Interview with an Explorer!

Interview with an Explorer

(We successfully completed this lesson earlier this year) All information and one of the video clips are already online. We used the flip camera for our video section. (I have all clips for each group, but I posted one online.)

I. Grade Level Expectactions:

1. ELA (research, reading reports, gathering important facts, writing)
2. Social Studies (explorers)

II. Part One directions: You can download the actual MS Word document in the link below and make changes to fit your classroom.

The directions I used:

You will be divided into groups of four. Everyone in the group will have to answer the interview questions for each explorer. For the video, you will each have a job:

Ø Bobby the Bobcat (School Mascot): You are playing the role like Oprah Winfrey on the talk show. You will have a time selector and turn back time to make each explorer appear and interview them ( You will actually turn the dial to each year as you interview the explorer).

Ø Christopher Columbus: You will pretend to be Columbus and answer questions from Bobby the Bobcat.

Ø Hernando De Soto: You will pretend to be Hernando De Soto and answer questions from Bobby the Bobcat.

Ø Robert LaSalle: You will pretend to be Robert LaSalle and answer questions from Bobby the Bobcat.

Script for video: Hello everyone welcome to the Bobby the Bobcat interview show. We made an amazing discovery. A time selector was found in Bobcat Alley. We will move the selector back to the years of early explorers and find out about their explorations and the hardships they experienced along the way. So lets get started. My first explorer is ___________________ (turn dial on selector).

Oh my! Welcome to the stage Mr. _____________:

What country did you sail for? _____________________________________________________________

What were you seeking on your journey ______________________________________________________

What mode of transportation did you use on your journey? ________________________________________

What continents, countries, states, cities, and/or oceans did the journey take you through __________________

What hardships did you experience along the way? ______________________________________________

Thank you Mr. __________________. Know we will take a short commercial break and I move our selector to the next year. We will be back right after this.


Part Two Directions: Complete the “Bobcat Gazette” on the following page. Make sure you put all the information from the interview about each explorer. BE CREATIVE!!!

Student Checklist: (three points each)

________I answered the interview questions for Christopher Columbus.

________ I answered the interview questions for Robert LaSalle.

________I answered the interview questions for Hernado De Soto.

________I spoke clearly on the video.

________ I completed each explorer correctly on the Bobcat Gazette. (ten points)

________I made sure the Bobcat Gazette is neat.

Student Grade: (three points each)

________ The interview questions are answered correctly for Christopher Columbus.

________ The interview questions are answered correctly for Robert LaSalle.

________The interview questions are answered correctly for Hernado De Soto.

________Student spoke clearly on the video.

________ Student completed each explorer correctly on the Bobcat Gazette (ten points)

________The Bobcat Gazette is neat.

Closing: Discussion to close the unit.