Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING:

• Demonstrate knowledge of key figures (Columbus, Magellan) and their motivations.
• Understand the significance of maps as tools of power and control.
• Use diverse AI tools to generate historical content and visual narratives.

SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Conduct research using AI and check for bias.
• Create multimedia content (podcasts, StoryMaps) to tell complex stories.
• Work collaboratively using the Jigsaw method.

ATTITUDES & VALUES:

• Develop curiosity about history and cultures.
• Show respect for diverse perspectives and underrepresented voices.
• Reflect on the ethical implications of exploration and colonization.

European Dimension / Erasmus+ Connection

• Cultural Heritage: Exploring how European exploration shaped global identity.
• Social Inclusion: Fostering empathy by analyzing history from indigenous perspectives.
• Digital Literacy: Combining history with modern AI and mapping tools.

1. Resources and Tools

Digital Tools:

• Research: ChatGPT, Google Bard (for investigating explorers).
• Storytelling: StoryMapJS (for map narratives), Canva, Adobe Express.
• Mapping: Google Earth, Interactive projection maps.

Materials:

• Computers/Tablets with WiFi.
• "Jigsaw Method" instructions (in zip).
• Rubrics for assessment (in zip).

2. Working Methods

• Project-Based Learning: Creating diaries and digital maps.
• Jigsaw Methodology: Collaborative research where students become "experts".
• Inquiry Learning: Investigating the origins of everyday goods.

Activity Overview

3. Research and Learning

Activity 1: Critical Explorer Profiles

Method: Jigsaw (Base groups & Specialist groups).

• Task: Research Columbus, Da Gama, Magellan, or Vespucci using AI tools.
• Critical Lens: Investigate motivations (gold, god, glory), impact on indigenous people, and historical bias.
• Discussion: "Is this explorer a hero? According to whom?"

Activity 2: Who's at the Center?

Goal: Understand map bias and power.

• Visual: Compare the Mercator projection (Europe-centered) with the Peters projection (equal area) or South-Up maps.
• Discussion: "Maps are power tools. Who decided where the center is?"

Activity 3: The Columbian Exchange

Hook: Show a tomato or chocolate bar. "None of these existed in Europe before 1492!"

Task: Research the origin of goods (Potatoes, Tobacco, Cacao) and how they changed the world economy.

4. Creative Application

The Diary of an Indigenous Observer

Challenge: Write a diary entry or podcast script from the perspective of an Indigenous person encountering European traders for the first time.

Tools: Use AI to generate visual elements (Canva) or sound effects for the podcast.

Interactive StoryMap

Task: Use StoryMapJS to create a narrative map tracing the journey of a specific good (e.g., "The travels of the Tomato") in a globalized world.

5. Reflection and Evaluation

Assessment

• Self-Reflection: Students answer guided questions about their learning.
• Rubrics:
  • Historical Accuracy: 5 pts.
  • Perspective & Empathy: 5 pts.
  • Visual Appeal: 5 pts.