Description Journey with the greatest mariner that ever lived. Learn many little-known facts not generally included in the typical biographies of Columbus. Learn that it was the saga of Leif Erickson that was one of the inspirations for Columbus’s voyage to the East. Columbus was such a skilled astronomer that he knew the exact date when the next eclipse of the moon was and used that knowledge to his advantage. Also learn that though “Columbus was a great man, he was not a modest man. He wanted too much, and so he did not get enough.” Week 1 through 3: Introduce rich vocabulary to describe the character traits exemplified by these historical figures. Provide observation questions designed to help students extract details that matter. Equip students with the scaffolding that enables them to craft one body paragraph that will later become part of the culminating essay. Week 4: Students craft a simple introduction and conclusion, put the components together, and, voila, an essay! Week 5: A creative project, of course, that offers directives to tap into the students imagination.
