Overview

An online activity focused on a single website, designed to be completed in a single work session.

Activity

Assessment

Technology skills

Related sites

EALRs

Overview

Web Byte Lesson: Age of Exploration

In this lesson you will be learning about the factors that led Europeans to set off across the oceans in search of new trade routes using a site called:

The Mariner's Museum

which can be found at http://www.mariner.org//educationalad/ageofex/intro.php. When you click on this link, the site will open in a new browser window, so no matter where you go in the site, the instructions below will always be available to you by switching between browser windows.

Please note that the first webpage you'll be linking to is an introduction to an extensive resource on the Age of Exploration. Then, you'll be using a related site to complete the assignment. Follow the navigation directions below to find the information you need.

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Activity

To complete this lesson, you will use the website above to find answers to the questions below. When you find your information, you'll be typing your answers in a word processing document, so before you begin, open a new document in a word processing application. (Instructions for doing this are available below).

To prepare your word processing document for your answers, type your regular heading on it using the Header / Footer commands. If you don't know how to do this, instructions are available.

Answer the questions below based on information you find on the website.

A) Introduction

1. What 4 things motivated Europeans to undertake voyages of exploration, sometimes at great risk to themselves?
2. What difficulties did sailors experience related to food, water, sickness and disease?
3. When and why did barriers between European travelers and the East arise? When and why did trade/travel routes open up again?
4. What impact did the Polos (Mafeo, Niccolo and Marco) have on the relationship between Europeans and the East?

B) Life At Sea: Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria -- Read the descripton of Columbus' first crew, then answer the questions below

1. What kind of sailors did Columbus find to sail on his ship?
2. What did sailors of the time wear?
3. Where did they sleep?
4. What did they eat?
5. What sorts of jobs did they do?
6. What were they paid?
7. What kinds of sicknesses did they get?
8. How were they punished?

C) Choose EITHER the Explorers, their Ships, or Their Tools of Navigation to complete the assignment

The Explorers -- Choose 2 different explorers who lived between 1250 and 1700 CE to learn about. In your Word document, create a 3 column, 6 row table. Use the first column for labels, and collect information about the two explorers you've chosen in the other columns, including:

1. The Explorer's Name
2. His lifespan
3. His goal / destination
4. His achievement
5. One interesting piece of information about him or his voyages from this site, with explanation of why it's interesting to you
6. The URL for the page

Their Ships -- Choose 3 different ships that were used between 1250 and 1700 CE to learn about. In your Word document, create a 4 column, 4 row table. Use the first column for labels, and collect information about the three ships you've chosen, including:

1. The Ship's Name
2. What the ship's qualities were (how was it designed, shaped, sized, etc.)
3. What the ship was used for
4. One interesting additional piece of information about the ship from this site, with explanation of why it's interesting to you

Their Tools of Navigation -- Choose 3 different tools that were used between 1250 and 1700 CE to learn about. In your Word document, create a 4 column, 4 row table. Use the first column for labels, and collect information about the three tools you've chosen, including:

1. The Tool's Name
2. What the tool was like (how was it designed, shaped, sized, etc.)
3. What the tool was used for
4. One interesting additional piece of information about the ship from this site, with explanation of why it's interesting to you

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Assessment

After you complete this lesson, you will be evaluated using the following rubric:

Objectives	Poor	Average	Good	Exemplary
Student answers required questions about Introduction Columbus Explorers/ Ships / Tools	2 points Answers fewer than required number of questions	3 points Answers required number of questions but with unclear or incomplete answers	4 points Answers required number of questions with clear and complete answers	5 points Answers required questions with exceptionally clear answers showing depth of thought, and/or completes more than required number with clear and complete answers
Student documents sources of information	0 points Does not show correct URLs for answers	1 point Shows only a single, collective URL for all answers	2 points Does not show separate URLs for each answer	3 points Shows correct, individual URL for each answer source
Student compares information and makes judgements using evidence	0 points Does not answer final question in section C	1 point Answers final question with brief, incomplete, or unclear answer in section C	2 points Answers final question with clear answer in section C	3 points Answers final question with clear, complete answer which demonstrates interest in material in section C
Student follows instructions for use of technology   Total: _______ /25 pts	0 points Does not type heading using Header/Footer commands	1 point Types heading but does not use Header/Footer to do so	2 points Places complete heading on document using the Header/Footer commands
	0 points Does not use spell check, formatting, table, and other word processing tools to create clean, properly formatted assignment		2 points Effectively uses formatting, table and/ or spelling tools to create a clean, properly formatted assignment

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Technology Skills

The technology skills you'll be using in this lesson are:

Skill #1: Managing more than one browser window: Switching between browser windows

It's sometimes useful to have more than one window open on your browser while you use the World Wide Web. You can open a new window anytime you want by (on a Macintosh) clicking and holding on a link or (on a Windows machine) using the right Mouse click to get a pop-up menu offers a "New Window with this link".

In this assignment, the new window has already been created for you. All you need to do is know how to switch between windows. One way to do this is to drag one browser window down and to the right just a bit, so you can see the other browser window behind it. Doing so allows you to click on the second window to bring it to the front. If you can see part of the dimmed background window at all times, you're all set.

Another way to switch between windows is to use the Menubar at the top of your browser screen to switch between windows. In Netscape, use the "Communicator" option to move between windows (which you'll find with the word 'Netscape:" at the bottom of your drop down menu.)

Spend a few minutes getting comfortable with the multiple browser windows before going too far in this assignment.

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Skill #2: Working with two applications at once: Taking notes on a word processor

1. Make sure you have your web browser window open (If you can read these instructions, then you do)
2. Locate a word processing program on your computer. This can be a full-fledged word processor like Word or Works, or a simple typing program like NotePad or Simpletext. Once you know what's available on your machine, open a new document.
3. After opening your word processing window, you'll be switching back and forth between the two programs regularly, as you read and perhaps copy in your browser, and you type or paste in your word processor. (To switch between the browser and word processor, either arrange the two windows so you can see part of both at all times, then click on the dimmed window to bring it forward, or use your computer's multiple program windows to switch between them.)

Keep in mind that when you copy and paste from a web document the margins of your text may need some reformatting.

Keep in mind also that when you copy and paste froma web document, you need to enclose the pasted material in quotation marks.

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Skill #3: Using the Header/Footer tool:

1. Find the menubar option on your word processing program called "View"
2. Click on it to see the drop down options, and select the one called "Header and Footer"
3. In the resulting box (marked in dotted lines) type your heading
4. Use the right align button to move all contents to the right hand side
5. Close the Header box by clicking the option on your menu palette named "Close"

Once you click "Close", your header will disappear (if you're in Normal View) or turn light gray (if you're in Print View). However, either way it will print out just like the rest of your text.

If you need to make changes to your header after you've typed it, select the "Header and Footer" option from the "View" menu again.

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Skill #4: Inserting a Table in your document:

1. Place the cursor in your word processing document where you want your table to appear.
2. Find the menubar option on your word processing program called "Table"
3. Click on it to see the drop down options, and select the one called "Insert > Table "
4. In the resulting box type the number of columns and rows you want in your table
5. Leave the default settings in the box alone; click "OK" to create your table
6. Click in the box you want to type in, or use the "Tab" key to move across, then down the table.

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Related Sites

More information on this topic can be found at the following web sites

Do you know of others? Suggest them for inclusion. 

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Washington State EALRS

History 1.2) analyze the historical development of events, people, places, and patterns of life in U.S., world, and Washington State history (analyze the historical development of civilizations drawn from different continents with regard to turning points, ideas, people, places, and patterns of life)

History 2.1) investigate and research (investigate a topic using electronic technology, library resources, and human resources from the community)

History 3.3) understand how ideas and technological developments influence people, resources, and culture (analyze and evaluate how technological developments have changed people's ideas about the natural world such as relationship to the land, family life, and natural resources)

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