1. Warm Up
You will be given 5 minutes to answer the following: 1. What were the crusades? 2. How did the crusades impact trade? After 5 minutes, you will “turn and talk” to discuss your answers

2. Academic Vocabulary Word of the Day:
REPHRASE: Who can define this word for us? Who can use this word in a sentence?

3. Objective:
SWBAT understand what technological advancements paved the way for European voyages of exploration.

4. What do you think of when you hear the term technology
What do you think of when you hear the term technology? What is some technology that we have today? (Turn and talk)

5. As you can see technology is always changing and evolving, and this is a really important idea for the Renaissance time period.

6. Advances in technology helped to make European voyages of exploration possible.

7. Printing Press
Can you infer what the image is based on the name and photo?
What might this technology be used for?
(Turn and talk)

8. Printing Press
In the 1450’s, the introduction of the printing press made it much easier to print books. More people had access to books and to new information. Many Europeans read Marco Polo’s Travels when it appeared in print form in This book gave people descriptions of far away places, such as areas of Iraq, Siberia, Japan, India, and Ethiopia. This book led European readers to realize that there were many spectacular sights beyond their immediate world.

9. Astrolabe Can you infer what the image is?
What might this technology be used for?
(Turn and talk)

10. Astrolabe
An improved instrument for navigating the seas. Sailors could find their latitude with an astrolabe, which measured the position of the stars.

11. Compass Can you infer what the image is?
What is this technology used for?
(Turn and talk)

12. Compass
The compass allowed sailors to accurately determine their direction.

13. Caravel Can you infer what the image is?
What is this technology used for?

14. Caravel
Advances in ship design allowed sailors to make long ocean voyages. The stern rudder and triangular sail enabled ships to sail into the wind. The Portuguese three-masted caravel became the most famous ship of the European age of exploration. Caravels could sail faster and carry more cargo and supplies than earlier ships.

15. Independent Practice
Read a passage titled “A Better Ship Design” on page 31, and answer the following comprehension questions:
What did Marco Polo’s book describe?
Why weren't early maps accurate?
What were the improved instruments for navigating the sea?
Explain how the compass, astrolabe, and quadrant could make a long ocean voyage possible

16. Group Work
Each group will be given a reading on different areas of Africa (Page 32 and 33), and will analyze what the areas had to offer to European Explorers by stating the main idea, and two supporting details of your section. Group 1- Ghana Group 2- Mali Group 3- Songhai

17. Closure
1. What were some advances made that lead to an increase in European exploration? 2. Why did Portugal want to start exploring Africa?

18. Homework
Why was the printing press important to the age of exploration?
Which of the following innovation that was discussed today do you think was the most important innovation, and why?