MURAL
Lesson: Columbus Day Discussion and Activity
Grade Level: Kindergarten through third (adaptable)
Objective(s): Students will...
Engage in listening, discussing, speaking and
hands-on crafts.
Participate in a class discussion related to various
topics presented.
Create a mural of Christopher Columbus' voyage
using a variety of scrap materials.
Anticipatory Set: Students will be asked to think about life in
1492.
How was life different? How is life the same? Do we still use the
concepts or modes of transportation to get from America to Europe
and visa versa.
Class Activities: Students will...
Listen as the story, Meet Christopher Columbus, is read aloud.
Identify the year, ships and characters related to the story.
Create a mural of one of Columbus' ships using handouts,
popsicle sticks and construction paper scraps.
Key Terms: Students will be able to identify the names of these
countries: Italy, Spain, Indies, America.
Students will be able to name these ships: Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria.
Students will be able to identify the year 1492.
Closure: Students will share their murals with their classmates.
Thank the students for their participation and cooperation.
Ask the students to write a brief note about the lesson:
What did you like about the lesson?
What would you do differently?
General Comments.
Comments/Evaluation/Suggestions: Give every student credit for
participating. Use the student's notes as an evaluation of the lesson.
Additional Questions that can be asked:
What year is it today? How long ago was 1492? Is it possible for
someone born in 1492 to still be alive? If Columbus was alive, how
old would he be?
Arizona State Standards used in this lesson:
R-R1 Identify characters in a story.
R-R3 Identify fact in a nonfiction material.
R-F5 B. Analyze selections of nonfiction for literary
elements:
1. Compare characters
2. Compare settings
3. Sequence events
4. Describe literary elements
R-F8 A. Recognize the Historical perspectives of literary
selections.
B. Recognize the Cultural perspectives of literary
selections.