An NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
Christopher Columbus is one of the most famous people in world history,
yet few know the full story of the amazing, resourceful, and tragic
Italian explorer. Christopher Columbus and the Age of Exploration for
Kids portrays the "Admiral of the Ocean Seas" neither as hero nor heel
but as a flawed and complex man whose significance is undeniably
monumental. Kids will gain a fuller picture of the seafarer's life, his
impact, and the dangers and thrills of exploration as they learn about
all four of Columbus's voyages to the New World, not just his first, as
well as the year that Columbus spent stranded on the island of Jamaica
without hope of rescue. Students, parents, and teachers will appreciate
the in-depth discussions of the indigenous peoples of the New World and
of the consequences of Columbus's voyages--the exchange of diseases,
ideas, crops, and populations between the New World and the Old. Fun
hands-on activities illuminate both the nautical concepts introduced and
the times in which Columbus lived. Kids can:
- Tie nautical knots
- Conduct a blanket (silent) trade
- Make a compass
- Simulate a hurricane
- Take nautical measurements
- And much more