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Columbus Day Lesson Plan

Celebrate the Man Who Found America

Aug 30, 2007

Columbus Day is not just a day to take off of school, but is a real opportunity to teach your children about the man who found America. Here are some useful ideas.

We celebrate Columbus Day on the second Monday of October every year. While most kids understand who Christopher Columbus was and what he did, they simply get more excited about having a day off of school. Take the time to teach your children about this holiday with the ideas presented below.

Who was Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Columbus is credited with being the first European to discover the New World in 1942, which today is America (believed to be the Bahamas). He was born in Italy, but his famous journey for the country of Spain. Many people did believe that the world was round, but did not think it was possible to make the journey around the entire globe. Columbus believed he could do it, and succeeded. He made four separate journeys, in fact. Columbus died on May 20, 1506.

The Famous Three Ships

Christopher Columbus and his crew of about 90 men set sail using three ships:

The Santa Maria - a cargo ship
The Nina - a caravel ship
The Pinta - a caravel ship

Activity: Find out what the difference is between a cargo ship and a caravel ship.

Floating Experiment:

A ship's weight is spread out to help maintain its balance when it comes into contact with water. Because of this, the upward push of water is strong enough to keep the boat afloat. Let's prove this point.

Materials:

2 lumps of modeling clay the same size
A clear glass bowl
Water

Directions:

Fill the bowl about 3/4 of the way with water.
Shape one lump of clay into a ball. Place it on the water. What happens? (It sinks.)
Mold the other lump of clay into the shape of a boat by hollowing out the middle and making it longer than it is wide. Place this on the water. What happens? (It stays afloat.)

Why This Happens...

The ball sunk because there was not enough water pushing against it. The boat floated because it had a greater area for the water to push against.

Reading Recommendations

The Log of Christopher Columbus - The First Voyage by Steven Lowe
A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David Adler
Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis

Miscellaneous Activities

Pretend you are Christopher Columbus. Make a list of foods you would have brought with you on your journey.
Writing Prompt: "As I landed on the shores of the New World, I..." (finish this prompt with two or three paragraphs of pretending that you are Christopher Columbus.)

Coloring Page

Print and color the Christopher Columbus coloring page below.

Christopher Columbus Coat of Arms

You can find a picture of Christopher Columbus' Coat of Arms by clicking here. Now use the Coat of Arms worksheet below to design your own Coat of Arms.

Note: Parents feel free to print this page for your personal homeschool or classroom use.

The copyright of the article Columbus Day Lesson Plan in Homeschool Curricula is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish Columbus Day Lesson Plan in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.