Christopher Columbus Unit Study

Did Christopher Columbus really discover America? We spent time debating that question in our house last week. We read two books, Who Discovered America by Valerie Wyatt and Who Really Discovered America by Avery Hart, to help answer that question. The kids weren't really sure who discovered America, but they all thought that Columbus couldn't have discovered a place where people already lived.
Other books we read: A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David A. Adler, Christopher Columbus by Stephen Krensky, and Follow the Dream by Peter Sis. Colin also read Meet Christopher Columbus by James T. de Kay.

We did an activity to show how ships could sail off the edge of the world if it were flat.

Molly dropping the weight tied to the ship off the side of the table to show it falling off.

Then Caleigh demonstrated how ships can sail around the world without falling off because it's round.

We made a paper mache globe. We actually started this at the beginning of the school year when we did a unit study on maps, but didn't finish it. I meant to finish it when we studied the earth in astronomy, but I forgot. It seemed to go well with this unit study though. After painting it, Colin labeled the oceans, continents, and some countries.

The kids made ships in a bottle.

We also had jello boat snacks. To make these, I cut an orange in half, scooped out everything making sure not to break the rind, poured in jello, and refigerated it. Once it was set, cut in half again and add the sail.

Using Draw Write Now, they drew Columbus' ships.



Top: Colin
Left: Molly- her ship is pretty small in the top left corner
Right: Caleigh- She drew all 3 ships

Notebook pages
         These mini books came from In the Hands of a Child: Christopher Columbus lapbook.

The kids watched this cartoon and read this poem.