1. What is Exploration?

Lesson Objectives
​To explore and define the concepts of exploration and discovery

Lesson Tasks
  1. Watch the film, 'Touching the Void' and consider the following questions:
    1. Why do these people want to take part in this expedition?
    2. What might these climbers want to do after the expedition?
    3. What are some of the consequences of the expedition?​

2. What drives humans to explore?

Lesson Objectives
To explore the idea of exploration being possible today and consider why  humans  explore

​Lesson Tasks
  1. Do you agree or not with the quote on the right? -->
  2. In pairs, brainstorm reasons why we explore and share your ideas with the class.
  3. Essentially, there are seven basic reasons why we explore. Download this worksheet and match up the seven words with their correct definition and example. Write your answers in your books.
  4. What types of exploration are there? With a partner, brainstorm as many different types of exploration as you can. Think about what ​people attempt to explore. Share your answers with the class.
  5. On the board, your teacher will write the headings of different types of explorations. In groups, write down examples of different types of exploration onto a post-it note and paste them on the board under the headings they apply to.
  6. In your books, write down a definition of exploration. What does it mean? Think about what you have learnt this lesson. Share your answers with a partner and the class.
  7. Think back to the quote from task 1. Have you changed your opinion?

Challenge Yourself!
  1. Research the 'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World' using the internet. Where would we find them today if they still exist/existed?
  2. ​Plan a trip to a country that you are planning on visiting/exploring soon. ​​
These days there seems to be nowhere left to explore, at least on the land area of the Earth. Victims of their very success, the explorers now pretty much stay home - Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

3. What were the causes of Columbus' voyage?

Lesson Objectives
​To identify the reasons for Columbus' voyage and to judge the reliability of sources

Lesson Tasks
  1. The Accuracy of Memory - Write down what happened in class last week. Compare your answers with a partner. Who had the most accurate account?​​
  2. Reliability of Sources - If somebody wasn't in class last week, and they hear about it from somebody else, is it reliable?
  3. The Silk Road - Look at this map of the world. If we wanted to get from Europe to China overland, which route would we take? What about by sea?
  4. Now read this article on the Silk Road and watch the video->
  5. The Causes of Columbus' Voyage - what is causation?
    1. Using the internet, research the reasons why Columbus went on his voyage of discovery. Look at this article first and this article second.
    2. Make a table, list or diagram of the causes/reasons you can find.
    3. How could we categorise and organise the causes into different groups? What headings would we use?
    4. Think about: long-term, short-term, social, economic, political, economic, religious, military.
    5. Which cause(s) are the most important? Why? Think about if that causes didn't happen - would Columbus' have still gone on his voyage?
    6. Are any of the causes linked? Did they combine with other causes?

Challenge Yourself!
  1. Play this game which introduces the idea of consequences and trade as a major reason for exploration.
  2. Watch this short biography of Christopher Columbus.​​
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