Exploration

An exploration is an adventure - but an adventure with a purpose. People set out on an exploration in order to find out something about the world that they don't know. An exploration with a purpose and a plan is called an "expedition." People have been exploring their surroundings since history began. It seems to be a natural instinct for us humans to want to know more about our world.

For instance, in ancient times the Phoenicians developed sailing ships so that they could discover what was beyond their own shoreline. In the middle ages, Vikings sailed their simple boats all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to Greenland and Canada. Africans built giant rafts and floated wherever the currents took them. In the 15th and 16th centuries, adventurous sailors from Europe set out on daring voyages across uncharted seas to find new ways to China. They set off into the unknown because they thought they would find great riches there.

We continue to explore our world and our universe today. We send people to the moon and robots to Mars to find out what they are made of and how they are the same (or different) from Earth.

Activity #1

Take a minute to think about the explorers you know about. Work with a partner and make a list. On your Explorer's Worksheet, write down the names of four explorers. Include the period in history in which he or she lived, and the reason for the expedition. This activity will get you ready for the rest of the activities in this Learning Adventure.