The once blue sky has turned a dirty shade of gray. The wind begins to howl. The expansive ocean surrounds you as it heaves and boils with passionate fury. Your small wooden ship groans as large waves break over its bow. Storms at sea were just one of many risks early explorers faced as they set out against the breaking waves of their own shore, and sailed toward distant and unknown lands. Welcome fellow voyager... Welcome to the Age of Exploration!

The Task: These early explorers plotted their courses carefully on navigational charts. Captains and others on board also kept logs or diaries during their journeys. Your task is to investigate these early expeditions to the New World. You will prepare a log detailing the experiences these early explorers had in the form of a web page.

The Process: You will use the Internet, textbooks and primary sources to investigate the voyages of an explorer. As you investigate be sure to look for the answers to the following items. Your journal should weave these with your own creative interpretation of the feeling and emotions of these explorers.

1. Prepare a map or chart of the route taken.

2. Describe the ships used by your explorer. This description should include the following information: ship size, traveling speed, and division of labor.

3. Prepare a timeline of the expedition. How long did the expedition last and what memorable events took place. This should be an annotated timeline, which means your dates should include pictures of the events unfolding (when possible).

4. Why did your explorer set sail? What were the goals of the expedition? Were these goals achieved?

5. Include graphics of the explorer, type of ship, etc.

6. Compile a detailed journal describing the voyage and exploration.
 
 

The Journal: You are to write your journal entries as if you are one of the explorers. Be extremely detailed in your descriptions of the ship, the crew, the voyage (your dress, diet, duties, and entertainment), the land or lands you help discover, and your reasons why you chose to go and your feelings about the ordeal.