow pieces of paper are used to write down things the students did not find useful or interesting. The teacher reads students’ reflections.

Homework

1. Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

2. Write a short note about the topics covered in the lesson.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Greatest explorers

The Greeks were the first sailors in the antiquity. The medieval times were marked by [the Vikings] . However, they were sailing only near the coasts because of the poor ships that were used at that time.

It was the curiosity, creativity and courage of the Renaissance people that led to the great sea expeditions. They ventured for the faraway seas and oceans willing to explore the unknown and to bring new, exotic goods to Europe.

The new innovations came along: the compass and astrolabe that enabled sailing much further. Moreover, the new type of ships have appeared – the caravels.

The most famous explorers originated from Portugal and Spain. The authorities of those states were strongly engaged in the organisation of the expeditions. Prince Henry the Navigator was one of the involved. His compatriot - Bartolomeu Dias - was the one who has discovered the Cape of Good Hope. Thanks to another Portuguese, Vasco da Gama, we now can travel to India by sea.

However, it's the popularity of Christopher Columbus that no one can deny. With the support of the Spanish authorities, he organised the expedition we now know as the one which has discovered America. The year of this amazing achievement - 1492 - has been set the finishing date of the medieval era.

Another Portuguese sailor on Spanish service, Ferdinand Magellan, made a name for himself by circulating across the globe for the first time. Unfortunately, he died in the Philippines fighting the locals. Nonetheless, the ship „Victoria”'s crew returned to Spain after 3 years of the journey between 1519 and 1522. This achievement is now considered one of the most crucial events in the history of geographical discoveries: it has proven the sphericity of the globe.