Creative Columbus Day Lesson Plans

Here are some informative and crafty lesson plans for celebrating Columbus Day in your classroom. I hope that they are useful learning methods that allow for fun and creativity this year.

The Pledge & Poetry:

Study and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. This was delivered as a speech for the first time during the 400^th anniversary of Columbus' Voyage in San Francisco. Have your students write the pledge on an oversized sheet of paper. They can use colored pencils to draw background illustrations and artwork memorializing the event.

Another good writing project is working with students to write a little poetry. Write an Acrostic Poem to celebrate Columbus Day. Have each child do this about Christopher Columbus. Simply ask them to start each line with a letter from the word, "Columbus."

Explorer Slide Story:

Make your own, explorer slide story. Begin by creating the story frame. Cut a large rectangle from a cardboard box. Draw a square in the rectangle's center and cut it out completely. Then take scissors and cut two long slits from both sides of the frame. This will allow the frame to hold the story strip and permit sliding during storytelling.

Cut the story strip from a piece of white poster or heavy paper. Make it a little narrower than the frame slits and as long as is necessary to tell your story. Draw vertical lines to section the strip into a series of frames. Leaving the first and last frames blank, draw a story of Columbus' voyage in the remaining frames.

When you are finished creating your story, simply thread the strip through the frame and pull it through to read your Columbus Day tale.

Columbus Voyage Map:

Create a map of Columbus' route out of poster, paints, and egg cartons. Start with blue poster board for each student. Allow them to draw the continents with a pencil, then use tempera paints to color them green. Let the paint dry completely then have them use a dark marker to label the continents, oceans, equator, route, etc.

Cut three sections of an egg carton to make the three boats. Trim each piece to resemble the look of a hull. Use two-inch square papers to make sails for each boat. Fold over a small portion and attach it to a toothpick. Secure the sails in place with a small lump of modeling clay. Now your students can use their boats to trace the route Christopher Columbus took to discover the New World.

Resources:

The History Channel, "History of Columbus Day." http://www.history.com/content/columbusday/holiday-history

TeacherVision, "Columbus Day Teacher Resources."
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/columbus-day/teacher-resources/6607.html