We had so much fun learning about the explorers of the New World that I considered making a video of it so that we could share it with other classes. Until we get that done, this post will do.
I really wanted to give my students ways to remember the explorers' names and the areas they explored. So, I made up a few little mnemonic tricks, and then the students began adding their own. Not only did we laugh a lot, but their grades were very good. And I think they will remember these things long-term. At least I hope they will anyway. Here is how we did it.
(All of the art on these maps and tests was done by students, by the way.)
DeVaca explored the Southwest, including much of what is now Texas. The V for Vaca fits nicely down inside that lower part of Texas, and Cabeza de Vaca literally means "the head of the cow." One of the guys' groups decided to make that a cheeseburger to go along with the pizza.
Pizarro conquered the Incas in South America. Since South America is almost in the shape of a slice of pizza, and the word pizza is similar to Pizarro, that was an easy one. Also, the second letter in Pizarro is an I to help us remember that Pizarro conquered the Incas.
Balboa was the first to cross through the area which is now Panama and "discover" the Pacific Ocean. He then claimed the entire ocean (almost half of the world) and everything that touched it (all of Asia) for Spain. The little piece of land which connects South America to North America looks a little like an umbilical cord, so we named that one "Balboa's Belly Button."
Cabot explored the area which is now Canada and found basketfuls of codfish.
Magellan we call MacJello because his crew sailed all around the world, like a big cup of jello, and the O is in a circle just like the globe.
*Coronado explored the area which is now Colorado and "discovered" the Grand Canyon. (Coronado Colorado Canyon)
*Helpless Henry Hudson explored the Hudson Bay area and was then left in a lifeboat as the ship sailed back to England when his crew mutinied.
*La Salle sailed all the way down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico (La Salle sailed)
*Marquette (and Joliet) marked the Mississippi
*Cartier carted quartz (and fool's gold) back to England thinking they were gold and diamonds
*Frobisher found Fool's Gold
*Sir Francis Drake was a sea dog (Sir sea)
*Ponce de Leon "pounced" on Florida
And here are a some pictures of a few of my students' tests to prove that it worked. And they didn't have multiple choice or a word bank--they were just given a map with numbers and arrows. They came up with the explorers' names all on their own. (And just in case you spelling teachers are noticing a few errors, I do encourage my students to learn the correct spelling of the names, but since there are so many of them, and since many are Spanish and French, I don't count off for that.)
