Term 3 Sea Explorers
- Multiple intelligences
The theory of Multiple Intelligences was developed by Howard Gardner in the 1980s. It was based on considerable research into how parts of the brain process information differently. Gardner theorised that there were eight different ways of knowing or ‘Multiple Intelligences’. The implication for education was that different ways of teaching or different types of activity could switch on the different ways of knowing and therefore knowledge of the theory could help teachers to teach and students to learn. Further information about Multiple Intelligences can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences.
This module aims to incorporate a range of activities that reflect the eight intelligences:
- Verbal/ Linguistic e.g. interpreting displays, reading accounts and stories
- Logical/ Mathematical e.g. constructing timelines, navigational calculations
- Visual/ spatial e.g. Mapping, making board game
- Body/ Kinaesthetic e.g. interactive activities such as Treasure Hunt and Steering a Course, making and using navigation instruments
- Interpersonal e.g. constructing and playing aboard game
- Intrapersonal e.g. reflection activity KWL chart
ENGAGE
- Prepare the classroom by hiding the treasure cards at different places. http://www.maritimemuseum.com.au/pdf/middle%20primary%20module%20-%20Maritime%20Explorers%20and%20Navigators.pdf
- Tell the students that they are to slowly explore the class room and find the treasure cards.
The treasure cards show reasons why people explored.
- Once the students have found all the cards ask them to categorise them into the reasons
why people explored:
o Resources and trade (markets, breadfruit trees, gold, silver, coffee, silk, tobacco, potatoes)
o Knowledge (scientific discoveries, spread religion)
• Debrief the activity by asking the students to explain what exploring means and what were the different reasons people explored.
Resources:
· Australian history: European exploration, www.australianhistory.org/exploration.php
· Captain Cook – Cook claims New South Wales, dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1319/ [3min 4 sec]
· Captain Cook – Great southern continent, dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/1320/ [1min 46sec]
· Captain Cook – Obsession and discovery, www.abc.net.au/tv/captaincook/#
· Early explorers of Australia, www.abc.net.au/navigators/history/earlyexplore.htm
· Endeavour journal, www.nationaltreasures.com.au/treasures/endeavorj/ [5min 0sec])
· The Perth Mint: Great maritime explorers of Australia, www.perthmint.com.au/catalogue/great-maritime-explorers-of-australia.aspx
· SMART Notebook: Our fleeting past
· Who was Captain Cook? www.captcook-ne.co.uk/ccne/who.htm [3min 0sec]
Assessment: Use Bubblus to mind map reasons for exploration
Pre-unit assessment to gauge current level of understanding (in terms of unit/topic/focus)
eg pre-test, teacher judgment, brainstorm, discussion questions prior to unit study through class discussion, gauge what students know about early Australia and its European exploration/ discovery, and how they might find out about them. Brainstorm & concept map:
· Who are the early explorers who came to Australia by sea? Early explorers of Australia, (model Captain Cook)
· What stories have you heard?
· Where did they come from? (model Captain Cook)
· Why did they come? (model Captain Cook)
· How would we find out about these early explorers?
· What do we need to find out about these explorers? (proforma headings)
· What information sources might be best? (generic)
Evidence based practice: To support evidence based practice, gather student work samples at the beginning of a unit. Later, gather work samples which show the progress made by students through explicit teaching and scaffolding. Provide feedback on specific learning.
Create time line using 'read write and think' of early explorers. People who came to Australia before and after Cook.
http://www.abc.net.au/navigators/history/earlyexplore.htm
EXplore
This activity focuses students on the basic history and concepts of navigation.
- http://www.abc.net.au/navigators/navigation/history.htm
- http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~feegi/
- http://www.nmm.ac.uk/TudorExploration/NMMFLASH/index.htm
The websites listed above contain a wealth of information and animations on the history and basic concepts of navigation. Teachers should ensure that students have grasped the basic concepts including the difference between dead reckoning and celestial navigation. - This activity focuses on the different types of instruments that are used in the science of navigation (eg Sextant, Station pointer, Cross staff, Chronometer, Pelorus, Azimuth Ring).
Explain
- Research the following 4 explorers in detail, one explorer per week.
- Dirt Hartog
- William Dampier
- Abel Tasman
- James Cook
Start Booklet
- Formative assessment: PaperPlate - silver (Who, When, What, Where).
- KWL chart
Elaborate
Board Game: This activity focuses students on the contributions that maritime explorers have made to Australian history.
Materials
Materials
- Various print and online resources as available eg http://www.abc.net.au/navigators/default.htm
- Resource 5: Outline Map of Australia
Students can make a very simple version of the game using the blank map and simple rules or enlarge the map and make more sophisticated rules.
Teaching sequence:
Divide students into groups. Each group is to focus on one of the explorers.
- Using the outline map of Australia, students are to mark out the route of exploration taken by their explorer and divide the route into spaces as for the spaces of a board game. Students can select which of the spaces are those for moving forward and which are for moving back.
- Allow students some time for research to devise playing cards for the game. Ask students to organise their information into two columns: Positive stories/facts/ Negative stories/facts
- Students can then transfer the key information to the playing cards i.e. positive information means move forwards or extra turn and negative information means move backward or miss a turn.
- When the students have completed their board game they can swap with other groups to gain feedback on their game.
Gathering evidence about student learning events about the explorer/exploration e.g. events about the explorer/exploration e.g. - ‘discoveries’
- naming places
- interactions with indigenous people
- equipment failures
- getting lost
- interactions with indigenous people
Evaluate
Summative Assessment - Boardgame
- Ask students to construct a timeline (Read Write Think Timeline) showing the significant dates in the history of Australian maritime exploration.
- · Exploration timeline - Australian land and sea explorers (1606-1770), gutenberg.net.au/explorers.html#exploretimeline