TeachersFirst's Columbus Day Resources
Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections
Whether you are celebrating Columbus Day or learning about famous explorers, this collection of reviewed resources all related to Christopher Columbus provides an excellent starting point for research, class projects, and more. You may also be interested in the TeachersFirst’s exclusive lesson plan The Explorers' Graveyard.
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PBS's East Meets West: The Impact of Trade on Europe and China - PBS's East Meets West: The Impact of Trade on Europe and China
Grades
6 to 12
tag(s): china (81)
In the Classroom
Students can create a trade timeline from Ancient China to the Western World by using Timeline Maker, reviewed here. Students can create a 3D diorama of the trade route from east to west. Students can research all the items that were traded, who created them, and who purchased them.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Indigenous Peoples' Day Resources - Zinn Education Project
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): columbus day (8), native americans (111)
In the Classroom
Students can create posters, poems, or videos celebrating Indigenous cultures and contributions. Use a tool such as Canva Edu, reviewed here. They might research Indigenous art, music, or traditions and present their findings creatively. Use a lesson plan where students take on roles of Indigenous people, European settlers, or other historical figures to explore the impact of colonization. Role-playing encourages empathy and helps students understand multiple perspectives. Have students research local Indigenous history, such as tribes native to their area, and create a presentation or written report. The presentation can be completed digitally using Google Slides, reviewed here or Visme, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day - Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): columbus day (8), cultures (180), explorers (65), native americans (111), primary sources (117), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Use the materials shared on this site to enhance your current lessons about Christopher Columbus and Indigenous Americans. Many lessons include using organizational frameworks like Frayer Models and adding a Frayer Model to Google Slides, reviewed here, or Microsoft PowerPoint, reviewed here for students to share their information digitally. Find ready-to-use Frayer Model templates on sites like SlidesMania, reviewed here, by using the search feature. As students explore the primary source documents and information shared during the lesson activities, use Padlet, reviewed here, to curate and share information with students. Add links for viewing primary source documents, supplemental articles, and videos related to the lesson topic. As a learning extension, ask students to share their understanding of history by creating websites using Site123, reviewed here, which provides documentation and reflection upon the different historical perspectives found during the lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Race of Discovery - Travelbag
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): aviation (40), columbus day (8), explorers (65), Google (47), lewis and clark (14), maps (220), marco polo (3), transportation (31), women (149)
In the Classroom
Share maps from this site on your interactive whiteboard during your study of explorers and previous time periods to help students understand the difference in transportation modes compared to today's options. Before discussing as a class, have students explore these maps on their own then enhance and share their findings with a quick and easy website creator like Carrd, reviewed here. Use this site as a model and have students create their own maps to demonstrate the path of explorers, characters in novels, or historical events using Odyssey, reviewed here. Odyssey is a multimedia tool that can redefine student learning by offering tools for creating interactive maps that include images, videos, and text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Columbus Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
3 to 10tag(s): columbus day (8), holidays (187)
In the Classroom
Use this site to reinforce and support vocabulary as you study Columbus Day. Share the word puzzles on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create their own word activities from the same vocabulary list, such as matching or ranking challenges for their peers to try on the interactive whiteboard.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reader's Theater: Columbus Day
Grades
1 to 3tag(s): columbus day (8)
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Christopher Columbus: Explorer - Enchanted Learning
Grades
K to 5tag(s): columbus day (8)
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