Sail with Columbus: An Interactive Explorer Lesson Plan for Kids

Embark on a historical adventure with this fun and interactive Christopher Columbus lesson plan designed for preschoolers and young children. Bring history to life as your little explorer sails across a living room ocean, learns the names of the three famous ships—the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria—and builds their very own explorer boat. This complete 30-minute guide includes a materials list and step-by-step activities perfect for a hands-on history lesson at home or in the classroom.

Create Your Own Custom Lesson Plan
PDF
```html

Lesson Plan: Explorer Weston's Great Voyage!

Materials Needed:

  • A small globe or a world map
  • One paper towel tube (to be a spyglass)
  • Three small "boats" (can be plastic food containers, halved pool noodles, large Lego creations, or even just three pieces of paper labeled with the ship names)
  • Craft supplies to build a boat: a sponge or small juice box, a craft stick or pencil for a mast, a paper triangle for a sail, crayons/markers, and tape.
  • A blue blanket or sheet to be the "ocean"
  • A few "treasures" to discover (e.g., a unique-looking rock, a shiny coin, a colorful feather)

Lesson Activities (30 Minutes)

Part 1: The Explorer's Mission (5 minutes)

  1. The Spark (2 mins): Sit with Weston in front of the globe or map. Say, "Weston, I heard you're interested in a famous explorer named Christopher Columbus! He lived a very, very long time ago. He had a big idea. He looked at a globe, just like this one, and though he could get to a faraway place called Asia by sailing in a new direction—west!" Trace the general path from Spain westward with your finger.
  2. The Three Ships (3 mins): Introduce the three pre-made "boats." Say, "An explorer can't sail without ships! Columbus had three. Let's learn their names with a chant. I'll say it, then you say it back!"
    • Point to the first boat: "The Niña!" (Have him repeat.)
    • Point to the second boat: "The Pinta!" (Have him repeat.)
    • Point to the third boat: "The Santa Maria!" (Have him repeat.)
    Chant them together a few times, getting faster and sillier each time. Place the three boats on the "starting point" (Spain) on your map or next to the globe.

Part 2: Setting Sail! (10 minutes)

  1. Become the Captain (5 mins): Hand Weston the paper towel tube spyglass. Say, "Okay, Captain Weston! It's time to set sail across the big Atlantic Ocean. Let's lay down our ocean." Spread the blue blanket on the floor. Have him stand at one end (representing Europe). Say, "We need to get our ships ready for the long journey!"
  2. The Voyage (5 mins): Encourage Weston to be the explorer. Use commands that promote movement and imagination.
    • "Captain, look through your spyglass! What do you see?" (He can describe imaginary things like dolphins or big waves).
    • "Oh no, a storm is coming! Let's rock the ships back and forth!" (Gently rock side to side).
    • "The wind has stopped! We need to row! Let's pretend to row our boats!" (Make rowing motions).
    • Sing a simple song to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat": "Sail, sail, sail your ship, across the big blue sea! Niña, Pinta, Santa Maria, exploring you and me!"
    Move slowly across the "ocean" blanket with the three named papers/boats.

Part 3: Land Ho! and Creative Exploration (12 minutes)

  1. Discovering New Land (2 mins): When you get to the other side of the blanket, shout, "Land ho!" Hide the "treasures" around the "island" (the area off the blanket). Say, "Captain Weston, you've discovered a new land! Let's see what we can find!" Let him use his spyglass to spot and collect the treasures.
  2. Build Your Own Explorer Ship (10 mins): Transition to a table with the craft supplies. Say, "Every great explorer needs a great ship. Now you get to design and build your very own explorer ship to remember your voyage!"
    • Guide him to tape the craft stick (mast) to the sponge or juice box (hull).
    • Have him decorate the paper sail with his initial, a symbol for his explorer flag, or anything he wants.
    • Help him attach the sail to the mast.
    • Ask questions to spark creativity: "What will you name YOUR ship? Where will you sail to next on your ship?"

Part 4: Explorer's Show and Tell (3 minutes)

  1. Sharing the Discovery: Have Weston hold up his newly built ship. Ask him to share its name and tell you one thing about his great voyage.
  2. Review and Praise: Quickly review the key ideas in a fun way. "Wow! You sailed across the ocean, discovered treasure, and built your own ship! Can you remember the names of Columbus's three ships one last time?" (Help him with Niña, Pinta, Santa Maria). Give lots of praise for his great work as an explorer.
```