Explorers

The Topic:

Explorers

If you are looking for information about a specific explorer, go to our Explorers - A to Z bonus page to access an indexed list of over 150 biography and information sites - - too many to fit on this page.

Easier - There have always been explorers. Explorers are people who travel to or investigate unknown places. In traveling, they make or follow a route, path, or trail. Prehistoric men and women who ventured out across the continents were among the first explorers.

Harder - Explorers are usually thought of as people who purposely visit and study an unknown geographic area.

The golden age of exploration began in the fifteenth century as sailors from Europe ventured out and explored the world, locating routes across its oceans and continents and defining the earth's physical shape, size, and positions.

Today however, explorers are persons who systematically search, examine, and investigate for the purpose of discovering unknowns in all aspects of our universe; making new discoveries and expanding frontiers in science, medicine, technology, and our environment.

Age of Exploration at The Mariner's Museum

http://www.mariner.org/age/menu.html

Learn about the 'Age of Exploration' from ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians to the voyages of Captain Cook.

Webpage at the Site:

2) Biographies of Explorers and Associated People http://www.mariner.org/age/biohist.html

Related Websites:

3) European Explorers Resources on the World Wide Web from Gander Academy

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/explorer.htm

4) European Voyages of Exploration: The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries from the

University of Calgary http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/

Discoverers Web

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

Here are links to all kinds of information found on the web about voyages of discovery and exploration.

Section Within Discoverers Web:

2) Exploration is Risky Business http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/death.html



Explorers of the World

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

The website provides a wide range of biographies of explorers of the seas, land, sky, arts, and ideas.

Related Webpages:

2) Explorers of the Land http://www.bham.wednet.edu/land.htm

3) Explorers on the Web at CyberSleuthkids

http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/Explorers/

4) Zoom Explorers at Enchanted Learning http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/explorers/

Explorers: Can You Identify Them?

http://web54.sd54.k12.il.us/schools/hale/pgraf/explorers99/sld001.htm

Slide show includes facts about the lives of more than two dozen explorers.

Using the websites, complete an explorer activity or project:

Select Your Top Ten. After becoming familiar with the exploits and adventures of various explorers at sites like Explorers of the Millennium, the Discoverers Web, Explorers of the World, or The Age of Exploration, create your personal 'top ten' list of explorers. Explain why you selected each.

Compare / Contrast Explorers & Explorations. Select two different continents (North or South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Asia) and compare and contrast the explorers and explorations of each.

Identify Explorer Traits. After studying different explorers, make a list of 10 attributes that you believe are needed to be an explorer. After completion, compare your list to those at Jamie Mckenzie's site.

Imagine A Future Frontier. Speculate on the 'new frontiers' available to future explorers. Select one (space, the oceans, the human body, etc.) and build a persuasive argument as to why effort and monies should be allocated for its further exploration.

Create A Poster. Select a favorite explorer and create a poster illustrating their discovery, mode of transportation, and costume/dress.

Complete An Explorers WebQuest. Follow or adapt the procedures found at one of the following webQuest sites:

1) Columbus Truth or Fiction (Grade 4-5) http://wwwbir.bham.wednet.edu/class/hinshaw/EXPLORE/COLUMB.HTM

2) Explorers (Grade 4-6) http://osf1.gmu.edu/~khayden/Explorers2.htm

3) How Big are your Feet? Follow the footsteps of famous explorers.

http://www.people,Virginia.edu/~mfm8b/WEBQUEST/student/explorers.html

4) Explorers/Exploration (Grade 6-8)

http://tli.jefferson.k12.ky.us/EDTD675/TLIProjects/Cathy/webwhitebrown.htm#Task

5) Explore With Columbus (Grade 4-6) http://osf1.gmu.edu/~khayden/Chris.html

6) Explorer Project: Spice Up Your Life! http://wwwgen.bham.wednet.edu/exhome.htm

7) Impact of Exploration: What did the discoveries mean? http://wwwbir.bham.wednet.edu/class/hinshaw/EXPLORE/IMPACT.HTM

8) Life in the Age of Exploration and Discovery (Grade 4-5) http://wwwbir.bham.wednet.edu/class/hinshaw/EXPLORE/Life.htm

9) Navigating New Worlds: Explorers on the Web by K. Slezak

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

10) The Spice of Life (Grade 4-5) http://wwwbir.bham.wednet.edu/class/hinshaw/EXPLORE/SPICES.HTM

Websites By Kids For Kids

Epic Voyages: Uncovering the World (2000 Internet Challenge)

http://library.thinkquest.org/C004237/

The thought of voyaging through the vast expanse of the world and beyond has been mankind's ongoing vision since the very beginning of history itself. This project centers around the explorers and examines their journeys.

Explorers of the Millennium (1998 ThinkQuest Junior Project)

http://tqjunior.advanced.org/4034/

Here you can find information and biographies of the greatest explorers of the past 1000 years.

Explorer Hall of Fame

http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/iles/explorer/directions

This is a social studies explorer project.

Explorations in the Artic Within 'The poles: Just Two Pieces of Ice?'

(1999 ThinkQuest Project)

http://library.thinkquest.org/27084/cgi-bin/standard.cgi?cat=history?file=explarc

In the 19th century, more people became interested in the poles. They were interested in an alternative route to India in the north, and seas full of seals in the south.

Explorations of Columbus, Cortez, De Soto, Drake, Jolliet, and Marquette

(1999 ThinkQuest Junior Project)

http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/6297/

Learn how these explorers became famous and what they discovered to gain their fame.

Explorers (2000 ThinkQuest Junior Project)

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

Here you find information on Cortez, Columbus, Ericson, Magellan, and Drake.

Roots of Exploration (2000 ThinkQuest Junior Project)

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

There was a time when people didn't know about traveling the seas. They thought there were sea monsters, and terrible things might happen to you. This site tells about famous explorers, sea myths, trade, pirates, and navigation tools.

See Our Explorer Reports (Grade 5)

http://members.web-o.net/vinland/remmer.htm

Here you find student reports on several explorers.

Taking On The World! European Explorers (1999 ThinkQuest Junior Project)

http://tqjunior.advanced.org/6174/

Here you find information about the explorers, activities, and resources.

Voyage of Exploration: Discovering New Horizons

(Platinum Award, 2000 ThinkQuest Internet Challenge)

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

This site follows in the footsteps of some of the world's greatest explorers, reliving their adventurous expeditions into the unknown.

Who Explored the World? (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project)

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0113213/

This site is about a few of the famous explorers: Hernando De Soto, Henry Hudson, John Cabot, Francis Drake, Francisco Pizarro, Ponce De Leon, Christopher Columbus, and Ferdinand Magellan.

Who Goes There: European Exploration of the New World

(2000 ThinkQuest Junior Project)

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/

Why did Europeans explore during the Age of Exploration in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries? Hear their stories through interviews, autobiographies, biographies, and journals.

Explorers of the Americas

American History Sources for Students: Early Explorers

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/6617/discover.html

This is another extensive links site for explorers.

Conquistadors from PBS

http://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/

Learn about the Spanish Conquistadors in the New World and the legacy of their contact with Native Americans. The site includes: Cortes, Pizarro, Orellana, and Cabeza de Vaca.

Related Website:

2) Letters on Spanish Texas from Armadillo

http://riceinfo.rice.edu/armadillo/Projects/letters.html

Discovery and Exploration from the Library of Congress

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

This site documents the discovery and exploration with both manuscripts and published maps.

Explorers and Settlers of North America

http://oz.plymouth.edu/~lts/wilderness/explorers.html

This text-based site contains brief biographies of several explorers.

European Explorers Resources at Gander Academy

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/explorer.htm

This links-site connects to information on European explorers.

Related Website:

2) European Voyages of Exploration from the University of Calgary

http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/

Exploration of Canada from About.com

http://canadahistory.about.com/cs/exploration/index.htm?terms=explorer

Exploration by Europeans was carried out first by ship and later by canoe and on foot with the assistance of Native guides.

Spanish Exploration and Conquest of Native America by D.E. Sheppard

http://www.vaca.com/inset11.html

Here is the story of the arrival of the first explorers to America; links to each explorer with biographical information.

Treasure Trove of North American Exploration from the National Library of Canada

http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/passages/

Here you find accounts of European voyages and explorations to North America, from Columbus's Atlantic crossing in 1492 to the famous trip through the Northwest Passage by Roald Amundsen in 1905.



Several More Explorers Websites

Explorers Theme Page from the Open Learning Agency

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

This page has links to two types of resources related to the study of explorers: curricular resources (information, content...) and instructional materials (lesson plans).

Forbidden Territory: Stanley and Livingstone at National Geographic

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

View a magic lantern show about the famous explorers of Africa.

Australian Explorers

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

Learn about explorers of Australia, their lives, and their experiences.

Similar Websites:

2)http://home.primus.com.au/templers/Explorers/

3)http://members.tripod.com/romareilly/

Irish Antarctic Explorers

http://ireland.iol.ie/south-aris/irishexp.htm

Find information about the expeditions of Ernest Shackleton, Tom Crean, and other Antarctic explorers from Ireland.

Related Websites:

2) Antarctic Explorers http://www.south-pole.com/p0000017.htm

3) Virtual Antarctica http://www.terraquest.com/antarctica/index.html

Norwegian Explorers

http://www.reisenett.no/facts/history/norwegian_explorers.html

This site provides a good overview of Norwegian explorers and what they discovered.



Websites For Teachers

Create a Box Compass

http://www.mariner.org/age/activity1.html

Two types of compasses are included in this activity. The box compass is more complicated and requires more materials than the water compass. A water compass can easily be made during a class period.

Explorers Lesson Plan by B. Martin

http://www.connectingstudents.com/lessonplans/explor01.htm

Here is a traditional lesson plan on explorers.

Similar Website:

2) Explorer Lesson http://www.ed.sc.edu/caw/lessons/explorers.html

Exploring Explorers! Research Your Own Explorer (Grades 6-8)

http://collaboratory.acns.nwu.edu/jmichel/studentinfo6.htm

During the next few lessons, students will be learning a little about many different explorers.

Become An Explorer

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~jeh9x/explorers.html

Travel back in time to be an explorer who discovers the American land.

What Would You Take to Sea

http://www.mariner.org/age/activity6.html

Here is a brief lesson plan for having students identify the basic human needs for survival and summarize the hazards facing sailors hundreds of years ago.

explorer discovery sailor geography journal navigation

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Vikings continent ocean route dead reckoning celestial navigation

trail map ship river discovery strait

ocean sea cape voyager journal diary

expedition New World travel fishermen hunter trapper

mountain men frontier Lewis & Clark sailing 'fountain of youth' historical maps

Created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, Updated by Nancy Smith, 9/01.