Students can create a poster sized map for a variety of projects related to U.S. history. When it comes to the Age of Exploration, it's helpful for them to acknowledge the people who lived on the land prior to European conquest. In this activity, students will label the regions and the people who lived there Students can create a map that identifies sovereign Indigenous lands today and make a comparison between what they were before colonization. They can also create a map that showcases the first European settlements across all of North America. The possibilities are endless!
Find more map posters and map worksheets to add as templates for this assignment. The worksheets can be printed out and completed by hand, or finished on the Storyboard Creator.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Label a map of the Americas with Indigenous cultural regions, settlements, and more.
Student Instructions:
Invite students to share their thoughts about the significance of land acknowledgments before starting the mapping activity. Guiding a group conversation helps students connect the map project to real-world respect for Indigenous communities.
Assist students in researching which Indigenous peoples originally lived in your school’s region. Use digital tools or library resources to find accurate, up-to-date information and make the lesson more relevant.
Incorporate primary sources, such as quotes, treaties, or artwork from Indigenous communities, into your teaching. This deepens understanding and encourages students to engage with authentic perspectives.
Prompt students to write a short journal entry about what they learned from mapping and discussing Indigenous lands. Reflection builds empathy and personal connections to history.
A land acknowledgment during the Age of Exploration refers to recognizing and naming the Indigenous peoples and cultures who lived on the land before European colonization. It helps students understand the history and significance of these regions before and after European settlement.
Students can create a map by labeling regions with the names of Indigenous groups and highlighting their cultural areas before European conquest. Adding images and comparing these regions with today's boundaries enriches the project.
Including Indigenous peoples in Age of Exploration lessons provides a fuller, more accurate picture of history, recognizing cultures that existed long before European arrival and helping students appreciate the complexity of the Americas.
Map posters can be used for labeling Indigenous regions, tracking European settlements, comparing pre- and post-colonization maps, and encouraging students to add images or research facts for each area.
Teachers can find map worksheets and templates online or use resources like the Storyboard Creator to print or digitally complete maps for this land acknowledgment and exploration activity.