Explorers and the Age of Exploration

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The Age of Exploration

The Age of Exploration was a period from the 1400s to the 1700s when European countries explored and mapped the world beyond their borders. Driven by a desire for new trade routes, wealth, and knowledge, explorers like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan set sail across uncharted oceans. Advances in navigation, shipbuilding, and cartography made long sea voyages possible. European powers such as Spain, Portugal, England, and France established colonies and claimed lands in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. While the Age of Exploration expanded global connections and led to cultural exchange, it also brought disease, conquest, and exploitation to Indigenous peoples. This era greatly influenced the development of the modern world and shaped international trade, politics, and culture.

Our Content:

	Unit And Curriculum Our differentiated Age of Exploration unit is designed for grades 4–9. It includes 20 days of instruction covering important and engaging topics from the Age of Exploration, complete lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and a detailed guide to all accompanying activities and resources.

	Explorer Biographies This section includes detailed biographies on dozens of world explorers from the Age of Exploration.

	Age of Exploration Interactive Module This interactive module allows students to click on explorers and explorer destinations to learn all about them. It includes various scavenger hunts.

	Legends, Myths, and Destinations During the Age of Exploration, legends of cities like Cibola and mythical places such as the Fountain of Youth inspired explorers to venture into unknown lands in search of riches and immortality. These myths fueled European expansion and shaped the mapping of new territories, often blending fantasy with the pursuit of empire.

	Pirates Pirates disrupted trade routes during the Age of Exploration by attacking merchant ships and seizing valuable cargo, which challenged European powers' control over their colonial wealth. Their actions led to increased naval defenses, anti-piracy laws, and the eventual decline of unchecked maritime expansion.

	Literacy and Comprehension Exercises This section includes nearly 70 printable and interactive literacy and comprehension exercises suitable for students in grades 4 - 8.

	Explorers Fun Stuff and Games This section includes fun printables and interactives related to explorers and the Age of Exploration. It also includes online world geography games.

	Explorers Bundles and Presentations This section features a presentation that outlines the Age of Exploration and can be used over multiple class periods. It also includes bundled printable activities and answer sheets related to explorers and exploration themes.

	Make Your Own Old-School Explorers Map Students design their own parchment-style explorer maps by painting or filling regions, placing period-style stamps (galleons, whales, compass roses, wind cherubs, and more), and adding Latin labels inside ornate gold cartouches. They can switch between classic map backgrounds, pan/zoom the stage, adjust colors and sizes, and refine work with select, undo/redo, and erase tools before exporting a finished PNG. The activity blends geography and history with creative design, encouraging learners to think like early cartographers while building visually rich maps.

	The Gourmet Galleon In this creative writing and history activity, students design their own Age of Exploration “sailor menu,” choosing historically accurate foods like hardtack and salt beef plus setting prices and descriptions. An alliteration helper encourages them to craft playful, descriptive entree names (like “Rancid Rats” or “Salty Sawdust Stew”) while they customize fonts, colors, and cover icons. When finished, they can print a full menu with a bold cover and optional customer reviews page that showcase both their content knowledge and language skills.