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Unit of Study:        Cortés Comes to the New World

Lesson Titles:      

Day 1 -            Maps of the New World
Day 2 -            Travelogue of the New World
Days 3 & 4 -    Cortés meets the Aztecs
Days 5 & 6 -    Travelogue of the New World, part 2

Subject Areas:       ESOL Writing, Visual Arts

Grade Level:         4th Grade

Author:                   Shari Flynn

County:                   Prince George’s

Length of Time:      6 Days

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Day 1 – MAPS OF THE NEW WORLD

Abstract:

Students will do the puzzle exercise with the Waldseemuller map, and possibly other maps. They will use them to determine what Europeans knew about the New World and what they expected to find there. They will use the see/reflect/wonder graphic organizer.

Background:

This lesson is part of test preparation. Students are weak in identifying the author’s opinion.

Materials:

Waldseemuller map, printed out in 4 parts
Current map the world on the projector
See/reflect/wonder graphic organizer

Resources:

World map - http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-political-map.htm#
Library of Congress Primary source documents collection, Waldseemuller pdf and graphic organizer on analyzing maps “See/Reflect/Wonder. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/resources/Analyzing_Maps.pdf

Standards/Learner Outcomes:

Visual Arts Objective 1.2.b.  Create and describe artworks that communicate mood and point of view.
Reading English Language Arts Objective 42A4b.  Identify and explain the author’s opinion.
English Language Proficiency Objective – Speaking 5.c.Describe and compare attributes and characteristics of people, places, and things using complex language structures with support.

Objectives/Skills:

Fine Arts Objectives:
Students will be able to describe the point of view of the Waldseemuller map in order to tell what Europeans knew and assumed about the New World.

Content Objectives:
Students will be able to determine the author’s opinion of the new World by examining the Waldseemuller map.

Keywords/Vocabulary:

Explorer
Conquistador
New World continent

Motivation:

Conquistadors are people who left Europe to come explore the New World, that is, North and South America.  Today we will look at the information that some of them had about the New World, and how to get here. Pairs each have one piece of a map that was made as Europeans were learning about the New World. Get together with your group to put a whole map together.

Scope and Sequence:

Teacher Directed

What do you see on this map? I see that North and South America look very different than they do on modern maps. What else do you see? Let me think more about this map. Why was it made? Who would see it? How are North and South America different? Teacher notes findings in each area on a graphic organizer visible to the whole class. Teacher notes questions on a separate chart.

The author believes __________ because (I see, there are) __________.

I think the author _________ because (I see, there are) _________.

It seems to me that the author _________ because (I see, there are) _________.

Guided Practice

In pairs, students ask each other the questions on the chart, and note items, descriptions of things apparent on map and their reflections on the graphic organizer. Teacher listens in, and guides students as appropriate. The pairs then share and compare their findings. The teacher records the class findings on the main graphic organizer.

Independent Practice

Students use the modeled question structure to compose more questions and record them on their graphic organizers.

Assessment:

Visual Arts - Teacher takes anecdotal notes on the observations that note the point of view of the map’s author.

Writing - Teacher assesses the structure and content of students’ observations.

Closure/Reflection:

Students share their observations and “I wonder…” questions with their classmates.

Day 2 – TRAVELOGUE OF THE NEW WORLD

Abstract:

Students predict the land, plants and animals, and people that Cortés would find. After listening to selections from Cortés and Bernal Diaz del Castillo students confirm or adjust their predictions, then begin a travelogue illustrating what the Cortés expedition found with watercolor.

Background:

Day 2 in the Cortés unit.
Students have not previously considered the cities, plants and animals and indigenous peoples of the New World.

Materials:

Selections from letters from Cortés and Diaz
Watercolors
Brushes
Appropriate paper

Resources:

Letters from Cortés and Diaz

Standards/Learner Outcomes:

Visual Arts Objective 1.2.b  Create and describe artworks that communicate mood and point of view.
Reading English Language Arts Objective 42A4c.  State and support main ideas and messages.
English Language Proficiency Objective Listening L.4. a. Demonstrate aural comprehension of content presented by performing grade-level tasks such as asking questions, sequencing, or summarizing with support. 

Objectives/Skills:

Fine Arts Objectives:
Students will create and describe artworks that communicate mood and point of view in order to illustrate cities, plants and/or animals, and people that Cortés found interesting for his people.

Content Objectives:

Students will demonstrate aural comprehension of content presented by performing grade-level tasks in order to create an illustration that represents what Cortez found in the New World.

Keywords/Vocabulary:

Extensive
Admiration
Granada
Merchant
Precious
Ornament
Causeway
Chieftain/caciques
Canoe
Litter

Motivation:

What do you think explorers, or Conquistadors found when they came to the New World? Draw a picture of what you imagine they saw when they came here. (What did the land/society look like?/Did they find any cities or towns? What plants and animals did they see?) When the conquistadors came to the New World they kept travel logs, that is they drew and wrote about what they saw here. We will create travel logs of what they saw. So, draw a picture of the land, plants, animals and people they saw. (What did they look like? What did their leader look like? How many were there?)

Scope and Sequence:

Teacher Directed
Students create prediction illustrations.
Teacher reads aloud the texts.

Guided Practice
Teacher asks students to show an illustration, and then asks whether that illustration will be made in the travelogue, or whether (and how) it will have to change to reflect the readings.

Independent Practice
Students create paintings that reflect the descriptions given in the test.

Assessment:

Students’ illustrations will be assessed on how well they reflect the items mentioned in the text, and how the explorers would have perceived them.

Closure/Reflection:

Students share their illustrations.

Days 3 & 4 – CORTÉS MEETS THE AZTECS

Abstract:

Students examine illustrations of the Aztecs and Cortés’ party, and of artifacts documenting their culture. Two groups then read a text documenting the expectations and cultures of either group. Students then participate in a Teacher-in-role process drama exploring what happened when the two groups met.

Background:

After acquiring background knowledge about the cultures and expectations of the Aztecs and Cortés’ party, students explore what happened when the 2 groups met.

Materials:

Multiple illustrations illustrating Spaniards’ and their culture, and Aztecs and their culture, texts giving more information on each

Resources:

Books found in your school library about Aztecs, Spain and explorers, such as Exploration and Conquest: The Americas after Columbus: 1500-1620 by Betsy and Giulio Maestro, 1994; and Enchantment of the World: Spain by Esther Cross, 1985.

Internet resources such as The Aztecs by Lesson Snips http://www.lessonsnips.com/docs/pdf/aztecs.pdf and The Aztecs by InstructorWeb www.instructorweb.com/ (membership required, but I must have gotten a free trial)

Images of Aztecs and Granada
LOC Images: Views of Tenochtitlán and Cusco and Coiled stone rattlesnake with day sign
http://www.clevelandart.org/ search collections for Aztec
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/cortes.htm
http://gospain.about.com/od/granada/ig/Granada-IMAGE-GALLERY/View-of-the-Alhambra.htm

Standards/Learner Outcomes:

Theater Objective 3.2.a. Use selected posture, movement, expression, and voice (pitch, timbre, dynamics) to enact improvised characters.

English Language Proficiency Objective - Reading 2.b. Identify, explain, and paraphrase the main idea and factual or implied supporting details in informational text.

English Language Proficiency Objective Speaking 4.b. Express opinions and feelings while engaging in one-on-one and small group discussions with support.

Objectives/Skills:

Theater Objective:       Students will use body language, gestures and intonation in order to emphasize attitudes of one group toward the other.
Reading Objective:     Students will illustrate the message of a text in order to accurately take on the role of a member of Cortés’ party or an Aztec in the company of Mocteczuma.
Speaking Objective:    Students use discourse strategies appropriate to their role in order to interact with other students during a role-playing exercise.

Keywords/Vocabulary:

See previous vocabulary, and additional as requested by students

Motivation:

Now that you know about the New World that Cortés’ party found, I want you to look at some pictures and read about those 2 groups. After that, you will put on a play (just for us) showing what happened when those groups met for the 1st time.

Scope and Sequence:

Teacher Directed

Teacher shows portraits and artifacts, asking about, and calling attention when necessary to what each showed about the culture and people that produced it.
Students are divided into groups.  They read a text about one of the cultures, then choose roles of a member of each community.

Guided Practice

In their groups, students discuss how each character should behave. They also discuss gestures, tone and vocabulary appropriate for each role.

Independent Practice:

The teacher gives messengers’ notes to each group:
The note to Cortés’ party says “Look at the king of the Aztecs: He has a castle made of gold!  The King of Spain wants more gold.”
The note to the Aztecs says “Some men are coming. They are riding monsters, they have lightning sticks, and they are made of silver!”
She then directs Cortés’ party to enter into the Aztec area. The teacher asks who Cortés’ is, who is with him, and why they have come. Each student is given at least one chance to interact with the other side.
Theater – Students body language, gestures and intonation are appropriate to the role and situation that they are playing.
Reading – Students accurately depict what they read.
Speaking - Students play their roles persuasively.

Closure/Reflection:

Teacher asks students what they learned about the other culture, based on how the other group reacted to their group.

Days 5 & 6: TRAVELOGUE OF THE NEW WORLD, PART 2

Abstract:

Students write a travelogue entry documenting the meeting between the Aztecs and Cortés’ party.

Background:

Follows the previous process drama and illustration lessons.

Materials:

Watercolor paintings from Day 2
Bookmaking supplies

Standards/Learner Outcomes:

Fine Arts Standards: 1 2.b. Create and describe artworks that communicate mood and point of view.
Content Standard: Writing 2.d. Use grade-level transitional words and phrases within and among sentences to create cohesive and logical messages.

Objectives/Skills:

Fine Arts Objectives: Students will write to describe their illustrations of the New World in order to communicate the point of view of Cortés’ party.
Content Objective: Students will write using sequence and transition words in order to write a travelogue telling the story of the meeting of the Aztecs and Cortés’ party.

Keywords/Vocabulary:

Transition and sequence words

Motivation:

You’ve shown the people back in Spain what the New World looks like. Now you need to give them more information. Write a description of what happened yesterday when the Aztecs and Cortés’ party met.

Scope and Sequence:

Teacher Directed

Teacher asks students to recall their paintings and the previous day’s process drama. She tells them that they will now be writing a travelogue to send home to the king of Spain. They will give him a description of the land and people, and an account of the events that took place when the two groups met. She presents/asks students to contribute to a list of sequence and transition words, and gives examples of how some are used. Each is recorded in a box on a Kidspiration timeline. Teacher takes dictation of the events in the process drama and records them in a timeline recording the party’s arrival and observations and the events that took place. She lets them know that 2 paragraphs will be necessary.

Guided Practice

As students write, the teacher chooses students who make common mistakes with sequence and transition words, and guides discussion on how to correct these mistakes.

Independent Practice

Students finish travelogues, peer edit them, and record them in their bound books.

Assessment:

Transition and sequence words are used appropriately.

Closure/Reflection:

Students share their final drafts with the class.