Age of Exploration

This worksheet is designed for students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 to strengthen reading comprehension, historical analysis, and geographic understanding through a structured comparison of early explorers. Learners complete a detailed chart comparing Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Amerigo Vespucci, focusing on goals, achievements, and time periods, then answer analysis questions that require interpreting similarities, differences, and historical significance.

Academic Focus

• Exploration & Global Connections (Grades 4-6) – Students examine how different explorers contributed to expanding world geography.
• Comparing Historical Figures – Learners analyze similarities and differences in goals, outcomes, and impact.
• Geographic Understanding – Reinforces awareness of early voyages and their influence on mapmaking and global knowledge.
• Reading Charts & Informational Data – Builds skills in extracting and interpreting information from structured charts.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with upper-elementary social studies and ELA standards.
• Clear Comparison Chart – Visual organization supports comprehension and note-taking.
• Analysis Questions Included – Encourages deeper thinking beyond fact recall.
• Low-Prep & Printable – Easy to use for classwork, review, assessments, or homeschool instruction.

This printable worksheet helps students build a clearer understanding of the Age of Exploration by comparing key explorers and evaluating their historical importance. By organizing information in a chart and responding to analysis questions, learners strengthen critical thinking, reading comprehension, and geographic awareness. Ideal for classroom or homeschool use, this activity provides a meaningful way to explore early global exploration while reinforcing essential academic skills.

This worksheet is part of our Columbus Day Worksheets collection.