Renaissance/Exploration
Renaissance/Exploration
Fourth through Seventh
April Davenport, Marilyn Mapes, Jodi Nibbelin
Linda Wedwick, Carol Weis, Kelly Wojcik
Thomas Metcalf Lab School
1
Authors’ Note
This project was developed for Metcalf Laboratory Schools to provide more universal
access to curriculum for all students.
The project was completed with collaboration from the following persons from Metcalf
Lab School.
April Davenport-Social Studies teacher for seventh and eighth grades
Marilyn Mapes-Student Support Services Program
Jodi Nibbelin-Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Linda Wedwick-Language Arts teacher for seventh and eighth grades
Carol Weis-Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Kelly Wojcik-Special Education Resource Teacher
This two to three week unit will engage students in the culture of the Renaissance and
lead them to the discovery of the new world with explorers from around the world.
2
Social Studies Standards
16.A.1a Explain the difference between past, present and future time
16.A.1b Ask historical questions and seek out answers from historical sources (e.g.,
myths, biographies, stories, old photographs, artwork, other visual or electronic
sources).
16.A.1c Describe how people in different times and places viewed the world in
different ways.
16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from
historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources.
16.A.3c Identify the differences between historical fact and interpretation.
16.C.3a (US) Describe economic motivations that attracted Europeans and others to
the Americas, 1500-1750.
16.C.3b (W) Describe the economic systems and trade patterns of North America,
South America and Mesoamerica before the encounter with the Europeans.
16.C.3c (W) Describe the impact of technology (e.g., weaponry, transportation,
printing press, microchips) in different parts of the world, 1500 - present.
English/Language Arts Standards
2.B. Read and interpret a variety of literary works.
5. A. Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer
questions, solve problems and communicate ideas.
5. B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources.
5. C. Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of
formats.
3
Planning Pyramid
Some Students will know
The significance of events leading up to exploration.
Elements of culture from the Renaissance that are evident
in today’s culture.
How politics impacted exploration.
How politics impacted the social systems.
Technology development and the impact on future
innovations.
All the below.
Most Students will know
Many events and/or elements of culture (food, fashion,
music, art, language, etc.) that define the Renaissance.
The political systems of the period.
Technology development of the time.
Geography of the time and important areas in the world.
Social classes and implications of that.
Cultural differences between that time and current day.
Important people, events, and issues of the time period.
All the below
All Students will know
The time period covered during the renaissance period.
Some events or elements of culture (food, fashion, music,
art, language, etc.) that define the Renaissance.
A description of political systems.
A description of social classes
How to describe the importance of the renaissance.
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Teacher Library
Renaissance & Writing Outline - Grade 8 Social Studies Lesson ... - Set As
Home Page Features: Lesson Plans Search This Site Search The Net Inspired Teachers
Science Projects Math Worksheets Participate ! ! ! Join Mailing List Add Lessons Lesson
Plan
http://www.LessonPlansPage.com/SSRenaissanceUnitOutline8.htm
The Renaissance Files
This site was designed for a seventh grade social studies unit on the Renaissance. The key
information in the welcome, overview, and glossary is linked to auditory files to assist
students...
http://www.cr.k12.ia.us/Renaissance
Planning a Renaissance Faire
A sixth grade teacher (Mrs. Mainzer) provides suggestions for creating an
interdisciplinary unit, The Renaissance Faire
http://www.wre.liverpool.k12.ny.us/WRE/Featured_Projects/Renaissance%20Faire/six...
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html
This site is designed to serve as a resource to those who are using the WebQuest model to
teach with the web. By pointing to excellent examples and collecting materials developed
to communicate the idea, all of us experimenting with WebQuests will be able to learn
from each other. A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the
information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use
learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support
learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
http://www.france.com/culture/history/renaissance.html
Simple webpage which includes time line with major historical events and
information about those.
http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=00A93000
Website with text information about different aspects of the renaissance. This is
more of an encyclopedic view of this topic.
http://www.henry-davis.com/MAPS/Ren/Ren1/Reno.html
This is a website containing slides/photo CD’s illustrating maps from the
renaissance period 1500-1700.
http://www.mrdowling.com/704-magellan.html
This site contains teacher background knowledge on a variety of related topics.
Examples include humanism and exploration.
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Learner Activities
http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/track
_frames.php3?track_id=91861&noca
che=1157123671
This site includes background information
on the Renaissance, leading into explorers
and scientific discoveries.
This site would be valuable to have the
students view slide shows or virtual tours.
http://www.surfnetkids.com/renaissance.htm
This is a website which includes links
to an art presentation, animated presentation,
and background information. These are
presented in slide show format
.
Build a character-includes information about clothing, hats, jobs, etc.
http://www.renaissance-faire.com/
Language translation-students could translate a letter or passage
from current language to language from the renaissance period.
http://renaissance.dm.net/compendium/
This is a fairly large website
with information divided
into topic areas about the
renaissance. Topics include
food, clothing, jobs, schools,
entertainment, money,
religion, and social classes.
This website also offers
links to other sites.
Make a timeline of important events of the renaissance-chronology website.
http://orb.rhodes.edu./schriber/chronology.html
A site that lists important historical events of the renaissance and reformation period
in chronological order.
6
Assessment
Students will read and analyze
poems of the Renaissance,
specifically Shakespeare, and
write their own poetry.
go.hrw.com
http://rubistar.4teachers.org
*Create a rubric for writing projects, timelines, multimedia
projects, etc.
http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/track_frames.php3?track_id=91
861&nocache=1157123671
*Guiding questions that can be used to assess students’
understanding of the reading.
http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/track_frames.php3?track_id=49
13&nocache=1509235668
*Guiding questions to help students assess their
understanding of the material.
www.funbrain.com
• Teachers can create their own on-line quizzes.
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Modifications
Planning for Academic Diversity
For students that cannot read at grade level...
Search for electronic text to use with text to speech software.
www.readplease.com free text to speech software
www.nextuptech.com/textaloud inexpensive text to speech software
www.promo.net/pg/ Project Gutenberg Index of public domain books.
www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown On-line children’s literature web guide for digital
text.
www.bookshare.org Search engine for copyrighted text
Simplify text for reading.
Use Autosummarize feature in Tools Menu in Word.
Text could be read aloud by support staff.
Selected text could be highlighted to emphasize important information.
For students having difficulty mastering the vocabulary of the unit.
Provide vocabulary lists with definitions at the beginning of
the unit.
Make flashcards with vocabulary terms.
Create word webs from vocabulary. This could be done
using Kidspirtation which has a free 30-day download
version.
Do a definition search using vocabulary words.
www.visualthesaurus.com/ On-line thesaurus showing graphics of related
words.
For students having difficulty completing homework.
www.ldresources.com This website has a section for homework tips for parents under the
education section.
Provide timelines for task analysis of homework projects.
For students who need additional challenge.
Students could conduct additional research and make a power point presentation about
material.
Students could complete a trackstar activity.
For students required to conduct research.
http://my.yahoo.com This search engine can be customized to provide condensed news
searches or searches for specific topics.
www.karnak.com This website will conduct websearches and sort sites according to
preference information.
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