Yes, we’re late with this information for use on Columbus Day this year, but if you have a desire at some other time to teach your children about Christopher Columbus and the story of his explorations, we hope that this post will be of benefit to you and your children. Using this information as a unit study also is a chance to do something different in your daily homeschool lesson plans.
Reading and History:
Study about Columbus and his voyages. Use any book at the library that is age appropriate and you will find ample and intriguing information. A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus (Picture Book Biography)
Gather information from these books and then write three – five major facts from the information gathered. Make a mini book of Columbus accomplishments. Or write a simple biography of Columbus life and voyages.
Geography:
Make a map showing Spain, Portugal and Italy or show a map that outlines his route to San Salvador. Free electronic maps can be found here.
Cooking:
Make a Italian meal. Try something unfamiliar, but easy for kids to help you make. We made lentils and sausage from a recipe found in this book: Italy (Festivals & Food)
Science:
- Make a compass. Use it to explain how Columbus would use this instrument to chart his course to the Indies.
- Identify the phases of the moon and explain to your kids about how Columbus’ understanding of the heavens helped him know when an eclipse would occur.
- Play a spice game. Have children identify certain spices only by smelling them. Have a list of the spices to choose from and see if they can pick the correct ones.
- Buy, identify and taste tropical fruits that would have been unfamiliar to Columbus.
This is a simple list of ideas for learning about Columbus. We hope it gives variety to your lessons and your children a greater zea to learn more about this world. Have fun!