The second graders spend approximately one month studying the explorer Christopher Columbus. We look at his “discovery” of America from a variety of perspectives: his, Queen Isabella’s, and the Native Americans. We discuss how Columbus was a hero and how he might not have been heroic.
At the culmination of the study, students are asked to write reports and complete various projects. They can write a straightforward historical account of the events. They can pretend to be Christopher Columbus and write a letter to the queen. Some students choose to write a journal entry for one of the crewmates or to write of the account from the perspective of a Native American. They can be a newspaper reporter and present the account as the news of the day. Others choose to draw or build a tall ship, label the parts, and write a report in the voice of a tall ship. Those tall ship projects are represented here.
This project designed and implemented by Paul Savering, second grade teacher for Germantown Academy Lower School. Technical assistance and web page design furnished by Carol Siwinski, Curricular Technology Specialist.
January, 2008