A Buccaneer’s Guide to the Age of Exploration
School: Roots and Wings Community School
City/State: Taos, NM
Grade(s): 6, 7, 8
Format(s): Report: Social studies
Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science and Technology, Visual Arts
Project Overview
This book was created by middle school students at the Roots and Wings Community School in Taos, New Mexico, and was part of a study of the age of exploration – 1400 – 1700 - and the Renaissance.
A Buccaneer’s Guide to the Age of Exploration depicts European world-wide exploration and exploitation through a collage-style book of text and hand-drawn and watercolored illustrations, maps, timelines and diagrams. The book chronicles important explorers of that time and the lands they visited, conquered and colonized. It addresses both history and geography, blended with interesting facts, innovative fonts and original artwork and includes information about people, places and events.
Using old-fashioned lettering and layout conventions, artificially antiqued and distressed images (often photographed and collaged onto pages as overlays), and a color palette reminiscent of Renaissance texts, the book intends to give the feel of an authentic old text.
Original books were hand-bound and were 13 by 19 inches.
How This Project Can Be Useful
- Compelling visual format – giving the impression of an antique text – with a beautiful feel to the finished look
- Innovative and artful use of collaging text, illustrations, maps and timelines
- Lively and engaging introduction for the reader
- Writing shows care
- Each page is unique which allows individual students to creatively display what they have learned
- Provides a means for assessing student’s individual work
Common Core State Standards
| Standard | Long Term Learning Target |
|---|---|
| L.6.3 |
|
| L.6.6 |
|