1. Why do people explore?

Activity 1 - What do you know already?

Activity Tasks

Concept Map - What do you already know about the key concept of this unit 'global interactions'? Fill in this Concept Map (or alternatively this think/puzzle/explore) with everything you know. To help, try to organise your ideas under three headings:
1. Global interactions
2. Benefits of global interactions
3. Problems of global interactions
Tips - Here are some tips for creating a concept map if it is new to you:
1. Generate a list of ideas and initial thoughts that come to mind
2. Sort your ideas according to how important they are. Place central ideas near the center and less important ideas toward the outside of the page.
3. Connect your ideas by drawing connecting lines between ideas that have something in common.
4. Elaborate on any of the ideas/thoughts you have written so far by adding new ideas that expand, extend, or add to your initial ideas

Activity Tasks

Define - What does 'exploration' mean? Can you define it? Who do you think of when you hear the word 'explorer'? Share your ideas.
Group Work - In small groups, brainstorm only one of the following questions on A3 paper for two minutes, before swapping questions:
1. Why do people explore?
2. What places have you explored? What did you learn?
3. What places would you like to explore in or near your city or town?
4. What places would you like to explore in your home country?
5. What places would you like to explore outside of your country?
Evaluate - When finished, hang your posters on the wall of the classroom. In your groups, examine each poster and highlight two of your favourite ideas for each question. Share your favourite answers to Questions 1 & 2.

Activity Tasks

Think/Pair/Share - In pairs and small groups, discuss the following questions and share your ideas:
1. Can you think of any famous explorers from history?
2. What reasons did people have to explore - 5 years ago?/50 years ago?/2,000 years ago?/10,000 years ago?
3. How might reasons for exploration have changed over time?
4. In what ways do you think exploration has shaped our world - Socially? / Culturally? / Politically? / Military? / Economically? / Technologically? / Religion?
Card Sort - In pairs again, match each of these 7 reasons for exploration to their correct definitions and examples.
Discuss - In your opinion, which are the main two reasons for exploration from history?
Analyse - Are any of the reasons for exploration linked in any way? Can you have more than one reason to explore?

Activity Tasks

Reading - Download and read through the article, 'What are the Four World Zones?' and complete the four quiz questions at the end.
Labelling - On your own copy of the world map, label the four world zones, including the dates they were settled by humans.
Discuss - Examine these maps. What other ways has the world been divided and labelled in the past and today? Think about the interactions, powers, patterns, trends or similarities between the maps.

Activity Tasks

Reading - Read the article 'The Age of Exploration' and answer the following questions:
1. What are the main reasons for exploration?
2. Which was the first nation to sail to India?
3. When did the Age of Exploration start and end?
Mapping - Using your maps from Activity 3 and this website, research and plot the routes of the following explorers on your maps. Use arrows to indicate the direction of travel, and write the name and dates of the journeys next to each arrow:
1. Portuguese - Dias, Cabral, De Gama
2. Spanish - Columbus, Magellan, Cortés, de Balboa
3. England - Cabot, Drake, Cook
4. France - Cartier, Verrazano
5. Dutch - Hudson, Tasman, Houtman

Activity Tasks

Groups - Divide into four groups. Each group will research a different explorer. Choose between: Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Captain James Cook.
Research - Read the article in your group, then use this website or any other research, complete the relevant column for your adventurer on this worksheet:
1. What was the aim of their exploration?
2. Which world zones did they connect?
3. Did their exploration lead to any positive global interactions?
4. Did their exploration lead to any negative global interactions?
Presentation - When finished, create a short 5 minute (max) presentation about your explorer. Include the following information and visuals:
1. Name, Years of travel, Age while traveling, Portrait
2. Purpose of travels, Route taken and map of route, including other visuals of journey
3. How do we know about his adventures?
4. Did his travels influence other explorers?
5. Remarkable discoveries and legacy
Record - As each group delivers their presentation, fill in your worksheet with details of that adventurer. You also need to try and grade each presentation using this mark scheme.
Evaluate - Think of 2-3 comments that would help that group improve their presentation next time, according to the mark scheme.

Activity Tasks

Summarise - In pairs, you have 60 seconds to summarise all that you have learnt today about the key concept of ‘global interactions’. Once you have finished, your partner now has 60 seconds, but cannot repeat what has already been said!
Reflect - Return to your concept maps you made on the key concept - global interactions - write down two questions that you have about the key concept, or two things that still puzzle you. Discuss with the class.