Age of Exploration Map Activities | 5 Maps: Explorers Routes, Colonies | 5th-8th

Description

This Age of Exploration Map Activities set for grades 5-8 comes with everything you need — 5 kid-friendly map worksheets, student questions, lesson plans, and answer keys.

Students start by exploring a historical map showing how Europeans understood the world before exploration began. From there, they trace the Silk Road and why overland trade routes made sea travel worth the risk, followed by the actual routes explorers took across the ocean. They examine the Columbian Exchange and the goods, ideas, and diseases traded between continents, and finish by mapping the European colonies that resulted.

Need more than maps?

The Age of Exploration Bundle includes this map set plus the full 10-lesson unit — save 10%.

Age of Exploration Bundle: Complete Unit (10 Lessons) + 5 Map Activities | Save 10%

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Preview the Age of Exploration Maps

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Download a PDF preview.

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Why You Will Love This Resource

Ready-to-Use
No need to build map activities from scratch. Each set comes with hand-drawn maps, student questions, a reflection activity, lesson plans, and answer keys. Just print and go.

Maps That Tell One Story
These maps don’t stand alone — they work together. Students trace one connected story across the Age of Exploration, culminating in a reflection activity that ties all 5 maps together.

Built From Real Teacher Feedback
I asked teachers what frustrated them most about the map worksheets they were using. The answers were consistent: too cluttered to read in black and white, questions that were more busywork than critical thinking, and no instructions or answer key included. This resource was built to fix all three.

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Here’s What’s Included

• 5 map worksheets
  • Side A: A short map description + hand-drawn map
  • Side B: 5 student questions + a coloring prompt
• 1 reflection activity
• Concise lesson plans, including lesson introductions & extension activities
• Answer keys & teacher instructions

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Which Maps Are Included?

1. How Europeans Saw the World – Historical Map
2. The Silk Road – Resource Map
3. Explorers’ Routes – Route Map
4. The Columbian Exchange – Thematic Map
5. European Colonies Around the World – Political Map

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This Resource Is For You If:

• You want print-and-go map activities with zero extra prep
• You want students actively labeling, coloring, and analyzing — not just reading
• You want a resource that supplements your existing unit without replacing it

This Resource Is NOT For You If:

• You need a fully digital or Google Slides resource (these are print-only by design)
• You’re looking for a full multi-week unit rather than a supplemental map activity set

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How to Use in the Classroom

This resource is designed to supplement your existing Age of Exploration unit — use it alongside lessons you already teach to add a visual, skills-based component without replacing anything. Each map activity takes about 20-30 minutes, longer with the extension activity. The reflection activity works well as a culminating assessment once all 5 maps are complete.

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Where Can I Find More History Resources?

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Customer Tips:

For samples of what’s included, download the preview file. I’d love to answer any questions — just click “Product Q&A.”

This is a digital file; no physical product will be shipped. Please make sure you’re able to open PDF files before purchasing. This is not an editable file.