Materials

• Textbook
• “European Exploration from 1400 to 1700” handout (Attachment A)

Instructional Activities

1. Introduce the unit by asking students what personal characteristics they think were important for the European explorers to possess. List their responses on the board, and discuss why each would be important. Have students consider what obstacles the explorers may have faced. List these obstacles on the board, and have students consider what personal characteristics would be most useful in the face of each obstacle.
   
   
2. Give each student a copy of the handout “European Exploration from 1400 to 1700” (Attachment A). Have students read in their text, either individually or aloud as a whole class, the section that covers European exploration. After the reading is complete, have students complete the chart. Depending on the text, you may need to supplement with additional information from lecture notes or other written resources.
   
   
3. After students have completed the chart, lead a class discussion of the experiences all countries shared related to exploration.