COLUMBUS DAY

Monday is Columbus Day, so here are a few learning activities to tie into your lesson plans.

Columbus Day
(Tune: “Going Over, Going Under” – Happy Everything CD)
Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 (March and salute.)
The Nina, and the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, too.
Going over going under in the Atlantic Ocean’s thunder,
(Make hands go up and down.)
What a brave thing to do! (Thumbs in to chest.)

When Columbus set sail he knew the earth was round.
(Make a circle with arms.)
He was amazed at all the lands and the people he found.
Going over, going under, in the Atlantic Ocean’s thunder,
(Make hands go up and down.)
What a brave thing to do! (Thumbs in to chest.)

Columbus visited Bahamas, Cuba, South America, too.
(Hold up fingers – 1, 2, 3.)
On October 12 we remember him and his crew. (Shake finger.)
Going over, going under, in the Atlantic Ocean’s thunder,
(Hands up and down.)
What a brave thing to do! (Thumbs in to chest.)

*You can download this book at drjean.org.

Sailor Hats
Make sailor hats out of newspaper. Fold in half. Bring corners down until they meet. Fold up top edge and then turn over and fold up the bottom edge. Let children decorate.




Globe
Point out where Columbus started in Spain and the islands he visited. How has travel changed since Columbus’s voyage over 500 years ago? Compare a map and the globe. Which one is two-dimensional? Which one is three-dimensional? What shape is the earth?
Here's a simple song that will help your students learn directions.

Directions (Tune: "When Johnny Comes Marching Home")
The sun is rising in the East, (Face the front of the room and point right.)
uh huh, uh huh.
The sun is setting in the West, (Point left.)
uh huh, uh huh.
My nose is North, (Point forwards.)
My tail is South, (Point backwards.)
And so I turn myself around, (Turn around.)
And the sun keeps rising in the East (Point right and then swing arm over to the left.)
And setting in the West.

*Go out on the playground in the morning and find the direction where the sun is rising. Sing the song and point to the true directions.

*Play "Simon Says" as children point to the different directions. For example: Simon says point south. Simon says point west.

*Demonstrate how to use a compass.
                                                 
*Explain how a compass rose is used all over the world to help orient people.