It is hard to believe that we are in one of our last units before we take our

Third Grade Social Studies SOL! In this unit we will be learning about some great Euro-
pean ExplorersChristopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Len, Jacques Carter and
Christopher Newport. We will be discovering that these explorers had diferent mot-
vatons, sponsors and found diferent successes. We will be looking closely at the
world map and identfying the Contnents of Europe, Asia and North America. We will
begin the unit by being explorers ourselves, and going on an exploraton to fnd a fun
Pizza lunch!
We will also focus on the impact that the European explorers had on the
American Indians, and how as a result of the European exploratons, American Indians
experienced forced changes to their cultures and environment. We will try and put
ourselves in the shoes of the American Indians, and talk about how we would have
felt when the Europeans showed up on the land in which we had developed and sus-
tained.
As we learn about the great European Explorers and the impact their explora-
tons had on the American Indians, each student will be keeping a journal in which
they will be writng as if they are the explorer or one of the crew members. This will
In conjuncton with our Unit on European Explorers and
their impact on American Indians, we will be taking a Field
Trip on Friday, May 23rd to the American Fronter Culture
Museum in Staunton, VA. We leave the school at 9:30 A.M.
and return to the school by 2:30. The cost of this feld trip
will be $12 per child, and each child will need to pack a
lunch, which we will eat while at the museum. If you are
interested in being a chaperone for this feld trip, please let
Mrs. Grandle know as soon as possible.

Content covered in this Unit is for SOLs 3.3 & 3.5Visit VDOE.com to learn more about what is
included in this unit!
Field Trip To American Frontier Culture Museum
European Explorers and their Explorations Unit
May 2014 May 2014
Volume 1, Issue 6 Volume 1, Issue 6
Mrs. Grandles 3Rd Grade Social Studies Mrs. Grandles 3Rd Grade Social Studies

European Explorers and
their Expeditions Unit
What You can Do to Help!
To begin our unit, our class will
conduct our own Exploration, in
which we set out in search of our
lunch. On May 6 we will be having
a pizza lunch in our classroom.
The pizza will be provided, but we
would appreciate some fill-ins to
supplement our lunch! If you are
able to provide fruit, vegetables,
dip, chips, cookies, drinks, plates,
or cups for this day, please let Mrs.
Grandle know!
Pre-test & Introducton 5/5
Why are explorers important? 5/6
Christopher Columbus 5/7
Juan Ponce de Len 5/8
Jacques Carter 5/9
Christopher Newport 5/12
Impact on American Indians 5/13
Life Size Explorers 5/14
Review Day 5/15
Test 15/16