A Little Mystery in Your History: European Explorers

Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(53)

Completed by 214 learners

Land Ho! In this one time class, we will learn about the first European explorers to North America while piecing together clues to solve a mystery challenge!

Mrs. B The Book Club Teacher

Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(785)

There are no upcoming classes.

8-12

year old learners

2-6

learners per class

$12

Charged upfront

Meets once

40 minute class

Available times

Pacific

Table of available sections

Class Experience

US Grade 3 - 6

For thousands of years, North America’s amazing and wonderful Indigenous People were the sole inhabitants of the continent, with thriving, sophisticated and diverse cultures. But who were the first European explorers to reach this continent? Why did they come?  The answers might surprise you! Let’s dive into learning about the first European explorers to drop anchor on the shores of North America!

The following topics will be covered:
-North America’s First People: Our Amazing Indigenous...

Learners will come away with knowledge in the following areas:
-Critical Thinking and Reasoning 
-Respecting North American Indigenous Cultures and History 
-North America’s Indigenous People and How They were the First People in North America
-Several Examples of the Sophisticated and Diverse Indigenous Cultures in North America Before the Arrival of the Europeans(Northwest Coast People, Plains People, Inuit and Dene People, Plateau People, Eastern Woodlands People, Subarctic People)
-Time Frame of the Age of European Exploration 
-Major Countries in the Age of European Exploration 
-Basic Reasons for European Exploration(Search for Northwest Passage, Building Empires)
-Vessels Used By European Explorers

It has been my pleasure to teach Middle School students the history of North America in Canadian classrooms for over 20 years. I have a teaching degree from the University of Winnipeg where I took many courses on excellent teaching practices as it relates to Social Studies and the history of our Indigenous Peoples and the first Europeans.  More recently I have taken professional development courses on the topics of Indigenous Cultures, Indigenous Stereotypes, Métis Art and Culture, and Indigenous Government and Leadership. 

On a personal level, between the years 2010-2016 I travelled by a small pontoon plane to visit and work with my Sayisi Dene First Nation friends in Tadoule Lake, Manitoba.  Tadoule Lake is an isolated northern community reachable by plane, snowmobile, dog team sleds, and in winter by winter road. In 1973, the Sayisi Dene moved here to return to their Barren-ground Caribou hunting life, and it is with the highest respect I share about their culture and history.

 Know that when your learners take my classes, they will be taught to consider more than their own points of view, learn some interesting historical information in a fun way, and develop critical thinking and reasoning skills that are more important now than ever before.

A PDF attachment for our young detectives to write down CLUES and NOTES while they solve the mystery will be posted on the classroom page prior to class.  Learners may print out this sheet in black and white.  Please have a pencil on hand as well.

Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

No formal assessment or grade will be given, but during the class, attention will be given to how much knowledge students already know about the subject matter and teaching will be adjusted accordingly.

40 minutes per week in class, and maybe some time outside of class.

Parents, due to the younger age group of this class and the shortness of time to properly discuss more sensitive topics around this subject, there will be no specific mention of issues relating to genocide or specific acts of violence between the first Europeans and North America’s Indigenous Peoples. However, I will emphasize that most Europeans of that day did not properly respect the Indigenous cultures. It will also be noted that instead of realizing they were visitors to North America where the Indigenous People had already lived for many centuries with their own sophisticated and diverse cultures, sadly the European explorers claimed land and furthered empires through colonization.

The sources I have used for this lesson are as follows:

**Province of Manitoba Grade Five Social Studies Curriculum: People and Stories of Canada to 1867: A Foundation for Implementation(cluster one and cluster two)
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/foundation_gr5/index.html

**Other Books and Resources I Used(as recommended through the above curriculum):
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/foundation_gr5/appendixf.pdf

** Recent Websites used for Norse Explorers and L’Anse Aux Meadows information:
    https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/4/
    https://www.britannica.com/biography/Helge-Ingstad

Meet the teacher

Mrs. B The Book Club Teacher

Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(785)

Dear Outschool Friends, I can hardly wait for you to join me and your fellow learners in the excitement of learning! Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Rhonda Bryerton, The Book Club Teacher, and you can call me Mrs. B.  It has been the honor of my...