Dispatched on faraway quests to secure riches and territory for their countries of origin, and fueled by curiosity and courage, the discoveries of early world explorers in the western hemisphere are a standard piece of the fourth grade social studies curriculum at Mount Madonna School (MMS). Recently fourth grade students shared their Explorers Project research in presentations to their classmates, and it was evident that the students had been fully engaged in learning about the explorers’ lives and exploits.‘We learned about Danish explorer Vitus Bering,’ explained fourth graders Amirah Ibragimchayeva and Addy Catterall-Pendleton. ‘Bering went to sea as a teenager and later joined the Russian navy. He led several dangerous expeditions.’ The Bering Strait, the Bering Sea, Bering Island, Bering Glacier and the Bering Land Bridge have since all been posthumously named in his honor.
Other 15th through 18th century explorers that students learned about include: Cabeza de Vaca, Juan Cabrillo, Sir Francis Drake, Sebastian Vizcaino, Gaspar de Portola, Sebastian Cermeno, John Cabot and Ferdinand Magellan.
Working in pairs to research their selected explorer, students also created timelines of their explorer’s life and travels, and drew maps to illustrate the route he followed and the territory he explored. Each explorer was also depicted in a colorful, student-drawn portrait.
Sofia Brevis and Kayla Goldstein studied Spaniard Hernando Cort’s, generally remembered for conquering the Aztec empire, as well as exploring Baja California and the Gulf of California.‘The Sea of Cortez is named for him,’ the girls told their classmates.
‘In 1518 Cortes went to Mexico and defeated the Aztecs,’ said Goldstein. ‘He got all of their gold. He later became governor of New Spain. A lot of people were against him because he was responsible for so many people being killed.’
Ben Pearson and Denali Spector learned about Sir Francis Drake [1540-1596].‘He was a servant to Queen Elizabeth of England,’ Pearson said. ‘He owned slaves, he was a pirate and he robbed a lot of ships.’
‘When I studied Cabeza de Vaca [1490-1558], I was absolutely surprised to learn that he stood up for the Indians and wanted them to be treated better,’ commented fourth grader Grace Timan. ‘I also learned that he was a very smart man and had lots of education in most every subject.’
‘One of my goals with this project is having students teach the rest of the class about their explorer,’ explained fourth grade teacher Linda Pope. ‘They create presentations by making note cards and use their timelines, maps, and portraits to explain facts and details. Giving oral presentations is a great practice for public speaking skills. ‘During the research portion students take a lot of notes. When it’s time to put together their reports, I encourage them to look back at the main bullet points from their notes to form the framework for their report. Being able to take facts and organize them into a proficient report takes a lot of work and focus which my students practice all year.’
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Nestled among the redwoods on 355 mountaintop acres, Mount Madonna is a safe and nurturing college-preparatory school that supports students in becoming caring, self-aware and articulate critical thinkers, who are prepared to meet challenges with perseverance, creativity and integrity. The CAIS and WASC accredited program emphasizes academic excellence, creative self-expression and positive character development. Located on Summit Road between Gilroy and Watsonville.