Research
Project
By
the mid-15th century
several conditions had come together in Europe to begin a great Age of
Exploration. A steadily increasing
population, the decreased availability of land, advances in ship
building and
the use of the compass all fed the growing desires to search for sea
trade
routes to Asia and for gold, to serve God, and to achieve personal
glory. The results of this period would be
the
European conquest and settlement of all of the Americas, large parts of
Africa
and Asia, and eventually even Australia. Our explorer project will give
you the
opportunity to learn more about the individuals who left from Europe to
explore
the world during this important period in history.
Students
will work in pairs to
complete the research project.
Each student will complete her own essay and bibliography on the
assigned explorer. Together each
pair of students will prepare a PowerPoint Presentation to go along
with their
oral presentation on the assigned explorer.
The
Project Requirements:
1.
ESSAY and OUTLINE: Each
student will first complete an essay outline using the Inspiration
format and
write a 1 to 2 page essay. You must use this outline and turn in
a hard copy
along with your essay. Here is an online
version
that can be printed. Download this
version to
use in Inspiration.
Essay
Outline:
Intro
paragraph:
brief biography of the explorer.
First
body paragraph:
Preparations for the voyage(s) ---What
was the
goal of the voyage? What kinds of ships were needed?
How many? Who
was hired for the crew? Any
additional people needed? Who paid
for the trip? Where did it
begin? What items were brought on
board?
Second
body paragraph: An account of the voyage --- How long did
it
take? Where did it go?
What were some significant or memorable
parts of the voyage? Who died? Why?
Third
body paragraph: The long-term effects of the voyage ---
What were the
short and long-term significances of the voyage --- Were new lands
found? New
trade routes discovered? New lands
conquered? Many people killed or
displaced? What were the effects
on other local cultures? What were
the effects on Europe?
Note:
the questions above are a guide for you. Every
question may not apply to your
explorer. There may some other
interesting questions that should be answered for your explorer.
2. BIBLIOGRAPHY: The typed bibliography must follow the format
given by Ms.
Cane. Remember to alphabetize the sources and use a mix of print and
Internet
sources.
3.
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: This
presentation should
supplement your oral presentation with relevant visuals and follow the
guidelines below. Remember, for
the oral presentation you must use note cards (you may not read from
the essay)
and try to look at your audience. You and your partner should share
equally in
the presentation and be able to answer questions.
Guidelines
for your PowerPoint:
a)
1 slide with a map; you should draw on the map the starting point of
the voyage
and then indicate the route taken. If needed, include multiple routes.
b)
1 slide with an image of your explorer(s) with his name, date and basic
information
c)
1-2 slides with ships and technical aspects of the voyages
(instruments, cargo,
and tools.)
d)
1-2 slides with the effects and outcomes of the voyages
You
may include a title card. There should be 5-7 slides total.
Limits:
a)
2 different colors MAX
b)
2 different transitions / animations MAX
c)
One easy to read font (this does not include bold or caps).
Explorers:
1. Columbus
2. Magellan
3. Da Gama :
Focus on da
Gama, but include Diaz
(Dias) as a part of your background.
4. Hudson:
Focus on
the exploration of the New York area and the Hudson Bay in Canada. Hudson should be the main focus, but
also mention Verrazano.
5. Cabot:
In this project
you will focus on the exploration of what became Canada. You may want
to
mention Cartier.
6. De Leon and Coronado:
Focus on
these two individuals in terms of the dream of finding El
Dorado and The
Fountain of Youth. Your presentations and essays should contain
an explanation
of both of these ideas that many Europeans believed.
7. Cortes
Project
evaluation: Students will
receive a joint grade for
the Oral Presentation, and a separate grade for the Short Essay.
Oral
presentation:
Your oral presentation will be evaluated on its
1.
Completeness:
Do you explain the goals and key events of the voyages fully? Is your
information accurate? Do you understand the
material
enough to answer questions?
2.
Organization
and clarity: Are you looking at your audience when you are speaking? Do you speak loudly and slowly enough
for others to follow? Does the PowerPoint support your presentation?
3.
Use
of time throughout the project and teamwork. For example, you must work
diligently with your teammate during the research time in the library
and in
the classroom. Your teacher will make note of your focus and efficiency.
Essay:
Your
essay will be evaluated according to its
1.
Form:
Does your essay follow the required outline? Was the outline submitted?
2.
The
content and written expression: Is the
content complete and accurate?
Do you explain the goals and key events of the voyages fully? Do you
use
correct sentence structure? punctuation? good transitions between your
ideas?
Bibliography:
Your
bibliography
will be evaluated according to whether it follows the correct format.
Did you
use a variety of sources?
PowerPoint:
Your
PowerPoint
presentation will be evaluated according to the following:
1.
Form: Do you
have the
slides requested in the instructions? Do you follow the restrictions in
the
guidelines?
2.
Content: Is
the
information accurate? Does it complement your oral
presentation?
3.
Did
you have a bibliography of images used and their website addresses on
each
slide that used an image?