Columbus Day (and how we do our best work/learning)

Monday, October 14th is Columbus Day.  It is a national holiday to celebrate Christopher Columbus and his arrival to the new world.  Before we started working, the children were asked to think about their preference about working on tasks.  They were given 3 choices: I prefer working alone, I like to work with a partner, and I like to work in a group.  We shared a few of the reasons why children made their decisions.  Some of the responses were: "I get distracted when I work with others," "I sometimes get silly and fool around," "Sometimes I come up with different ideas after hearing other people's ideas," and "I like having lots of people to work with."  Next, the children were asked to split up based on their preferences to brainstorm everything that they know about Christopher Columbus.  Some children worked alone, some worked in pairs, and 1 group worked together.  After that, we watched a Brainpop Jr. video about Christopher Columbus.  Everyone had a chance to go back and build on the information that they already had.  On Tuesday, we will be reading a book about Christopher Columbus and continue to expand our schema about the explorer.

Below is a poem and here is a video created by National Geographic for Kids: Chrsitopher Columbus.

IN 1492
In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue .
He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain .
He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way .
A compass also helped him know
How to find the way to go .
Ninety sailors were on board;
Some men worked while others snored .
Then the workers went to sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep .
Day after day they looked for land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand .
October 12 their dream came true,
You never saw a happier crew !
“Indians! Indians!” Columbus cried;
His heart was filled with joyful pride .
But “India” the land was not;
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot .
The Arakawa natives were very nice;
They gave the sailors food and spice .
Columbus sailed on to find some gold
To bring back home, as he’d been told .
He made the trip again and again,
Trading gold to bring to Spain .
The first American? No, not quite.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright .
Poem taken from www.teachingheart.net/columbus.htm

Try these games to test your knowledge about Columbus and his voyage.
Click the image to start.