Explorer Essay
by Ashley Williams, NBCT, MA Ed.
5th Grade Teacher, Sandhills Farm Life
The assignment evaluated student’s mastery
of knowledge pertaining to the relationships
between humans and the environment as well as
the relationship between Europeans and Native
Americans. Students explored the effects of the
physical geography on their explorer’s ability
to create settlements, as well as the positive
and negative effects of their relationships with
the Native American tribes with whom they
came into contact. Students discovered specific
information relating to early exploration,
settlement patterns, and the cultural, political
and social impact of their explorer’s exploration.
Students were able to apply a unique
perspective to their writing as they wrote their
essay in a 1st person narrative (as if they were
their assigned explorer). Students also designed
a puppet who resembled their explorer and an
informational card to allow their audience to
access quick information about their explorer.
Marco Polo
by Aisha Wensman
Hi, my name is
Marco Polo. I am an
Italian explorer. I was
born in Venice, Italy. On
my first voyage, I went
with my father and
uncle when I was only
17. My father, uncle and
I traveled to Jerusalem
after that we went to
Syria, Iran, Iraq, Asia,
and China in the early
1200’s.
I was only with my
father and uncle for
my first voyage. When
traveling through Asia,
I was captured by the
Genoese and placed in
jail for 2 years. While in
jail, my ship was stolen,
so I was forced to go
back to Venice on land.
On my way I discovered
the Silk Road, some
thieves gave me trouble
along the way, but I
made it home safe in
1295.
Christopher Columbus
by Stephen Makie
Hola, I am Christopher
Columbus! I am a Spanish
explorer who sailed to
America in 1492. Yup, I’m
the guy from the rhyme,
“In 1492 Columbus sailed
the ocean blue!” I was
sponsored by the rulers
of Spain King Ferdinand
and Queen Isabella. I was
looking for a shorter route
to the Indies, but instead I
found America!
On my voyage I had 3
ships the Nina, the Pinta,
and the Santamaria. I rode
the Santamaria. I had 30
sailors on each ship. In
total I had 90 sailors. I was
unaware of the size of the
earth and the continent
of America. So when I saw
land, I thought it was the
Indies, but I was wrong. I
had really just found a new
world. Soon I would return
to America on another
voyage for Spain.
Soon after my return I
was getting ready to leave
on another voyage to
America again funded by
Spain. Days later, I was off and ready to fulfill my
mission of finding riches and starting a colony
for Spain. I decided to start my colony in what
is now Haiti. I named the Island Hispaniola
though. (So unfair!) I named the town Santo
Domingo. Although I was thought to be a good
governor I wasn’t. The King and Queen noticed
so they demoted me and had me brought home
in chains. I later died at the age of 55 following
a heart attack.
Before I discovered the Land of the Free, I
worked on a merchant ship. In 1470, French
privateers attacked the ship and sank it. Luckily
I grabbed a piece of driftwood floated to shore
and went to Lisbon where I made my plan to
change the world forever.
James Cook
by Christian Turnquist
Hello, I am James
Cook, and I am an English
explorer, navigator,
cartographer, and captain
in the Royal Navy. I was
born November 7, 1728, in
Yorkshire. I joined the Navy
in 1775. The Admiralty
commanded me to go
on a voyage and observe
the transit of Venus. On
August 26, 1768, I sailed
to Tahiti with my crew
on the HMS Endeavour.
There we studied the
transit and failed to get
the calculations correct,
but we kept going. We
went to New Zealand,
and I mapped the whole
island with some minor
errors. We then sailed to
the Southeastern port
of Australia and found
Botany Bay, met the tribe
Gweagal, and The Great
Barrier Reef was found on
the coastline. Our ship was damaged, and the
voyage had to be delayed 7 weeks. We returned
to England July 12, 1771, once our ship was fixed.
Somewhere in 1172, my crew and I sailed
again, trying to find a big continent further
south. We went on the HMS Revolution, circled
all of Antarctica, and sailed to New Zealand.
Native people called Maori killed some of our
men. I almost found the mainland of Antarctica
but sailed to Tahiti to resupply. We discovered
the Friendly Islands, Easter Island, Norfolk
Island, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. I then
headed back to England and arrived in 1775. I
retired from the Navy and soon went on my last
voyage.
In 1776, we went on the HMS Revolution to
find the Northwest Passage. We discovered the
Hawaiian Islands where we met people native
there. We discovered the Northwest part of
Oregon. We also discovered many straits and
bays. I became frustrated with the voyage and
became more intense with my crew. We went
back to England in 1778. We went back to Hawaii
and had a fight with the natives there. I had to
suffer a miserable death when I was stabbed in
the stomach. I died February 14, 1779.
"By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination."
Explorer Essay contributors: Christian Turnquist, Stephen Makie, and Aisha Wensman.
"Following the light of the sun,
we left the Old World."
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
p.36 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 129