From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 1

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World

Holli Trentowski
December 7 2014
HIS 330
Dr. Danielson

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 2

Table of Contents:
Learners and Learning Differences
(From Teaching and Learning Assignemnt)

Page 3

Content Knowledge and Application

(Enduring Understandings, Essential Questions, Standards, Assessment Plan)

Page 4

Lesson Plan 1

Page 9

Lesson Plan 2

Page 14

Lesson Plan 3

Page 19

Lesson Plan 4

Page 25

Lesson Plan 5

Page 37

Lesson Plan 6

Page 42

Lesson Plan 7

Page 46

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 3

1. World History Holli Trentowski

2. Learners and Learning Differences
a. Learners:
i. The learners in my 6th grade classroom are 95% Native American and Latinos
with a few Caucasian and other mixed ethnicities. There is a close to an even
split between males and females in the classroom. As far as needs are
concerned, one of the class periods there are a large amount of IEP students,
9 students, and one specific student who is in the classroom but mostly one
on one with an aid. This student in particular is being tested to see if he can
actually function in a mainstream classroom. The number of IEP students
and only one aid along with the teacher puts a lot of strain on the running of
the class. Their needs can be extensive such as understanding questions or
just the reading that they do not understand. Some of the IEP students are at
a few grade levels below 6th as far as their reading levels.
b. Learning differences:
i. I plan to address students learning differences by using a combination of
understanding by design and differentiated instruction. To account for
differentiated instruction I would provide audio, visual, handouts, movie
clips, music, and any other mediums I could incorporate. Along with
instruction I would also vary the types of assessment that I would give the
learners. Therefore they can pick the way in which they want to represent
what they have learned; specific criteria would be given for each method.
Students will be assessed through the use of class discussions, group work,
presentations, role playing, and mock trials so that they can show through a
process and experience what they have learned. These assessments will not
only evaluate the learners content knowledge but also how they chose to
apply that knowledge, evaluating important skills as well. As far as content is
concerned I will make it as relevant as possible to the learners to help interest
and engage them. These connections will be made to their cultural
backgrounds when possible and also to current issues or controversial topics
to peak interest.
c. Learning Environment:
i. My classroom will strive to encourage students to engage with the content
but also encourage higher level thinking and grasp big ideas within the
course. Questions are open ended and help students explore bigger ideas and
themes. Making my curriculum clear will be achieved through being upfront
with expectations and criteria I will have, through content being relevant and
presented in many different ways. Giving students the creativity to pick an
assessment that best fits them instead of conforming to a traditional test. I
would like to implement a lot of group discussion so that learners are more
responsible in their education as far as doing the proper reading and bringing
good question and engaging learners to think about higher learning. To try
and foster a creative environment I will put up posters of maps but also have
students in groups in a class activity through the year, where they can create
their own countries teaching them history in a hands on and competitive
way. Another idea is to have a huge timeline that spans the classroom that
students can fill steadily throughout the year of important dates and events
from the content. I would also like to have the students in seating in groups

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 4

which would be their countries, I believe it will foster a good sense of

community and help learners develop the skill of working in a group. A lot of
the positive reinforcements and motivational encouragement will come from
being in a group and the idea that other people are counting on everyone in
the group.
3. Content and Content Knowledge Application
a. Big Idea/Enduring Understanding/Unit OrganizerIdentify and explain your
enduring understanding for this unit.
i. analyze the causes and severity of Native American mortality rates from 1500
to 1650
1. This is important to understand the causes and effects of the Spanish
conquest of the Americas.
ii. describe the contributions of the linking between the Americas, Europe, and
Africa in terms of exchanging plants, humans, animals, and germs
1. This shows what the effects of the linking of the continents that
resulted because of the Columbian Exchange.
iii. explain the consequences of the linking of continents by global trade
1. This is similar to the above enduring understanding stressing the
significance of the trade and how it had certain consequences of the
continents from the trading of animals, humans, germs, etc.
iv. evaluate the moral significance of:
The massive die-off of Native American populations in the period 1500-1650
Trade involving enslaved Africans
1. This understanding is important because students are connecting
through empathy to the history and to those that were oppressed.
v. assess documents and numerical evidence for reliability, and use to support
and formulate their own arguments
1. This understanding is important because students will learn historical
skills of analyzing primary and secondary documents for evidence,
and also noting what biases the author has, or their reliability.
vi. understand the motivations behind Spanish conquest
1. This understanding is important because it helps students realize the
factors and reasons why the Spanish colonized the Americas, using
more of an inquisitive method than just standing that he Spanish
conquered the Americas.
vii. understand the significance that the Spanish exploration and Columbian
Exchange has had on the world today
1. This helps connect students to history and that it is never ending and
has its importance in things that happen today. This helps students
engage in the material on a deeper level and have them understand
that history is a process and not just facts and dates.
viii. Understand the influence the Columbian exchange and geography had in
terms of food on culture of other countries
1. This understanding is similar to the previous ones, which are to show
students the contributions of the Columbian Exchange. How both
the exchange and geography has effect on cultural aspect.
ix. The Spanish viewed the Natives as different then themselves for reasons that
they believed they were uncivilized

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 5

1. This is an important factor to understand as a reason why the

Spanish wanted to conquered the natives along with religious and
economic reasons.
b. Essential Questions
i. What does humanity mean? What did it mean to the Spanish explorers? Were
the Natives considered human?
ii. What were the benefits and draw backs to the Columbian Exchange? What
were some of the resulting consequences of the trade?
iii. Were the Spanish justified in their actions against the Native populations?
iv. What is the significance of Columbus today? Do you agree with the political
correctness that Seattle is taking a stand on?
v. What is the significance of the Columbian Exchange today?
vi. Why did the Spanish come to the new world?
c. Standards:
i. Arizonas College and Career Ready (CCR) Standards
1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
Assessment: Students exhibit this every time they are required
to read any primary and secondary sources, or watch a film.
All of the assessments in my unit measure how well students
can synthesize the information that is given to them.
2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or
purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular
facts).
Assessment: Campaign- students will understand that the
authors will have certain motivations. The Controversy filmalso holds certain bias from the author about the characters
such as de las casas. This stand is important in that it makes
students aware of the author and their purpose for writing
primary or secondary sources.
3. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs,
videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
Assessment: Students such as in the geography lesson and the
campaign lesson are able to implement other visual
information to help support their argument. Also throughout
the lesson information in integrated in as many different
media options as possible.
ii. National Council for Social Studies (NCSS)
1. 1.1: Culture and Cultural Diversity Shows multiple perspectives
(beyond the majority culture/perspective).
Assessment: This is basically essential to the ubit because it is
taking something that students learn about, which is the
discovery of America. However the unit helps provide more

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 6

perspectives than the traditional view. Students are not just

simply fed information they have the ability to make their
own opinions.
2. 1.9: Global Connections Shows both similarities that occur across
the globe and global interconnectedness.
Assessment: This is an influential standard where the
Columbian Exchange is concerned. It is essentially a
manifestation of global interconnected ness through the
trading of the exchange. Students will demonstrate this more
specifically in their presentations for the geography lesson.
3. 1.3: People, Places, and Environment Shows the relationship
between people, places and environment.
Assessment: This is important for the whole unit because the
Spanish exploration as well as the Columbian Exchange has
everything to do with people interacting with places and the
environment. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of
this specifically in the geography lesson.
d. Assessment Plan
i. Pre-assessment
1. KWL Chart: Students will be asked what they know about Columbus,
the New World, and the Columbian Exchange. This is a good way to
start the unit to see what students for the most part already know or
what preconceptions they might have. It will be filled out completely
at the end of the unit as students show what they have learned. This
is effective for teachers wanting to know what students know and if
the students learned what they were intended to at the end of the
unit. This assignment is also a summative assessment and has a total
of 15 points.
ii. Formative assessments
1. Card Discussion: This assignment is a formative assessment where
students will be assessed by their ability to communicate verbally
their ideas and through written form. Students will use the inquiry
method of learning by questioning the reading and working through
it in groups and with the class. This assignment is out of 50 points.
2. Geography Presentations: This is a formative assessment where
students would be presenting to the class their specific information
gathered by given material on their assigned food crop. This will
show what they learned about the Columbian Exchange. It will also
check if they understood the cultural significance that food has, as
well as the importance of the trade which was able to overstep the
geographical boundaries to be able to have the circulation of new
goods. This assignment will be out of 50 points.
3. Exit tickets: The assignment at the end of class provides evidence of
what the students learned through the discussion, activity, or project.
It is also something the teacher could use to reflect on to improve or
modify their teaching. This assignment is out of 10 points.
iii. Summative assessment

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 7

1. Mock Trial: This assignment is a summative assessment, checking

progress and is the assessing the conclusiveness of the other lessons
before it. This assignment will assess how students can tie in the
information they have gathered into a cohesive argument. Also it will
measure how well students can use textual evidence to substantiate
their claims which in this case will be assigned to them, thus making
them be versatile enough to fight for something they personally may
not believe in. This assignment is out of 70 points.
2. Debate: The debate is a summative assessment, in which the students
will be assessed on how well they pull from the text to support their
argument. Significant evidence will be used and analyzed to fit the
persuasive argument that students will be presenting. The
presentation of their argument will be also graded on how organized
and well put together it is. Out of 65 points.
3. KWL Chart: At the end of the Unit the student will write down what
they have learned about the age of Exploration. This will be a good
source of evaluation for the teacher who can check to see if the
students accomplished all of the learning goals assigned to the unit.
This assignment will be out of 15 points just for participation/
attendance.
iv. Scoring/Rubric: Summative Debate grading rubric

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 8

Grading of the Debate

1 2 3 4 5

Overview (Review/posting of agenda; Summary of case)

1 2 3 4 5

Diagnosis/Analysis (Review of chapter content; Issues/Problems in case)

1 2 3 4 5

Quality of Recommendations/Explanations (Reccs for what should be/

have been done differently, OR, Expls for why current situation successful)

1 2 3 4 5

Summary/Conclusion (Review of major points; Statement of relevance to

practice of management)

Process
1 2 3 4 5

Quality of Professional Attire/Grooming

1 2 3 4 5

Verbal Behavior (clarity/choice of words/voice level)

1 2 3 4 5

Nonverbal Behavior (posture; gestures/movement; eye contact; presence;

use of notes/reading)

1 2 3 4 5

Variety in Style (lecture; discussion; game; activity; skit; role play; quiz)

1 2 3 4 5

Audiovisual Support (Transparencies; PowerPoint; blackboard; video)

1 2 3 4 5

Level of Audience Involvement (Stimulation/structuring of activity/disc)

1 2 3 4 5

Timing (Within limit; coordination; use of time)

1 2 3 4 5

General Coherence (Ability to follow points; quality of transitions)

1 2 3 4 5
Total: /65

Creativity/Psychological Impact

Content

Process

2003, David M. Leuser, Ph.D. Plymouth State University. All rights reserved.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 9

e. Instructional Planning and Strategies:

LESSON PLAN 1
Day (s)________2________
FOCUS OF THIS LESSON: Introduce the controversy of Columbus and his effects on today.
Students will also be presented with different perspectives to the Discovery of the Americas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS LESSON FITS INTO UNIT: This lesson fits into
my bigger unit because it helps students form a connection from the discovery of America to
today. Showing how history is not just something in the past but that it is something that is
struggled with. This lesson also offers different perspectives of Columbus than the traditional
view. It also teaches the students important historical skills and the importance of primary
sources for informing about the past, and the lack of primary sources for the Taino people can
make it hard to understand what happened.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
understand the motivations behind Spanish conquest
understand the significance that the Spanish exploration and Columbian Exchange has
had on the world today
analyze the causes and severity of Native American mortality rates from 1500 to 1650
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Were the Spanish justified in their actions against the Native populations?
What is the significance of Columbus today? Do you agree with the political correctness
that Seattle is taking a stand on?
How does it affect us historically by not having primary sources from the Taino people?
CONTENT OBJECTIVES (specific to this particular lesson)
The different perspectives that there were of Columbus, traditionally he is portrayed as a
hero, but with the other views there is more of an argument about his character.
Motivations behind Spanish exploration
Learn about the time period and what was acceptable then is not acceptable now
SKILL OBJECTIVES (specific to this particular lesson)
Analyzing primary sources
Finding evidence to support an argument
Develop empathy for natives
COMMON CORE CCR STANDARDS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
NCSS THEME/S
1.1: Culture and Cultural Diversity Shows multiple perspectives (beyond the
majority culture/perspective)
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU AS AN INSTRUCTOR NEED TO KNOW TO TEACH
THIS LESSON (be specific):
The controversy over Columbus Day, and the different arguments
Different primary sources of the Taino natives and the sailors from Columbus expedition

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 10

thought of him
Background of Columbus expedition to the Americas
ASSESSMENT/s:
Pre-assessment in form on KWL chart. Students will be asked what they know about
Columbus, the New World, and the Columbian Exchange. This is a good way to start of
the unit to see what students for the most part already know or what preconceptions they
might have.
Not much will be assessed during this assignment besides that the students actually
completed it, until the mock trial where students will use the assignment to help give
them evidence and background knowledge. In the Mock trial it will be obvious if the
students did well on the assignment of looking at the different perspectives of Columbus.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/12/living/columbus-day-indigenous-people-day/ (Seattle
article)
http://fileserver.net-texts.com/asset.aspx?dl=no&id=13459 (Primary and Secondary
Source)
Differing Perspectives assignment sheet (below)

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 11

Differing Perspectives Handout

Name:________________________________ Date: ___________________________
What side is your group on? (Columbus or Taino)

What can you tell us about how the Spanish was viewed from your side?

What happened when the Spanish came to the New World?

What did you find significant about any of the primary or secondary sources? Was there
something that you learned that was different from the way the discovery of America is
traditionally taught?

Do you agree with the Seattle School Board decision? Why or why not?

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 12

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
N/A
USE OF INQUIRY:
Students will be guided by the question of how was Columbus viewed according to the
Taino natives and the sailors on Columbus voyage? This will get students to explore on
the sailor side the motivations that Spain had for sending Columbus to the new world.
They will be able to see past that he is considered a murder now, and in the setting of the
time period things were different.
Students will also be thinking about the Seattle school board decision and whether or not
Columbus should still be honored for finding the New World with the considerations of
the time period or from the stand point of today.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Students will be given handouts so those with different seeing abilities will be
incorporated
The assignment where students will be making a picture story and providing an answer to
the question how Columbus was view according to what perspective, will be worked on a
little during class and at home for homework. This way those students who work slower
will not be pressured to get the work done during class.
LESSON OUTLINE AND DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES:
The lesson will first start off with students taking a KWL chart pre-assessment where they
write down everything they know about Columbus, the New World, and the Columbian
Exchange. The KWL charts will be collected at the end of class as an exit ticket for students to
leave. Next there will be a hook, the changing of Columbus Day by the Seattle school board to
Indigenous Peoples day. This will get students interested because most students know what
Columbus Day is and its significance. The students will each read the article of the Seattle
decision and then the class will have a discussion about if the decision was right. This discussion
will be very brief, just something to introduce the topic and connect it to a controversy of today.
This article will be revisited after students within the next week explore more about both
perspectives on Columbus and how the time period and motivations are a factor when looking at
history. Next the assignment of differing perspectives will be assigned, in which students are
split into one of two groups (Taino or Columbus) and given primary or secondary documents for
each perspective on Columbus. Students must be succinct with their summary of main points
from the sources to back up their perspective of for or against Columbus. This assignment will
worked on the next day and a discussion will take place on what students learned from their
perspective. At the end a discussion will be held about the lack there of primary evidence from
the Taino people, and how important primary documents are for historical research.
Primary source and secondary source analysis
Differing perspectives
Discussion
STEP BY STEP SEQUENCE OF DAILY PLAN:
Time

Activity

Students Learning
Tasks

Teachers Learning
Tasks

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 13

10 Minutes

Opening activity

Students will be
filling out a KWL
chart for pre-assessing
their knowledge on
this unit

25-35 Minutes

Main activity

Students will be
reading the Columbus
article and discussing
if the decision was
justifiable

5 Minutes/ and the

whole next day

Closing activity

Students will work on

their assignment
briefly, the important
thing is that they
know what they will
be doing the next day

10 Minutes at the end

of the second day

Wrap Up

Discuss how some

students had difficulty
coming up with
information because
they did not have any
primary sources for
the Taino people

Instruct students to
make one with a blank
sheet of paper, and
then collect them at
the end of class as an
exit ticket. This will
help the teacher know
what the students
already know and
maybe places of
instruction that need
to be focused more
than others.
Hand out the article
on Seattle decision
and walk around the
class, after I will ask
questions to prompt
student discussion
Give Differing
Perspectives
assignment and hand
out primary source
documents after
separating the
students into one of
two groups
Facilitate discussion,
ask how the lack of
primary accounts
impedes historical
research, and the
history that is told

Bibliography:
Grinberg, E. (1970, January 1). Instead of Columbus Day, some U.S. cities celebrate Indigenous
People's Day. Retrieved December 6, 2014, from
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/12/living/columbus-day-indigenous-people-day/
Primary and Secondary Sources- Christopher Columbus. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2014,from
http://fileserver.net-texts.com/asset.aspx?dl=no&id=13459

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 14

LESSON PLAN 2
Day (s)_____2___________
FOCUS OF THIS LESSON: Campaigning for a New World
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS LESSON FITS INTO UNIT: This lesson fits into
the bigger unit because helps students recognize the motivations for the Spanish conquering the
new world in a more in depth way. Here students will assess documents and will create their own
advertisement using persuasive voice and textual support to motivate the Spanish to come to the
new world. Both content and skills are heavily focused on in this lesson.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
assess documents and numerical evidence for reliability, and use to support and formulate
their own arguments
understand the motivations behind Spanish conquest
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Why did the Spanish come to the new world?
CONTENT OBJECTIVES
Students will understand the political, economic, and social reasons for the Spanish
conquest of the Americas
SKILL OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to analyze primary and secondary sources
Students will be able to demonstrate persuasive voice
COMMON CORE CCR STANDARDS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded
language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.8
Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
NCSS THEME/S
1.6: Power, Authority, and Governance Shows both how the government functions
and how power and authority affect governments actions and responsibilities. This could
also examine how non-governmental groups and institutions use power and authority to
pursue their goals. For example, this could examine how factory owners used their power
and authority to marginalize their employees.
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU AS AN INSTRUCTOR NEED TO KNOW TO TEACH
THIS LESSON (be specific):
Motivations of why the Spanish exploration send people to the New World
o Religious aspects of Christianizing the natives
o The uncivilized native idea that the Spaniards had
ASSESSMENT/s: Specific description of assessment strategies that will be integrated into this
lesson. Briefly describe what evidence of student learning your assessments will provide. Be sure
that your assessments connect to your goals and strategies. Include a copy of the assessment and
scoring guide.
Students will be getting a deeper and more in depth knowledge of the motivations
pushing Spanish conquest

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 15

Students will gain more insight into the time period and how religion specifically played
a crucial role
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
http://www.isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic782699.files/azurara.pdf (Primary
Sources)
Instruction sheet for the campaign assignment (below)
Rubric for the campaign assignment (below)

Instructions for the Campaign Assignment

In groups of 4-5 people organize a campaign around a specific motivation for going to the New
World. You are Spaniards who want to motivate Spanish citizens back home to come colonize
the New World. You are in charge of coming up with a campaign that includes:
Slogan
Logo
Speech
Poster/ PowerPoint
presentation

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 16

Rubric for the Campaign Assignment

Slogan/logo
A-B
Had a slogan and
logo that mentions a
motivation for
Spanish people

Speech

A-B
Students have a well
written speech with
textual evidence,
persuasive voice,
consciously focused
on their specific
factor, and have
memorized some of
their lines

Presentation

A-B
Used good evidence
from the text, was
cohesive overall,
Students are looking
out at the class, not
down at a paper,
consciously focused
on their factor, and
had some kind of
visual

C-D
Students either did
not have a slogan or
logo, and they did
not have it linked
somehow to a
motivation for the
Spanish people to
come to the new
world

F
Students did not
have slogan or logo

C-D
Students have a
decent speech, are
reading from the
paper, not
consciously focused
on their factor, and
have a few pieces of
textual evidence,
more neutral than
persuasive
C-D
Students had 1-2
textual support, it is
not cohesive, 1
visual, students are
not prepared for the
presentation, not
consciously focused
on their factor, and
it is not apparent
that they did the
reading

F
Student is reading
from the paper,
argument is not
clear or well
supported with any
textual support

F
Students did not
have any textual
support or evidence,
no visuals, not
prepared

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 17

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
Students will be brought either into the computer lab or have a laptop cart in which
students can use technology to make their campaigns more polished and add whatever
desired effects they want.
USE OF INQUIRY:
What were the motivations for Spanish conquest? Why did they come to the New World?
What factors (politically, economically, and socially) drove the Spanish to colonize the
new world and try to convert the native populations?
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Students can make use of the technology for their campaigns, however it is not
mandatory. Students will be able to present their campaign in any number of ways as
long as it encompasses all of the criteria and is Okayed by the teacher beforehand.
The students are given two days to work on the assignment in their groups; therefore they
do not have to worry about having the assignment for homework and meeting all of their
other demands. This insures that they will work diligently during class time.
LESSON OUTLINE AND DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES
First off students will be given a rubric on what they need to accomplish with the
assignment then they will be split into groups. Students will be split into groups and given a
specific factor (economic, political, social, etc.) to focus on when they are creating their
campaign. Students will spend the remainder of class time as well as the next day to utilize their
time with their groups to get the assignment done. They will formulate their slogan, logo, speech,
and presentation assigning roles and getting materials.
Cooperative learning
Persuasive voice
Textual evidence and support
STEP BY STEP SEQUENCE OF DAILY PLAN:
Time

Activity

Students Learning
Tasks

Teachers
Learning Tasks

10 Minutes

Opening activity

The Differentiating
Perspectives
assignment will be
collected. Then
students will be
briefed on the new
assignment of the
campaign for the
motivations behind
Spanish conquest.
Students will be split
up into groups and
each will be given
one specific factor
for the motivation to
focus on

The teacher will

instruct students on
the assignment then
split then into
groups, giving out
their specific topic
for focus.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 18

40- next day 50

Minutes

Main activity

Students will work in

their groups to
complete the
assignment using or
not using technology
available.

The teacher will

then walk around
addressing any
questions or
concerns.

Bibliography:
A New Era of Human Interconnectedness. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2014, from
http://www.isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic782699.files/azurara.pdf

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 19

LESSON PLAN 3
Day (s)_____3___________
FOCUS OF THIS LESSON: Mock Trial of Columbus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS LESSON FITS INTO UNIT: This lesson fits into
the bigger unit because it is having students use all of the information and skills that they have
learned up to this point and be able to tie it all together. The students will also get practice
supporting an argument that is not necessarily theirs with textual evidence. They will also work
cooperatively and verbally communicate to others, this fits into my teaching philosophy and as
far as content it addresses motivations for the Spanish and how to look at someone like
Columbus through the time period.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
analyze the causes and severity of Native American mortality rates from 1500 to 1650
evaluate the moral significance of
o The massive die-off of Native American populations in the period 1500-1650
assess documents and numerical evidence for reliability, and use to support and formulate
their own arguments
understand the motivations behind Spanish conquest
understand the significance that the Spanish exploration and Columbian Exchange has
had on the world today
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Were the Spanish justified in their actions against the Native populations?
What is the significance of Columbus today? Do you agree with the political correctness
that Seattle is taking a stand on?
Why did the Spanish come to the new world?
CONTENT OBJECTIVES
Students will understand why the Spanish came to colonize the new world
Students will understand
SKILL OBJECTIVES
Students will learn how to work in groups
Students will be able to use evidence (primary and secondary sources) to back up their
argument
Students will be able to argue something efficiently even though they personally do not
believe in it
COMMON CORE CCR STANDARDS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
NCSS THEME/S
1.4: Individual Development and Identity This examines influential individuals in
society, as well as individuals who help students understand specific themes and
topics. This showed be approached in a culturally sensitive manner, providing culturally
diverse examples of important individuals.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 20

DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU AS AN INSTRUCTOR NEED TO KNOW TO TEACH

THIS LESSON (be specific):
Motivations behind Spanish conquest
Treatment of natives
Arguments for and against Columbus
ASSESSMENT/s:
This assignment is a summative assessment, checking progress and is the assessing the
conclusiveness of the other lessons before it. This assignment will assess how students
can tie in the information they have gathered into a cohesive argument. Also it will
measure how well students can use textual evidence to substantiate their claims which in
this case will be assigned to them, thus making them be versatile enough to fight for
something they personally may not believe in. The students will also be assessed by how
well they took notes and cites the text adding to their participation in the group.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
Mock trial rubric
Mock trial instructions handouts
Primary sources for motivations:
http://www.isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic782699.files/azurara.pdf

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 21

THE TRIAL OF COLUMBUS INSTRUCTIONS

Setup of the Trial:
You will be split into groups. Within each group, students will be separated into several roles including attorneys,
investigators, and jury.
Prosecution, defense, jury, and Columbus
Before the Trial:
Attorneys: Construct an opening statement and overall case against or in defense of Columus. You will each
construct your own case. The day of the trial you will have 10 minutes to decide which angle you want to take
during the trial.
Investigators: It is your job to find any evidence that may support your side of the case. For prosecution, you will
find quotes that support the idea that Columbus is a murderer, whereas the defense will find quotes that support
the idea that Columbus was justified.
Jury: Your job is to judge which side makes a better argument by backing up their claims with textual support.
Their presentation must be clean and professional and presented in a manner that is thoughtful and well put
together.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 22

MOCK TRIAL RUBRIC

Groups will be evaluated as a whole. You will also be evaluated individually based on your
case notes.
Did your group meet the following criteria?
5 points- Your opening statement was clear and well organized. You included your case theory,
the law, a preview of evidence and your request to the jury. (Both Groups)
10 points- You were an effective advocate for your side and you chose questions, which
demonstrated your case theory. (Both Groups)
10 points- Your cross-examination effectively demonstrated the weak points in the witness
testimony. (Both Groups)
10 points- Your closing argument was a complete summary of your case. You mentioned points
on your side as well as weaknesses in the arguments for the other side. (Both Groups)
5 points- Your demeanor was courteous and professional and showed that you understand the
conventions of a court procedure. (Both Groups)
10 points- You worked well as a team and emphasized your argument. (Both Groups)
20 points- Case Notes
Total= /70 Points

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 23

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
Students have access to laptops for researching additional material, must check sources
with teacher first before using in trial to make sure they are credible and reliable.
USE OF INQUIRY:
The whole mock trial will be driven by the question whether or not Columbus was
justified in his actions and coming to the New World even though there was an already
established civilizations of indigenous people there. Students through the use of primary
and secondary sources will argue for or against Columbus.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Students will receive handouts so those with impaired vision will not be affected
Students are accommodated with having in class time and out of class time to work on
the project
Those who struggle with reading primary and secondary sources will be helped not only
by the teacher during the class time allotted for the project, but by their group members
as well.
VOCABULARY:
Prosecution
Defendant
Jury
LESSON OUTLINE AND DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES:
Students will be given two whole class periods to work on this assignment, meet with
their group, and formulize their argument with sufficient evidence. For this assignment the
students will be split into two groups one that is arguing that Columbus was justified with his
actions and another who is arguing that he was not. Other students will be given roles such as the
jury and Columbus himself. Here students will demonstrate cooperative learning in groups and
learning how to use information that they are given or find to help support their argument. After
the actual mock trial the teacher will debrief the students and have them discuss as a class how
this ties back or does not tie back to the Seattle school board decision to change Columbus Day,
now that the students have gained more insight for themselves about the topic.
Cooperative learning
Learning important historical skills
Supporting a claim
Discussion
STEP BY STEP SEQUENCE OF DAILY PLAN:
Time
Activity
Students Learning
Teachers Learning
Tasks
Tasks
10 Minutes

Opening activity

Students will be
separated into one of
two groups either for
or against Columbus
or jury and Columbus
then given
instructions on the
mock trial

The teacher will place

students into groups
then give instructions
for trial

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 24

40 Minutes+50
Miutes

Main activity

40 Minutes

Main Activity
Mock Trial

10 Minutes

Wrap Up

Students will work

with their groups
cooperatively using
evidence from the text
to support their
argument and prepare
for the trial
The students will
present their
arguments and
rebuttals with
evidence, judges with
debate their decision
on who argued better
and present it to class
Students will decision
how the end decision
was reflective or not
reflective of the
Seattle school board
decision, and what
they true beliefs are
about the topic now
that they have gained
more insight

Give students primary

and secondary sources
for their evidence

Mediate the trial and

step in when the
students need help

Prompt students with

the question about the
Seattle school board
decision, and how
they felt about it now.
Collect the students
case notes so they can
be graded for
participation and
given back to them

Bibliography:
A New Era of Human Interconnectedness. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2014, from
http://www.isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic782699.files/azurara.pdf

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 25

LESSON PLAN 4
Day (s) 2
FOCUS OF THIS LESSON Geography of the Columbian Exchange
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS LESSON FITS INTO UNIT: The lesson is
showing the significance of the geography in terms of the Columbian Exchange. If not for the
trade which helped surpass the geography, students will learn they would not have gotten certain
items that they have today. This lesson teaches students important skills and is based on the
inquiry method.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
Understand the influence the Columbian exchange and geography had on food on culture
of other countries
Before the Columbian Exchange the environment has shaped what foods originated in
certain continents
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What is the significance of the Columbian Exchange today?
What role does environment play in terms of culture?
CONTENT OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to understand the significance of the exchange in food crops to
become staple foods in different countries.
SKILL OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to analyze environmental data and infer from it the causes of why
certain food crops did not originate in particular countries.
COMMON CORE CCR STANDARDS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.5
Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with
other information in print and digital texts.
NCSS THEME/S
1.3: People, Places, and Environment Shows the relationship between people, places
and environment. For example, peoples effect of the environment could be traced by
examining how people have changed the environment by trying to make water more
accessible. Similarly, the effect of the environment on people could be traced by
examining how environmental characteristics have caused people to move or to change
their lifestyle.
1.9: Global Connections Shows both similarities that occur across the globe and global
interconnectedness.
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU AS AN INSTRUCTOR NEED TO KNOW TO TEACH
THIS LESSON (be specific):
Where different food crops originated before the Columbian Exchange
The significance of specifically traded food crops on certain cultures
The impact environment had on the growing of the food crops (where the food is best
grown in and the environment of the country that the food originated in)
ASSESSMENT/s:
Presentation: This is a formative assessment where students would be presenting to the

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 26

class their specific information gathered by given material on their assigned food crop.
This will show what they learned about the Columbian Exchange. It will also check if
they understood the cultural significance that food has, as well as the importance of the
trade which was able to overstep the geographical boundaries to be able to have the
circulation of new goods.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a fruit that originated in South America. Botanists believe that approximately 1,000 years
before the Spanish arrived in the Americas, an unidentified wild ancestor of the tomato made its way
north and came to be cultivated in South and Central America (Smith, 1994, p. 17). The tomato is fifi rst
mentioned in European texts in 1544. Mathiolus described how tomatoes, pomi doro (golden apple),
were eaten in Italy with oil, salt, and pepper, suggesting that the first tomatoes in Europe were yellow
and not red (Gould, 1983, pp. 3053). European cultivation became widespread in the ensuing decades
in Spain, Italy, and in France. The first documented authentic recipe in Italy appeared in 1692 in an early
Italian cookbook, Lo scalco alla moderna, by Antonio Latini. Tomatoes were brought to Asia by Spaniards
who visited the Philippines in 1564. However, in China, where they were regarded as foods of the
southern barbarians, they were not cultivated until the twentieth century (Anderson, 1988, p. 94). In
North Africa, English travelers reported that Spanish tomates were cultivated in fields of North Barbary
as early as 1671 (McCue, 1952, p. 330). One of the difficulties in consuming tomatoes was that they did
not preserve well. Ripe tomatoes can become putrid within days in hot climates. The canning process
helped increase the shelf life of the tomato to several months, but prior to 1890, it was a costly manual
process. The mechanization of canning at the turn of the twentieth century significantly lowered the
cost of this process and resulted in a significant increase in tomato consumption (Gould, 1983, pp. 30
53). Tomatoes have truly become a global food. As shown in Table 2, nine of the top ten tomatoconsuming countries are Old World countries. Greece consumes the most tomatoes per capita, followed
by other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. Italy, known for its use of tomato sauces with
pasta and on pizza, ranks sixth on the list. Table 3 lists the top ten producers of some New and Old
World foods. The top producers of tomatoes are listed in panel A of the table; eight of the top ten
producers are Old World countries, with only two New World countries, Brazil and Mexico, breaking the
list of top tomato producers. Although not particularly rich in calories, tomatoes are an important
source of vitamins, particularly vitamins A and C. The tomato has been so thoroughly adopted and
integrated into Western diets that today it provides more nutrients and vitamins than any other fruit or
vegetable (Sokolov, 1993, p. 108). Medical researchers have also recently discovered a number of
additional health benefits from tomato consumption. Recent research has found that lycopene, a
powerful antioxidant contained in cooked or canned tomatoes, has properties that may help reduce
cancer (for example, Basu and Imrhan, 2007). Although research is still in progress, the American Cancer
Society has already begun to promote increased consumption of tomatoes as a potential method for
cancer prevention.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 27

Cacao
The Codex Mendozaan Aztec record of administration and description of daily life, written
approximately 20 years after the Spanish conquest of Mexico documents that by the time Cortes
arrived, chocolate was being cultivated by farmers in the Yucatan and was traded in large quantities
throughout the Empire (Prescott, 1843, p. 11; West, 1992, p. 108). Historical records indicate that
Columbus first brought back specimens of cacao pods to King Ferdinand I after his second voyage to the
New World. Outside of the Americas, cacao was first cultivated in 1590 by the Spanish off the coast of
Africa on the island of Fernando Po (West, 1992, pp. 110111). At first, it was used in expensive
chocolate drinks, mainly confined to aristocratic courts. From Spain, it spread to Italy, and then to
France via the royal marriage of Philip IIIs daughter, Ana of Austria, with Louis XIII. In England, Samuel
Pepys, the renowned seventeenth century diarist, records that chocolate drinks changed from being
novelty drinks to a regular luncheon beverage of the middle class during his lifetime (McLeod, 2001).
The Spanish held a monopoly on production and trade of cacao up until the seventeenth century when
the French began cacao production in Martinique and Saint Lucia. The Dutch also began production of
cacao in Indonesia, which was the Dutch East Indies at the time. Even today, as shown by Panel A of
Table 3, Indonesia remains one of the largest producers of cacao beans. Cacao cultivation came late to
mainland Africa, with Cameroon and Ghana being the first cultivators in the late 1870s and 1880s (West,
1992, pp. 11618). But today, the West African countries of Cameroon, Cote dIvoire, Ghana, and
Nigeria are among the worlds largest producers of cacao beans, with Cote dIvoire being the largest
producer in the world (again, see Panel A of Table 3). While chocolate is most popularly consumed as a
condiment, candy or dessert, cacao is also a high energy food known for lifting psychological effects.
Pure chocolate, which is more than half cocoa butter, has a higher energy output per unit of weight than
most other carbohydrate- or protein-rich foods. This has made it an important food for physically taxing
expeditions where travelers needed to minimize the food carried. For example, in Roald Amundsens
trek to the South Pole, his men were allocated 4,560 calories per day, of which over 1,000 came from
cacao (West, 1992, pp. 11718).

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 28

Sugar Cane
The most striking example of an Old World crop that could be much more effectively cultivated in the
New World is sugar cane. Most of the worlds land suitable for sugar cultivation lies in the Americas,
particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Sugar cane was first carried to the New World (from the
Spanish Canary Islands) on Columbus second voyage in 1493 and was first cultivated in Spanish Santo
Domingo (Dominican Republic). By 1509, enslaved Africans were being imported to the island, and by
1516, sugar was being exported to Europe. Soon after, the Portuguese also brought sugar cane across
the Atlantic, and by 1526, sugar was being exported from Brazil to Lisbon (Mintz, 1985, pp. 3233).
Beginning in the last two decades of the sixteenth century, the interests of the Dutch, English, and
French also turned to sugar production. Between 1630 and 1660, the Dutch, English, and French began
to found their own sugar colonies. The climate in the Americas provided such an advantage to New
World sugar producers that by 1680, sugar cane production was dominated by the New World
(Galloway, 2005, pp. 7883). One consequence of the large-scale production of sugar in the Americas
was that, for the first time in human history, there was a large enough supply of the commodity that it
could be consumed by the commoner in Europe. In England, the annual per capita consumption of sugar
increased by 20-fold between 1663 and 1775, and it increased a further five-fold between 1835 and
1935 (Sheridan, 1974, p. 21, Burnett, 1966, p. 274). Sugar, providing a cheap and easy source of calories
for the growing urban working class in Europe, was first consumed in tea and other hot drinks. During
the nineteenth century, sugar consumption further increased as processed foodssuch as jams, cakes
and biscuits, canned vegetables and fruits, relishes, and white breadbecame more common
(Galloway, 2005, pp. 69). It is hard to overstate the importance of sugar for the European masses.
Hersh and Voth (2009) estimate that the increase in sugar availability between 1600 and 1850 increased
English welfare by an amazing 8 percent. Anthropologist Sidney Mintz (1985, p. 180) even goes so far as
to put forth a hypothesis about the importance of sugar for creating an industrial working class in the
United Kingdom. He writes that sugar, by provisioning, satingand, indeed, druggingfarm and
factory workers, sharply reduced the overall cost of creating and reproducing the metropolitan
proletariat.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 29

Name(s):________________________________
Group Presentations: Columbian Exchange Food Crops
In your groups of 4-5 people you are in change of reading your excerpts on your assigned food crop
(Potatoes, sugar, cacao, and tomatoes). Your presentations will be 2-3 minutes maximum and you are in
change of covering the specific questions below and anything else that you deem important.

What is your crop?

Where did it originate?
What are its uses?
What significance does it hold culturally?
Taking into consideration both maps why do you think geographically your food crop did not
originate in U.S.?

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 30

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 31

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 32

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 33

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 34

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:

The computer and projector will be utilized for a website showing students that food they
eat regularly was not around before 1492 to show the importance of the Columbian trade.
o http://exploration.marinersmuseum.org/
USE OF INQUIRY:
How food can be culturally significance and how the exchange was able to maneuver
around the idea that environments shape cultures.
Students will question why certain food crops grew in certain regions with given
information
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Cultural relevance with the use of food
Handouts so students can read up close
Map for visual learners
Questions for students to guide their presentations
LESSON OUTLINE AND DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES: Briefly describe your lesson
and the strategies that you will be using.
Cooperative learning
Inquiry based
Student based
Research
STEP BY STEP SEQUENCE OF DAILY PLAN:
Time
Activity
Students Learning Teachers Learning
Tasks
Tasks
10 Minutes

Opening Activity:
Students will as a
class participate in
the Whose Lunch
is it Anyway
activity

40 Minutes

Main Activity

Students are
identifying that
certain foods they
have access today
they would not have
before 1492 if not
for the Columbian
Exchange
Students will be
placed into groups
with a specific food
plant that took part
in the exchange.
They will be given
sections of
information on their
given food along
with 4 maps. They
are in charge of
answering questions
in the rubric for their

I will be the one

controlling the
activity and asking
students what food
they want to pick

Will group students

into groups
specializing on a
food plant that took
part in the exchange.
The teacher will
give students a
handout for their
presentation of what
they should look for
in their presentation.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 35

presentation (for
non-modified this
would be given for a
day to students to
fully prepare).
45 Minutes
(Following day)

Main activity

10 Minutes

Wrap Up/ HW

Students will present

on their given food
crop. The other
groups will take
notes on what the
other groups present
in a graphic
organizer. The
presentations would
also be in more of a
visual format, power
point, or whatever
the students wanted
to present it.
Students will create
a list of what they
ate for that week and
in class the next day
they will go through
and cross off
everything that they
would not be able to
have if not for the
Columbian Exhange

Will assess how well

the students
included things from
the handout in the
presentation. The
information that the
groups give will be
recorded and will be
used at the end on a
test.

Help students cross

off things they
would not have if
not for the exchange

Bibliography:
Garcia-Herrera, R., Gallego, D., Hernandez, E., Gimeno, L., Ribera, P., & Calvo, N.
(2002).
Short Communication: Precipitation Trends in the Canary Islands. International Journal of
Climattology, 23(2), 235-241.
Geography of Central and South America. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from
http://worldregionsproject.wikispaces.com/Geography of Central and South
America
Mexico: Topography. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from
http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-166475
Nunn, N., & Qian, N. (n.d.). The Columbian Exchange: A History Of Disease, Food, And
Ideas.Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(2), 163-188. Retrieved December 2, 2014,
from http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/jep.24.2.163
South America Physical Map. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from
http://www.mapsofworld.com/physical-map/south-america.htm

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 36

The Ages of Exploration. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from

http://exploration.marinersmuseum.org/
The three main causes of precipitation in Mexico. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from
http://geo-mexico.com/?p=9508
USA Canary Islands Canary islands geography and discovery vacations directly from the
US.(n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from
http://www.usacanaryislands.com/en/geography.aspx
U.S. History II: Geography Cities, States, Regions. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2014, from
https://seventhgradehistory.wikispaces.com/Geography Cities, States, Regions

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 37

LESSON PLAN 5
Day (s)_______1_________
FOCUS OF THIS LESSON: Guns, Germs, and Steel-Understanding the consequences of the
Columbian Exchange
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS LESSON FITS INTO UNIT: This lesson fits into
the unit because it helps students this time in a visual manner see how the connections of the
continents through the Columbian Exchange brought good things but there were also
consequences. Not only have that but the film helps students understand why the Spanish were
able to overtake the Americas, instead of just telling them that it happened. The film does an
excellent job showing how through the use of technology and disease the Spanish were able to
conquer the Americas.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
analyze the causes and severity of Native American mortality rates from 1500 to 1650
describe the contributions of the linking between the Americas, Europe, and Africa in
terms of exchanging plants, humans, animals, and germs
evaluate the moral significance of
The massive die-off of Native American populations in the period 1500-1650
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What were the benefits and draw backs to the Columbian Exchange? What were some of
the resulting consequences of the trade?
CONTENT OBJECTIVES

Students will understand how technology and diseases helped the Spanish conquer the
Americas
SKILL OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to pause and go in depth during the film discussing what they had
just watched and be able to connect it to ideas of the class
COMMON CORE CCR STANDARDS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with
other information in print and digital texts.
NCSS THEME/S
1.8: Science, Technology, and Society Shows the development of science and
technology and how these developments have affected society.
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU AS AN INSTRUCTOR NEED TO KNOW TO TEACH
THIS LESSON (be specific):
What was exchanged when the Spanish conquered the Americas in terms of disease and
the war tactics that the Spanish used to conquered the land
ASSESSMENT/s:
Students during the film will be given a worksheet with questions which will keep the
students engaged in the film and have them understand how the Spanish were actually
able to conquer the Americas through the help of technology and germs.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXcj0ZEyIY8 (Guns Germs and Steel)

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 38

Film worksheet (below)

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 39

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 40

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 41

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
Film on YouTube link in the materials section
USE OF INQUIRY:
The questions about the film center around what factors led the Spanish to be able to
conquer the Indigenous people
Looks at why things happened instead of that they just happened
ACCOMMODATIONS:
The students will have a handout in which those with seeing impairments will be
accommodated
During the film I will find subtitles so those with hearing impairments will still be
included in the activity
It is in a visual and audio format which may be more appealing to certain students
learning abilities
VOCABULARY:
Agriculture
Smallpox
LESSON OUTLINE AND DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES:
Students will come into class receive a worksheet with questions that they must answer
about the film, Guns, Germs, and Steel, This film will show the students how through the use of
technology and disease the Spaniards were able to conquer the Americas. This film does a good
job at examining why things happened instead of just telling students that it happened and move
on. The film will be paused throughout so that students can think about certain aspects more in
depth.
Active viewing
Different format for learning
STEP BY STEP SEQUENCE OF DAILY PLAN:

Time

Activity

Students Learning Teachers Learning

Tasks
Tasks

50 Minutes

Main activity

Students will be
watching the film
and answering
questions about why
the Spanish were
able to conquer the
Americas

Bibliography:
Guns, germs, and steel [Motion picture]. (2005). National Geographic.

Pause the film so

that students can go
more in depth about
why certain things
happened and the
effects of technology
but also more
importantly disease
which is dependent
upon the
environment
(geographic
element)

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 42

LESSON PLAN 6

Day (s)_____2___________
FOCUS OF THIS LESSON: Controverse de Valladolid
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS LESSON FITS INTO UNIT: This lesson fits into
the bigger unit because it incorporates enduring understandings and essential questions of
initially understanding why Spanish conquest happened and the view that the Spanish had of the
natives as being uncivilized therefore unequal, and treated as slaves.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
understand the motivations behind Spanish conquest
The Spanish viewed the Natives as different then themselves for reasons that they
believed they were uncivilized
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What does humanity mean? What did it mean to the Spanish explorers? Were the Natives
considered human?
CONTENT OBJECTIVES
Students will understand that the majority of the Spanish saw the natives as being
different than them therefore the Spanish saw themselves as superior
Humanity is an important concept during this debate and the mission of the Spanish
religiously in the new world
o Religious aspect the Spanish sought to save the natives and convert them
o Spanish saw the natives as different than them
SKILL OBJECTIVES
Verbal communication
Using textual support to back up claims
COMMON CORE CCR STANDARDS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded
language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
NCSS THEME/S
1.6: Power, Authority, and Governance Shows both how the government functions and
how power and authority affect governments actions and responsibilities. This could also
examine how non-governmental groups and institutions use power and authority to
pursue their goals.
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU AS AN INSTRUCTOR NEED TO KNOW:
The Controversy of Valladolid and its significance
Treatment of the Natives by the Spanish
ASSESSMENT/s:
This assignment is a formative assessment where students will be assessed by their ability
to communicate verbally their ideas and through written form. Students will use the
inquiry method of learning by questioning the reading and working through it in groups
and with the class. The exit ticket at the end will also provide evidence of what the
students learned through the discussion, and something the teacher could use to reflect
on. The questions that are generated from the discussion will also be used for a test in the
future.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/249225415/HIS-Controversy-de-Valladolid-PDF (transcript)

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 43

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 44

Discussion cards hand out

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
N/A
USE OF INQUIRY:
This whole activity is built off questions that the students have that they are interested in
or want to dive deeper into the material of the controversy. The students will use higher
level thinking by being able to use the text as well as other material that has been used in
class to back up their claims.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Handouts
Students can show their knowledge through written form and through verbal
communication in discussion
LESSON OUTLINE AND DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES:
For one class period students will be given the Controversy of Valladolid transcript and
are in charge of reading and annotating, making notes for themselves, and thinking of questions
they have at the end. The next day for warm up the students will create a discussion/essay
question that is both thoughtful and give a chance for deeper evaluation. Then the students will
get into two groups and discuss three of their questions and discuss taking notes along the way.
Then the class will come together as a group and each of the groups will have chosen one
question they thought was the best of their groups and pose it to the other group. At the end for a
wrap up students will write a one paragraph summary stating what they got out of the discussion.
Student led discussion
Cooperative learning
Tapering method
STEP BY STEP SEQUENCE OF DAILY PLAN:
Time

Activity

Students Learning
Tasks

Teachers Learning
Tasks

50 Minutes

Main Activity
(Reading of
Controversy)

3-5 Minutes (Next

Day)

Warm-Up

Students will spend a

whole class reading
the Controversy of
Valladolid transcript
annotating and
highlighting important
aspects
Students will start the
Card discussion by
selecting one
discussion question
that they had during
the reading and write
it on an index card
that the teacher will

The teacher will

facilitate instructions
and hand out the
transcripts then walk
around the class
helping students with
any questions
The teacher will
before class stamp
index cards with
either blue or red then
hand them out
randomly to the
students to write their
question on. Then

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 45

35 Minutes

Main Activity (Card

Discussion)

10 Minutes

Wrap Up

hand out along with

their best reply to
their question. Then
students will be
divided into their
groups blue or red
Students in their
groups will read then
pick three questions
that they thought were
the best. Then discuss
them in their groups.
From there they will
pick one question and
ask the other group
then together there
will be a class
discussion. During
these discussions
students are in charge
of taking notes of
important concepts
Using the notes and
ideas from the class
discussion students
must write a wellorganized paragraph
to summarize and
reply to the text. This
will be the exit ticket

divide the students

into two groups
according to their card
color.

Walk around and

monitor the discussion
in both groups

Instruct students of
the exit ticket and
collect it at the end of
class

Bibliography:
Burke, J., & Burke, J. (2007). Tools, texts for 50 essential lessons, grades 9-12. Portsmouth, NH:
Firsthand.
La Controverse de Valladolid: [Motion picture]. (1992). France 3, La Sept.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 46

LESSON PLAN 7
Day (s)______2__________
FOCUS OF THIS LESSON: Watch the Controversy de Valladolid and Debate
UNIT TITLE AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION: This lesson fits into the unit because it focuses
on cooperative learning as students in their groups tie together all of the information they have
received in the unit to create a succinct well put together argument using textual evidence. The
students will be demonstrating what they have learned this unit and developing important skills,
historically, and verbally.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING
The Spanish viewed the Natives as different then themselves for reasons that they
believed they were uncivilized
assess documents and numerical evidence for reliability, and use to support and formulate
their own arguments
evaluate the moral significance of
o The massive die-off of Native American populations in the period 1500-1650
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What does humanity mean? What did it mean to the Spanish explorers? Were the Natives
considered human?
Were the Spanish justified in their actions against the Native populations?
CONTENT OBJECTIVES
Spanish colonizing and the treatment of natives, stretching into a little bit of what is
called the Black legend, the idea that the Spanish conquistadors were more brutal than
other colonizers.
SKILL OBJECTIVES
Verbal communication
Working in groups
Analyzing of primary and secondary documents
Using textual evidence to support argument
COMMON CORE CCR STANDARDS (relevant to this particular lesson)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded
language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
NCSS THEME/S (relevant to this particular lesson)
1.2: Time and Continuity and Change Shows how causal events led to an outcome of
change or continuity.
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU AS AN INSTRUCTOR NEED TO KNOW TO TEACH
THIS LESSON (be specific):
Spanish inquisition
Black Legend
Controverse de Valladolid significance
ASSESSMENT/s:
The debate is a summative assessment, in which the students will be assessed on how

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 47

well they pull from the text to support their argument. Significant evidence will be used
and analyzed to fit the persuasive argument that students will be presenting. The
presentation of their argument will be also graded on how organized and well put
together it is.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
Peer review sheet
https://www.carroll.edu/msmillie/General/GrouppeerAssessmentform.pdf
Controversy de Valladolid film: (will follow along with transcript because it is in French)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlzHQISjeOs
Debate instructions (below)
Debate rubric (below)
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/contact/text7/mexica_tlaxcala.pdf
(native reflections primary/secondary sources)

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 48

Classroom Debates Instruction Handout

Introduction
The classroom debates are exercises designed to allow you to strengthen your skills in the
areas of leadership, interpersonal influence, teambuilding, group problem solving, and oral
presentation. Debate topics and position statements are outlined below. Groups may sign up
on a first come, first served basis, by specifying both the debate topic and the position desired
(i.e., Pro or Con). Note that all groups must have signed up for the debate by the date
denoted in the class schedule. All group members are expected to participate in the research,
development, and presentation of your debate position. Preparation will require substantial
library research. Each participating member will receive the same group grade.

Debate Format
6 minute Position Presentation - Pro
6 minute Position Presentation - Con
5 minute Work Period
4 minute Rebuttal - Pro
4 minute Rebuttal - Con
3 minute Work Period
2 minute Response - Pro
2 minute Response - Con
1 minute Work Period
2 minute Position Summary - Pro or Con
2 minute Position Summary - Pro or Con
5 minute Tallying of Ballots/Announcement of Winner

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 49

Grading of the Dabate

1 2 3 4 5

Overview (Review/posting of agenda; Summary of case)

1 2 3 4 5

Diagnosis/Analysis (Review of chapter content; Issues/Problems in case)

1 2 3 4 5

Quality of Recommendations/Explanations (Reccs for what should be/

have been done differently, OR, Expls for why current situation successful)

1 2 3 4 5

Summary/Conclusion (Review of major points; Statement of relevance to

practice of management)

Process
1 2 3 4 5

Quality of Professional Attire/Grooming

1 2 3 4 5

Verbal Behavior (clarity/choice of words/voice level)

1 2 3 4 5

Nonverbal Behavior (posture; gestures/movement; eye contact; presence;

use of notes/reading)

1 2 3 4 5

Variety in Style (lecture; discussion; game; activity; skit; role play; quiz)

1 2 3 4 5

Audiovisual Support (Transparencies; PowerPoint; blackboard; video)

1 2 3 4 5

Level of Audience Involvement (Stimulation/structuring of activity/disc)

1 2 3 4 5

Timing (Within limit; coordination; use of time)

1 2 3 4 5

General Coherence (Ability to follow points; quality of transitions)

1 2 3 4 5
Total: /65

Creativity/Psychological Impact

Content

Process

2003, David M. Leuser, Ph.D. Plymouth State University. All rights reserved.

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 50

USE OF TECHNOLOGY:
Video: Controversy de Valladolid
USE OF INQUIRY:
Students will be using critical thinking skills as they analyze the controversy of
Valladolid in both written and visual format for important themes that relate to the unit
such as the main theme of humanity. Humanity is the big theme here because the Spanish
re struggling with what it means to be human, which they are using to evaluate the native
people.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Visual representation of the transcript that the students had read to provide a different
medium as well as perspective
Verbal communication is for those who are more articulate using their words, and there is
a writing role for those students who are not as comfortable speaking their thoughts, but
writing them is comfortable.
LESSON OUTLINE AND DESCRIPTION OF STRATEGIES:
For the first day students will watch the controversy de Valladolid keeping important
parts in mind as well as their questions they asked during the Controversy card discussion. They
will take notes on those points as well taking down what the class discusses as the teacher stops
the film frequently at significant parts. The next class period the class will engage in discussion
about the film contrasted to the transcript and how it was portrayed through the visual format.
What they got from the film, and if it was more significant than the transcript, as well as any bias
that the director portrayed in showing the controversy. Next the students will receive instruction
and start working on their debate assignment. Students will be given sources along with past
ones for the unit to draw from as they prepare for the next class period debate. Student in
assigned groups of for or against the treatment of the natives the next day will have some time to
prepare in their groups picking their best statements to make as well as thinking of possible
rebuttals. The debate will be held and after the best debating side will win and discussed how it
is the same or different then what happened in their debate. Students will fill out a peer review
that will be used to evaluate the participation of group members.
Cooperative learning
Analyzing primary and secondary sources
Finding and applying evidence to an argument
Working on verbal communication
STEP BY STEP SEQUENCE OF DAILY PLAN:
Time

Activity

Students Learning
Tasks

Teachers Learning
Tasks

50 Minutes

Main activity

Watch the
Controversy film.
Students will keep
notes on parts that the
class discusses during
the film

Stop every now and

then so that parts of
the film may be
discussed (active
viewing)

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 51

15 Minutes (Next
Day)

Main Activity/Wrap
Up

Students will discuss

the film and compare
and contrast it to the
transcript. Did they
get more out of one or
the other? What bias
did the film maker
have?
Students will prepare
for the next class
which a debate will
take place. They will
use the sources they
have received this unit
and find evidence to
either stop the
treatment of natives,
or continue (students
will be assigned their
role).
Students will get into
their groups and form
an argument with
their given evidence
that each student has
worked on.
Students will
participate in the
debate

Facilitate discussion
and questions

35 Minutes

Wrap up

10 Minutes

Warm up

30 Minutes

Main Activity

5 Minutes

Wrap up

Students will fill out

the peer review
worksheet

This will be the exit

ticket out of the door
that the teacher will
collect at the end of
class

5 Minutes

Wrap up

Students will discuss

the differences or
similarities between
the controversy and
the classes debate

Help summarize the

main points of the unit

Give instructions for

debate and split
students into two
groups one arguing
against the treatment
of the native and the
other for the
superiority of the
Spanish

Walk around and

answer any questions

Mediate debate and

judge the winner at
the end awarding
extra credit on the
next assignment

From Exploration to Exchange in the Early Atlantic World 52

Bibliography:
La Controverse de Valladolid: [Motion picture]. (1992). France 3, La Sept.
Leuser, D. (2003, January 1). Classroom Debates. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from
jupiter.plymouth.edu/~davidl/bu342/debates.doc
MEXICA (AZTEC) & TLAXCALA ACCOUNTS OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST, 1500s. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 7, 2014, from
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/contact/text7/mexica_tlaxcala.pdf
Smillie. (n.d.). Group Assessment. Retrieved December 5, 2014, from
https://www.carroll.edu/msmillie/General/GrouppeerAssessmentform.pdf