European Exploration Simulation

I hope everyone is staying warm during these cold, winter days! At the beginning of the new year, I began my all time favorite social studies unit in 5th grade: The Age of Exploration. This is my second year teaching and I was able to revamp this unit from last year by incorporating an exploration simulation for the students to experience what it was like to be an explorer traveling across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to find new land. A simulation is a teacher-directed, student-driven activity that provides life-like problem solving experiences through role-playing or reenacting. Scenarios typically run, with role-playing students dealing with the situations that confront them, and me, the teacher, acting out all the other parts while coordinating the simulation.

With the help of Google Slides, I presented the situation in the scenario to students through photographs, maps, videos, music, etc. and then gave them time to make their decisions. I did not reveal the outcome of each student’s or group’s decision until everyone has weighed in; only then did I respond to each person or group, with the rest of the class observing the outcome of the choices as scripted in the scenario.

By using Google Slides, the students were able to visualize what was happening in each scenario. It is also a great way to display directions. This is a complicated set of lessons and it was nice the directions were in plain sight for my students to view any time needed. Google Slides enhanced the simulation in ways I couldn't imagine!

Click on the image below to access the lesson plans to the European Exploration Simulations.