E.C. Lesson Plan
Title: Explorer Podcasts
Grade: 5th
Level: Resource and GATE
Subject Area/Topic: Social Studies/ Explorers
Objectives: Learners will research an explorer with a group of other learners. Learners will create a podcast in Garage Band with the information they find.
Materials/Resources: Nettrekker, Wikipedia, LRC materials (books on explorers), Garage Band, iTunes
Question List (see below)
Lesson/Project Description: Students will be put in a group of four. The students will collectively research an assigned explorer. Students will use a list of questions to guide their research. Then students will write a script using their research to tell others about their explorer. Students will record their script in a new podcast using Garage Band and will be able to add pictures and music to their podcast.
Assessment: Students will be graded on performance, group participation, and information.
Comments:When students were finished creating their podcasts in Garage Band, I then exported their previewed projects to iTunes. I then posted their podcasts to my website.
NETS-S:
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
Name ______Explorers Fact Sheet
Name of Explorer ______
What the Explorer Did:
Clearly summarize what the explorer did. Some suggestions for your summary:
When and Where:
- Give the major date(s) of the exploration.
- When did the expedition start and where did it begin?
- List major events that occurred during the trip.
- When and where did the trip end?
If possible, include a map of the route.
More on the Trip:
- Describe the vehicle(s) used in the exploration (and other supplies).
- Did other people accompany the explorer?
- Did something interesting happen during the trip?
Who Sent the Explorer?
Was the explorer sent by a king or queen, a president, or a private group?
Who paid for the trip?
The Importance of the Exploration:
Why was this exploration important?
Did it open trade routes, establish territory, obtain wealth, create maps, set world records, spread religious beliefs, advance science, or something else?
The Explorer's Life:
Describe the life of the explorer.
When and where was the explorer born? (This isn't always known.)
When and where did the explorer die?
Were the parents wealthy or poor?
Did other interesting things happen during the life of this explorer?
Did the explorer publish autobiographical information?
Reminder: You should not copy the research. You should put the information you find into your own words!
Websites to Look at:
or search for your explorer at or