WEB SITES ON EXPLORERS AND

THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

 

 

Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection.  Open the underlined address (URL).  Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer.  Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the “Back” button.   Also, we indicate where we found broken links in webquests.  You will need to supply your own links.

 

All of the sites listed were active as of October 5, 2005.  The evaluation is by the AVA Center staff according to the amount of information given, the general appearance of the site and its potential use in the classroom. 

 

 

1492: AN ONGOING VOYAGE

            http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html

An online Library of Congress exhibit with six sections: What Came to Be Called “America”; The Mediterranean World; Christopher Columbus: Man and Myth; Inventing America; Europe Claims America; and Epilogue.  Excellent

 

AMERICAN JOURNEYS: EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF EARLY AMERICAN EXPLORATION                                                            NEW!

            http://www.americanjourneys.org/

“American Journeys contains more than 18,000 pages of eyewitness accounts of North American exploration, from the sagas of Vikings in Canada in AD1000 to the diaries of mountain men in the Rockies 800 years later.

Read the words of explorers, Indians, missionaries, traders and settlers as they lived through the founding moments of American history. View, search, print, or download more than 150 rare books, original manuscripts, and classic travel narratives from the library and archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

To get started, simply select an activity on the toolbar above.”  Outstanding.  Excellent

 

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY – CONGO EXPEDITION – MAY 1909 TO NOVEMBER 1915                           

            http://diglib1.amnh.org/

A detailed multimedia account of the Congo Expedition from 1909 to 1915 in Africa.  Includes photographs, field notebooks, the indigenous people of the region, maps and much more.  Excellent

 

THE CONQUISTADORS – START THE ADVENTURE

            http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/home.htm

An Online Learning Adventure on the Conquistadors for 6-12 grades.  Sections: Timeline of Conquest (choose Events Timeline or Disease Timeline), Michael’s Journal (journal of producer of series who followed the trail of the Conquistadors), What Do You Think? (message forum-can read but not post), and Teacher’s Guide.  Excellent

 

DISCOVERERS WEB                      START HERE!

            http://www.win.tue.nl/cs/fm/engels/discovery/index.html

Links to a massive amount of information on explorers from the Ancient World to the 20th century and from North America to Antarctica to the Pacific islands.  Includes maps, illustrations, photos, and more.  Note that not all sites are in English.  (I found no dead links from a sample of 20)  Some of the links are to student papers.  Excellent

 

DISCOVERING LEWIS AND CLARK                             

            http://www.lewis-clark.org/

Focuses on Persistent Issues, Core Values and Changing Visions.  An enormous site with 1,400 pages including a 19-part synopsis of the expedition by historian Harry Fritz including selections from the journals, photographs, maps, animated graphics, moving pictures and sound files.  Outstanding.  Excellent

 

DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION                          NEW!

            http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/dsxphome.html

An American Memory collection of maps and illustrations documenting the discovery and exploration of the continents and their interiors from the 15th to the 19th centuries.  See the List or use the Gallery View for thumbnails of the maps.  Good

 

EDUCATION WORLD – THE GREAT EXPLORERS!                          

            http://www.education-world.com/a_special/millenium_02.shtml

Education World’s look at the Great Explorers of the Millennium.  Sections: Lessons of the Explorers, Exploring the World-Virtually, A New Twist on Explorers, and Great Sites for Teaching About Explorers.  Excellent   - See also the Lesson Plans section

 

EMPIRE OF THE BAY           

            http://www.pbs.org/empireofthebay/

Companion web site for the PBS program Empire of the Bay about the bold explorers of the Hudson Bay Company who “tamed a wilderness” as they set up merchant routes.  Includes:

Empire of the Bay Transcript; Maps – Paths of the Explorers; Forum – Ask the Experts; Profiles- Who Were the Pathfinders?; Quiz – Test Your Knowledge; and a Timeline.  Excellent

 

EXPLORERS – 42EXPLORE                                  NEW URL!

            http://www.42explore2.com/explorers.htm

A gateway site on explorers with links to web sites on explorers, activities, web quests and sites by kids for kids.  Excellent

 

EXPLORERS

            http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/explorer.html

A gateway site with links to explorers and expeditions, lesson plans, activities, and more.  Excellent

 

EXPLORERS OF THE MILLENNIUM                 NEW!

            http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/

A student-created site for upper elementary and junior high students on explorers.  Sections: Hall of Fame, Timeline, Nominations, Explorer Quiz, and Explorer Links.    Excellent

 

FILL UP THE CANVAS: RIVERS OF WORDS – EXPLORING WITH LEWIS & CLARK                                        NEW!

            http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/lewisandclark/index.html

An outstanding site on the Lewis & Clark Expedition with Flash.  Click on each step of the journey to view original documents, illustrations, etc.  Excellent

 

GOD, GLORY AND GOLD  - THE ROOTS OF EXPLORATION                      NEW!

            http://library.thinkquest.org/J002760/

A site for elementary students by students on why men explored the world. Sections: Pirates, Shipwrecks, Explorers, Myths, Navigation, Trade, Poetry, and Games.  Excellent

 

HENRY HUDSON – 17TH CENTURY EXPLORER

            http://www.ianchadwick.com/hudson/

A detailed collection of information on English explorer and mariner Henry Hudson.  Sections: Early Years, First Voyage 1607, Second Voyage 1608, Third Voyage 1609, Fourth Voyage 1610, Aftermath, Family Tree, Short Story, and links.  Excellent

 

HISTORY MYSTERY – EXPLORATION GAMES                      NEW!

            http://teacher.scholastic.com/histmyst/index.asp

Three games for students, two on explorers and one on the Vikings.  Excellent

 

THE JAMESTOWN ONLINE ADVENTURE                   NEW!

            http://www.historyglobe.com/jamestown/

“In 1606, some 105 adventurers set off from England to try and establish the first permanent English colony in the New World. They settled in what is now the state of Virginia and called their colony first James Fort, and then James Towne, in honor of James I, the King of England. The early years of the colony were nearly a total disaster. Almost half of the settlers died due to poor choices in settlement location, management of resources, and quarrels with the indigenous Powhatan Indians.

You are the Captain of the Jamestown Colony:  Can you do any better than the real colonists? You will have a copy of the London Company's Instructions to help guide you. Also, you can ask your fellow colonists and the Native Americans for advice. Be careful, though, because some advice is better than others!”  A fun online game for elementary and middle school students.   Excellent

 

KIDS ONLINE RESOURCES        

http://www.kidsolr.com/history/page2.html

Extensive list of links on explorers.  Sections: Explorers, Vikings, The English and Conquistadors.  Excellent

LEWIS & CLARK – 42EXPLORE              NEW!

            http://www.42explore2.com/lewisclark.htm

Basic information for students on the Lewis & Clark expedition with links, games, webquests and more.  Excellent

 

LEWIS & CLARK – THE JOURNEY OF THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY    NEW!

            http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/

A PBS companion site to the Ken Burns film on Lewis & Clark.  Sections:  Inside the Corps, Native Americans, The Archive, Into the Unknown, Interactive Trail Map, Classroom Resources, Living History and more.  The Classroom Resources section includes Lesson Plans.  Excellent

 

LEWIS & CLARK MEGASITE                              NEW!

            http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/

A portal site on the Lewis & Clark Expedition from the National Geographic.  Includes an Interactive Journey Log, Expedition Records and More, a movie clip, Photo Gallery and much more.  Excellent

 

SECRETS OF THE ICE: AN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION                     NEW!

            http://www.secretsoftheice.org/

“Between 1999 - 2002, scientists from 19 countries have been traversing Antarctica, collecting ice cores and gathering data that will describe climate and environmental change over the past 200 years. They have traveled by Tucker Sno-Cats, snowmobiles and Caterpillar tractors, living in tents and small trailers and dealing first hand with some of the most extreme weather conditions on the planet. More expeditions are planned for the next three years.”  Sections: Explore Antarctica, Ice Core Research, Scientific Expedition, Expedition Headquarters, and Learning Resources.  Excellent

 

SPANISH EXPLORATION AND CONQUEST OF NATIVE AMERICA                     

            http://www.vaca.com/index.html

Details the exploration and conquest of Native America by De Soto, DeVaca, and Coronado by following the trails their explorations took.  Includes a PDF format book detailing the conquest of Native America.  Includes maps, illustrations, and more.  Excellent

 

THE TRAVELS OF IBN BATTUTA – A VIRTUAL TOUR WITH THE 14TH CENTURY TRAVELER

            http://www.sfusd.edu/schwww/sch618/Ibn_Battuta/Ibn_Battuta_Rihla.html

An account of the travels of the little-known 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta.  Includes photos, illustrations, and maps.  Each section includes links to additional information.  Outstanding.  Excellent

 

VIKING EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT

            http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/vikingexplor.htm

Long before Columbus, Viking explorers landed and established settlements in Greenland and Vinland (North America).  Sections: Timeline of Viking Events in Greenland, Viking Expansion, Leifur Eiriksson’s Heritage of Discovery, Did 14th Century Scandinavians Visit Midwestern North America?, Viking Explorers, Icelanders Discover Greenland and Iceland, and Map Showing Viking Exploration Routes in Europe.  Excellent

 

VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF NEW FRANCE – THE EXPLORERS             NEW URL!

            http://www.civilization.ca/vmnf/explor/explcd_e.html

A virtual museum of New France in Canada, the French colony in the 16th and 17th centuries.  Includes links to French explorers of the “new” world.  A New France ABC includes photos of objects used by the colonists in daily life, their use and the context in which they were used.  Also includes a Photographic Exploration of Canada with Malak which includes a large number of photos of the areas the French colonized.  Follow the quick links for a lot more information.  Excellent

 

VOYAGE OF DOOM                                                          

            http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lasalle/

Companion site to the Nova program “ Voyage of Doom” which chronicles the discovery and excavation of French explorer Robert Cavalier Sieur de La Salle’s ship, the Belle, which sank off the coast of Texas in 1688.  The ship was discovered at the bottom of the bay and excavated. Sections: Stories in the Timber, Explore the Shipwreck, Who Owns Lost Ships?, Buoyancy Brainteasers and Teacher’s Guide, Resources, Transcript and more.  Excellent

 

VOYAGE OF EXPLORATION – DISCOVERING NEW HORIZONS – A THINKQUEST SITE                                NEW URL!

            http://library.thinkquest.org/C001692/

A Thinkquest site on exploration.  Sections: Home World, Great Explorers (with a quiz for each), Expeditions (with quizzes), Navigation (how they did it), New Horizons (the future), Why Explore? (why they did it) and Teacher World (score tracking and activities).  Excellent

 

ZOOM EXPLORERS

            http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/

Web site for elementary students on explorers.  Search alphabetically, by region, or by century.  Gives a brief description of the explorer and his expedition.  Includes maps showing some of their routes and illustrations where portraits are available.  Excellent

 

                                                           

 

CAPTAIN COOK – VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY

            http://www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/museum/cook/cook.html

Three interactive maps show Cook’s voyages of discovery.  Click on the darkened areas to see artifacts Cook collected from that region.  Very Good

 

CHRISTOPHER’S CROSSING – GAME              NEW!

            http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/Cardboard/Board/C/Columbus.html

A game for upper elementary students on Columbus.  “Third, fourth, and fifth grade students will be able to use Christopher's Crossing. The teacher will supply the initial instruction about Christopher Columbus. Through role-play and readings from their social studies book, students will learn about Columbus. They will discover his interest in a short, easy way to the Indies, his struggle to get funding, his first voyage across the Atlantic in search of gold, and his reactions to the Indians. The game will reinforce their newly acquired knowledge in a realistic setting. Students can play the game as often as they wish. The structure allows for unlimited play possibilities.”   Very Good

 

ENDEAVOUR

            http://www.barkendeavour.com.au/

James Cook’s bark Endeavor has been re-created and sails out of Australia.  It is a three-masted collier bark and has been re-created with great attention to authenticity.  It has already carried out a voyage around the world.  The site has details of the voyages, photos, captain and crew reports, and much more.  Very Good

 

EUROPEAN EXPLORERS ELEMENTARY THEME PAGE     

            http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/explorer.htm

Information on European explorers arranged by country.  Includes links to European explorers in the “New World” and in New France.   Very Good

 

THE EXPLORATION AGE             NEW!

            http://www.geocities.com/rdl_wcw_wwf_fan/TOE.html

A site for students on the Age of Exploration.  Includes pictures, essays, general information, biographies and more.  Very Good

 

EXPLORERS THEME PAGE

            http://www.cln.org/themes/explorers.html

A gateway site with links to curricular resources for information on explorers and instructional resources for lesson plans.  Very Good

 

FAMOUS EXPLORERS AND RESOURCES ABOUT COLUMBUS                 NEW!

            http://www.suelebeau.com/explorers.htm

A page of links suitable for students about explorers and Columbus.  Very Good

 

THE FATE OF FRANKLIN – (SIR JOHN FRANKLIN’S ARCTIC EXPEDITION) 

                                                                                                NEW!

http://www.ric.edu/rpotter/SJFranklin.html

Information on the explorations of Sir John Franklin, the searches for the lost ships and more.  A very extensive site.  “The disappearance of Sir John Franklin and his crew in what is now the Canadian Arctic set off one of the greatest rescue operations in the history of exploration. Franklin's 2 ships had sailed from England on 19 May 1845 and were last sighted in late July heading for Lancaster Sound. A 3-way search was organized in 1848, with Sir James Clark Ross proceeding through Lancaster Sound, Captain Henry Kellet via Bering Strait, and John Rae and Sir John Richardson trekking overland from the Mackenzie River.”   http://tceplus.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&ArticleId=A0003031     Sections:  Franklin in the Public Eye 1818-1859, The Arctic in Popular Culture, The Frozen Zone, Searching for Franklin (modern searches 1997-2004), Sir John Franklin Links and the Arctic Book Review.  Very Good

 

FORBIDDEN TERRITORY: STANLEY AND LIVINGSTONE

            http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/lantern/

A magic lantern show on the explorations of Stanley and Livingstone in Central Africa.  Very Good

 

GO WEST ACROSS AMERICA WITH LEWIS & CLARK – ONLINE GAME   NEW!

            http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/west/

A fun online game in which students travel with the expedition and help them with decision-making.  Very Good

THE HALL OF SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION                                    http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/halls/sci

Interviews with 20th century scientists and explorers.  Explorers include: Robert D. Ballard, Sylvia Earle, Sir Edmund Hillary and Donna Shirley. Very Good

 

MATTHEW A. HENSON MEMORIAL WEB SITE                                 http://www.matthewhenson.com/

Information on this African-American who co-discovered the North Pole with Peary in 1909.  Includes: Peary’s Diary Published on the Internet, Henson Literature (free literature to be downloaded on and by Henson), a Henson exhibit, a student presentation, a Lowell Thomas 1939 interview with Henson, audio recording of Peary.  (Note: This site addresses the controversy in which some claimed that Henson did not co-discover the North Pole.  Some strong opinions are expressed.)  Very Good

 

OPERATION PHIPS – ARCHEOLOGICAL RESCUE

            http://www.mcc.gouv.qc.ca/pamu/champs/archeo/epaphips/wreck01.htm

An account of the excavation of the Anse aux Bouleaux, a ship from the fleet of Sir William Phips, which was sunk 1690 in the estuary of the St. Lawrence River. This was part of the fleet that was sent to attack Quebec in the war between France and Britain at the end of the 17th century.  Includes photos of the excavation, artifacts and history.  Very Good

 

RACE TO THE END OF THE EARTH                  NEW!

            http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/0002/race_to_end/index.html

A National Geographic Kids feature on the race between Amundsen and Scott to reach the South Pole.  Appropriate for grades 4-6.  Very Good

 

REFERENCE RESOURCES: FAMOUS EXPLORERS               NEW!

            http://www.kidinfo.com/American_History/Explorers.html

A huge site with links to a large number of websites on famous explorers.  Very Good

 

VIRTUAL EXPLORATION SOCIETY                   NEW!

            http://www.unmuseum.mus.pa.us/ves.htm

Eleven brief essays on explorers and their explorations.  Includes: Louis Bleriot, Amelia Earhart, Roy Chapman Andrews, Matthew Henson and more.  Appropriate for upper elementary students and up.  Very Good

 

YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO BE A POLAR EXPLORER – WEB BOOK         NEW!

            http://www.salariya.com/web_books/explorer/index.html

“An Expedition You Wouldn’t Want to Go On - Get ready...as a brave young sailor looking for adventure,  you are about to join Ernest Shackleton’s expedition to icy Antarctica as a polar explorer.   I T' S F R E E Z I N G !  To use this Web Book place your cursor over the images to see the comments as you explore the Antarctic. Click on Next and Previous to navigate through the sections, or use the list of contents on the left.   Based on the book You Wouldn't Want to Be a Polar Explorer!”  A fun illustrated book about Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica.  Aimed at elementary/middle school students.  Run your cursor over the illustrations for comments. Follow the chapters through the list at left.  Very Good

 

ZOOM INTO MAPS                         NEW!

            http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/maps/exploration.html

Early maps of the western hemisphere.  Very Good

 

                                                           

 

THE AGE OF DISCOVERY – 1340-1600                                       http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/explorer_map_shepherd.jpg

A detailed map showing the voyages of English, French, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese explorers.  Slow to load but worth a look.  Good

 

ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS                        NEW!

            http://www.south-pole.com/homepage.html

Click on the History tab and then Explorers for a list of Antarctic explorers and information on their explorations in Antarctica.  Good

 

AUSTRALIAN EXPLORERS                                                          http://www.davidreilly.com/australian_explorers/

Information for elementary students on Australian explorers.  Until the 18th century Australia was almost completely unknown to the Europeans and these explorers opened the continent to European settlement.  Good

 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: A CULINARY HISTORY

            http://www.castellobanfi.com/features/story_3.html

An article from Castello Banfi vineyard about the provisions about Columbus’ voyages and foods they found in the “new” world.  Good

 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS CROSSWORD PUZZLE             NEW!

            http://www.aves.ednet.ns.ca/gr/columbus.htm

A brief crossword puzzle suitable for upper elementary students.  Good

 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS LINKS                  NEW!

            http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/columbus.htm

Links to sites on Columbus for students.  Good

 

THE COLUMBUS NAVIGATION HOMEPAGE              NEW!

            http://www1.minn.net/~keithp/index.htm

Explores the navigation methods used by Columbus, plus a history of his voyages, a timeline, and more.  Geared toward upper elementary, middle school students.  Better than it looks at first.  Good

 

COLUMBUS REPORTS ON DISCOVERIES OF ISLAND OF INDIA – LIBRARY OF CONGRESS EXHIBIT                                                            NEW!

            http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trt038.html

An exhibit of the report of Columbus of his “discovery” of India in 1493.  View a copy of the document and its English translation.  Good

 

COOK’S FIRST VOYAGE – 1768-1771                  NEW!

            http://www.muffley.net/pacific/cook/cook1.htm

An examination of the reasons for Cook’s voyage and the places he visited.  Good

 

CYBERHUNT – AHOY COLUMBUS!                   NEW!

            http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/columbus.htm

Seven questions with links to find the answers.  For elementary students.  Good

 

THE DEATH OF MAGELLAN 1521

            http://www.ibiscom.com/magellan.htm

A brief account of the death of the explorer and mariner Ferdinand Magellan in a battle with natives on an island in the Philippines.  An eyewitness account was written by a passenger.  Good

 

THE EUROPEAN VOYAGES OF EXPLORATION  1415-1650       NEW URL!

            http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron//WestEurope/Voyages.Chron.html

A timeline of European voyages of exploration with links to short articles on some of the expeditions.  Good

 

EXPLORATION – HOT TOPIC LIST                    NEW!

            http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/web/2000/slezak/exhotlist.html

A topic list with links to sites on explorers.  Sections: English Explorers, French Explorers, Portuguese Explorers, Spanish Explorers, Dutch Explorers, Viking Explorers and Additional Resources.  Good

 

EXPLORER POEMS BY STUDENTS                               

http://www.kathimitchell.com/explpoe.htm

Simple poems by elementary students on various explorers.  Use as a basis for students’ own poems.  Good

 

EXPLORERS                                    NEW!

            http://library.thinkquest.org/J002428F/

A website on explorers for primary students.  Includes: Magellan, Cortez, Columbus, Ericson and Drake.   Note: The Drake link doesn’t work.  Good

 

EXPLORERS HOTLIST                  NEW!

            http://www.clairbournlibrary.org/Explorers%20Hotlist.htm#deSoto

A page of links to sites on explorers.  Good

 

EXPLORERS OF THE WORLD

            http://www.bham.wednet.edu/bio/explore.htm

A web site for students on the kind of people who choose a life of exploration.  Covers explorers of Land, Sea, Water, and Art.  Good

 

EXPLORING THE CAROLINAS – LIBRARY OF CONGRESS EXHIBIT    NEW!

            http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm069.html

“John White, one of the company sent by Sir Walter Raleigh to establish an English colony on Roanoke Island in 1585, went at least twice to the Carolina coast in the 1580s. There he produced a series of drawings of the everyday life of the Native American populations. Theodor de Bry engraved these scenes from White's renderings. White also compiled this map of the North Carolina coast from Cape Lookout to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, based on the British explorations of 1585-86, which was subsequently engraved by de Bry and published in 1590.”   Good

 

FLORIDA OF THE CONQUISTADOR                 NEW!

            http://www.floridahistory.org/floridians/conquis.htm

A brief history of the Florida explorations of Juan Ponce de Leon, Panfilo de Narvaez, Hernando de Soto, and Tristan de Luna.  Good

 

FRAY JUNIPERO SERRA

            http://www.padreserra.org/serra.htm

Chronicles the life of Father Junipero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan friar who explored what was to become California and established missions there.  Good

 

HALL OF EXPLORERS                  NEW!

            http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/tmp/burger/folktale/index.html

A site appropriate for upper elementary students on explorers.  Includes a list of links to brief articles about the explorer.   Good

 

LATITUDE- THE ART AND SCIENCE OF 15TH CENTURY NAVIGATION     

            http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~feegi/

Shows the tremendous importance of the Portuguese advances in navigation that allowed explorers to determine their position with greater accuracy.  Good

 

MARCO POLO AND HIS TRAVELS                                NEW!

            http://www.silk-road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtml

A brief account of the journey of Marco Polo in the 13th and 14th centuries.  Good

 

MARCO POLO – ON THE TARTARS – MEDIEVAL SOURCEBOOK     NEW!

            http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/mpolo44-46.html

“Of the origin of the kingdom of the Tartars--of the quarter from whence they came--and of their former subjection to Un-khan, a prince of the north, called also Prester John.”  Good

 

MARCO POLO – THE GLORIES OF KINGSAY (HANGCHOW) – MEDIEVAL SOURCEBOOK                           NEW!

            http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/polo-kinsay.html

“Marco Polo returned to Venice, his hometown, in 1295 after an absence of twenty-five years in the East. He claimed to have spent seventeen years in the service of Kublai Khan, ruler of the Mongols and of the largest empire in the world. He had many stories to tell. These stories were eventually written down by Rustichiello of Pisa, who heard them while sharing a Genoese prison with Polo, sometimes after 1298. Here is the account in the book of Hangchow, called "Kinsay". Although Kublai Khan's capital was in the north, at the city later called Beijing, Hagnchow had served as the capital of the Southern Song dynasty until 1279 and was a major cultural and political center.”    Good

 

MARCO POLO THEME PAGE                  NEW!

            http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/expolo.htm

Links for elementary students on Marco Polo.  Note: We found a couple of broken links on this page.  Good

 

MONTEREY BAY AREA HISTORY        NEW URL!

            http://www.mchsmuseum.com/historymenu.html

The first section of this site gives a history of the early exploration of the California coast in the Monterey area.  Good

 

PASSAGES: A TREASURE TROVE OF NORTH AMERICAN EXPLORATION 

NEW URL!

            http://www.collectionscanada.ca/2/8/index-e.html

Information from the National Library of Canada on exploration in North America.  Includes an Introduction, Alphabetical List or Chronological Outline.  (Note: Start with Introduction, go back to Home page and then follow either the Alphabetical List or Chronological Outline.)  Good

 

THE PORTUGUESE ROLE IN EXPLORING AND MAPPING THE NEW WORLD

                                                                                                NEW!

            http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/portam/role.html

Examines the primary role of Portugal in the exploration of the Americas.  Good

 

SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN’S 1607 MAP

            http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trr009.html

Considered an American Treasure, this is the original map hand-drawn on vellum for presentation to the king of France.  It is one of the few maps of the period that was drawn up by de Champlain himself showing his own explorations and calculations.  It covers the New England and Canadian coasts.  An enlargement increases it to full-screen size.  Good

 

SHIPS OF DISCOVERY                                                

            http://www.shipsofdiscovery.org/

Information on how excavation of shipwrecks is contributing to our understanding of the early explorers.  Sections: Columbus’ Lost Ships, Artifact Conservation, Shipwreck Excavations Ancient Techniques, Experimental Archeology, Ancient Documents, and Artifact Replicas.  Click on Ships at the bottom to show a map of New World Shipwrecks.  Good

 

SOUTH-POLE.COM                                                                  

            http://www.south-pole.com/homepage.html

“Welcome to the home page of South-Pole.com. This site is dedicated to the heroic explorers of our polar regions and the surrounding islands. The tales of these brave souls were often related in expedition mail sent home to anxious loved ones and beneficiaries.”  Focusing on the mail sent home from Antarctic expeditions, the site uses excerpts from the explorers.  Click on the names of the explorers for in-depth articles about each one.  Good

 

TAKING ON THE WORLD! EUROPEAN EXPLORERS                                   NEW!

            http://library.thinkquest.org/6174/

Information for elementary students by students on 8 explorers including Columbus, Magellan, Hudson.  Includes an Activities section with a puzzle and a quiz and a Resources section with references.  Good

WOMEN EXPLORERS                   NEW!

            http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/subject/explore.html

Links to information on women explorers. Good

 

 

 

 

 

LESSON PLANS & CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

 

THE AGE OF EXPLORATION ONLINE CURRICULUM GUIDE – THE MARINER’S MUSEUM                                    NEW  URL! 

            http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/ageofex/index.php

An online curriculum guide to the Age of Exploration from the Ancient World to the 19th century.  Each chapter discusses the major explorations.  There are timelines, vocabulary and biographies of the great explorers.  The activities section for Teachers and Students is extensive.  Outstanding.  Excellent

 

COLUMBUS’ VOYAGE TO THE NEW WORLD    - CLASSROOM ACTIVITY  NEW!

            http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=1125

A  classroom activity for grades 3-5 on Columbus’ voyages.  Excellent

 

DISCOVERY CHANNELS: INVESTIGATING THE LEGACIES OF EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION – LESSON PLAN                                  NEW!

            http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20001009monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

A lesson plan for grades 6-12 on the legacy of the Age of Exploration.  “In this lesson, students explore the issues surrounding the celebration of Columbus Day and investigate the impact and legacy of exploration and colonization through group research. Students synthesize the information they have gathered and create a first person narrative about exploration and colonization.”  Excellent

 

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA: A PLAY ABOUT EARLY EXPLORERS – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY                          NEW!

            http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/972.html

A play script for elementary students on early explorers.  Excellent

 

EDUCATION WORLD – THE GREAT EXPLORERS!   - LESSON PLANS