Fifth Grade Explorer Project

 

Email us if you would like to know more about this project: Rebecca or Kara.

 

Project Overview: With grant money given to our school from Colonial Dames our grade level was able to purchase document cameras for each of the fifth grade teachers.  These document cameras allow spontaneous learning to occur in a classroom because one simply places a piece of text directly underneath the camera and the text is automatically displayed on the screen above for all in the room to view.  Often, a fifth grade textbook will be shallow. It covers an extremely wide range of information in a single lesson, and then must be supplemented with outside resources.  The beauty of these document cameras is that instructors no longer need to supply whole class sets of materials in order to view a single text. These cameras are invaluable to me in my teaching.

 

Let me illustrate.  Before beginning a unit on early exploration, I wanted to share a little information on what motivated the European explorers to move out to the new worlds.  We started with a quick study on medieval times: its social structure, the Black Death and heraldry.  The following is just one example of a quick project that I used with my class using the document cameras.

 

We used the book Coat of Arms by Catherine Daly-Weir to study a brief lesson on heraldry.  I simply set the book under the camera and the classroom read along with me as I read and discussed the contents. The students learned about the history of heraldry, the need for a coat-of-arms, and the meanings of various symbols and colors found on shields.  Then the students set to work to create their own coat-of-arms based on this understanding.  The students then shared their individual shields by showing them to the rest of the class using the camera. 

 

 

Project Outline: Student pairs will research and learn about an assigned explorer in order to complete a written report that tells who the explorer is, where he was from, where and when he explored, what he explored, what lands he found, and why he explored.  Upon completion of the project students will present their information to the class using the document camera to show pictures of the explorer, maps of his exploration, and relevant information.  

 

 

Name of Explorer Studied:                                                                                     

 

___     1. Read pages ______ in your Social Studies book for background information.

___     2. Do additional research; List and use other resources:

           a.                                                                                                                        

           b.                                                                                                                        

           c.                                                                                                                        

 

Project must be in a booklet form:

 

10 pts ___    Cover (neat, easy to read, informative, colorful)

25 pts ___    Map (full page showing explorer's country, route he traveled, where he explored, and lands claimed for sponsor country) Labels

                       must be in ink, colorful, neat, and should grab the viewer's attention.

 

Minimum report plus pictures

___ Report: In your own words, tell the most important information needed to know about this explorer.  Two to four pages required, total.

___ Pictures: Print, draw, and/or find two pictures or diagrams for booklet

 

Three possible formatsŠchoose one

25 pts ___    1. Question/Answer format with answers written in complete sentences with details                                                                -or-

32 pts ___    2. Picture/Caption format with diagrams and one or more written paragraphs (detailed captions)                                       -or-

40 pts ___    3. Report format: five + paragraph paper with pictures, elaboration, and facts

As you research, keep in touch with your partner and discuss what you find out, how you will present the information, and who does what.

 

Some Questions to be Answered:

 

___     Who?             Who was he? What was his nationality?  How old was he?

Tell about his background and early life if known.

___     Where?         Where was he from?  Where did he explore?

___     When?           When did he explore?  Did he go on more than one trip?

___     What? What lands did he discover? What was he looking for? 

What did he accomplish or claim?  What kind of person was he?  What kind of problems did he encounter?

___     Why?             Why did he want to explore?  Why was his work

important?

___     How?             How did he travel?  How well did he do?  Was he

successful?

 

Add your own questions and find the answers.

 

How can you do this?

 

Read in 3-4 sources for information about your explorer.  Use text books, library books, encyclopedias, the Internet, or any other resources you find.  Split the work up between you and your partner(s).  Decide who will do what part of the assignment.  Work on it at home and in your spare time in class.  Put all of your information together in the Booklet.  Determine how the Booklet will be bound/assembled together.  Revise and Edit it and check that it makes sense and provides good information.  Add creative touches. 

Have it done by the due date: