Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: European Explorers Timeline

Content Area: Social Science
Grade Level(s): 3rd

Content Standard Addressed: SS3H2 Describe European exploration in North America

Technology Standard Addressed: 3.Knowledge Constructor
3a. Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other
resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
Selected Technology Tool: Timeline software

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://padlet.com

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration:

☒ Infusion Level: Students may work at a higher Bloom’s Level, but they do not have any “Voice or Choice”
during the activity and most of the decisions are made by the teacher.

☐ Integration Level: We would like to see ALL lessons/activities reach this level. The project is student-
driven. Students have “Voice and Choice” in the activities, selecting the topic of study and determining the
technology tool to demonstrate mastery of the standard. The teacher becomes more of a facilitator.
☐ Expansion Level: The projects created are shared outside of the classroom, publishing student work and
promoting authorship. This could be reached by showcasing the project on the school’s morning
newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog, or publishing via an outside source.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

This is a very flexible tool to use with students with disabilities. The software provides students with an
opportunity to communicate, collaborate, and produce a project. Also, this software is available in other
languages. Students can work on a collaborating and engaging way to create a timeline with information for
everyone to see.
Lesson idea implementation:
After learning about the European Explorers, students are going to be creating a timeline within the software
at https://padlet.com that goes from the year 1400 to early 1600 to visualize and memorize the events of the
European Explorers. Students are to work in groups of three; this project should take two days to complete.
Students are going to mention the accomplishments of John Cabot (England), Vasco Núñez de Balboa (Spain),
Hernando de Soto (Spain), Christopher Columbus (Spain), Henry Hudson (The Netherlands), and Jacques
Cartier (France) on their timelines. They will search for information using this software and learn about what
each of these characters discovered and the day that it occurred. On the timeline software, students are going
to add images of each explorer. After students have completed their timelines, they are going to present
them to the class.

Reflective Practice: This activity can be used to allow students to have a better understanding of early
explorers and their contributions. I can extend this activity by letting students select an explorer they want to
learn more about and create a timeline with important dates.