7 Ways to Celebrate Columbus Day

Looking for some ways to celebrate Columbus Day in your classroom?  

Here are a few of my favorites:

Disclaimer:  We've learned that Columbus wasn't always a great man. Feel free to have discussions about that in your classroom. These ideas and resources simply give the facts about what happened back then. This doesn't mean I approve of the way he treated people.

1. Work with Maps and Globes - Columbus Day is such a great opportunity to get the children acquainted with the globe. I think it's important that children can identify where they live on the globe. Our location is easy for the children to find. I have the children locate Cape Cod along the east coast of North America. We're not far north of that, and it's easy to locate. (I tell them to look for a flexed arm... they love to flex their own arms!) I usually use the globe to show how Columbus got from Italy to Spain, to San Salvador, and how he was actually trying to get to the East Indies, and "accidentally bumped into America". They get such a kick out of that!

2. Books -  Speaking of the Columbus story, if you haven't seen the book, Encounter by Jane Yolen, you really need to check it out!  It's the story of the arrival of Columbus from a young native's point of view. The illustrations are beautiful, and it really makes the "other side" of the story quite clear.  Explore the image to go to Amazon(affiliate link) for more information about this amazing book!

 

3.Videos - This Youtube video gives a little information about Christopher Columbus. As in all videos, please view ahead of time to make sure this is something you want to share with your students. There are many videos on this topic, many are quite harsh.

4. Illustrate the story - 
Illustrating is a great way for children to deepen their understanding. I wrote this summary of the basic Columbus story for my students to illustrate. Explore the image or see here: Columbus for Visualization and Illustration

 

 

5.  Common Sense Fun - Here are a couple of resources that will get the kids thinking. Explore the images to see more! Christopher Columbus: Common Sense for Active Learners: 

 

 

 
These are electronic task cards from BOOM Learning! The kids are going to love these! Christopher Columbus Common Sense Thinking BOOM Cards

 

6.  Guided imagery - I like to do lots of guided imagery activities with my students. I'll tell the story, while the students go through the movements. I tell about the men saying goodbye to their families and getting on the ships, the long ride on the ship (including the bland food, storms at sea, and lack of clean water) finally sighting land, and getting off the ship, thinking they were in India. The kids love this, and brain research shows involving movement and gestures helps the memory!

7.  One more idea - Looking for one more way to celebrate Columbus Day? Take the day off! (And perhaps pay some homage to the Indigenous People on that day!)