NY Social Studies 7.2a
The Standard
Social, economic, and scientific improvements helped European nations launch an Age of Exploration.
New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework
Key Idea 7.2
COLONIAL DEVELOPMENTS: European exploration of the New World resulted in various interactions with Native Americans and in colonization. The American colonies were established for a variety of reasons and developed differently based on economic, social, and geographic factors. Colonial America had a variety of social structures under which not all people were treated equally.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students explain how ship design, navigation tools, maps, wealth, and competition made longer Atlantic voyages possible. They trace major routes and connect Columbus's voyage to the Columbian Exchange.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can explain how the caravel, compass, astrolabe, and Mercator projection helped sailors plan or complete voyages. They can compare major explorers and identify effects of the Columbian Exchange.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may confuse the compass, which shows direction, with the astrolabe, which helped find latitude. They may treat Mercator maps as accurate in size. They may also think Columbus reached an empty continent or that the Columbian Exchange moved goods only westward.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Choose one navigation development, explain the problem it solved, and name one result of European Atlantic exploration.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups a compass, astrolabe image, caravel diagram, and Mercator map; have them match each item to a navigation problem.
Write a ship captain's memo explaining which two navigation developments you need and why.
Play a card-matching game connecting Columbus, Champlain, Hudson, and Verrazano with routes, sponsors, and regions explored.
Compare a Mercator map with a globe, then explain how modern GPS solves navigation problems faced by European sailors.
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Printable 7.2a Worksheet
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