Welcome to another blog post about stuff! Interesting-ish stuff! In particular, school. Today I’m going to show you the final results of my delve into exploration, and show you how I got there. 

This project was a hard one, it started right after the semester switchover, and ended at the same time as the second term.

Keystone 1:

We started by learning about the vikings, how they lived, who they were, what they did, and what were some common myths about them. We also learned how to asses bias in information, and how to obtain a non-biased opinion on a subject. Our proof that we had learned this came in the form of a viking character card; a viking character we created along with some other facts on a template we had been given, and a character summary sheet:  

My personal favourite part of that assignment was one of my made up quotes, “anything you can kill, I can kill more.”

Keystone 2:

After keystone 1, we started to learn about exploration in the Renaissance; who was exploring, how they explored, and what they discovered, the way we showed our learning this time was by creating a short story under 200 words; I found this very hard because I like adding detail to my stories, but I managed write the story in just under 350 words! Hmmm. That won’t lose me any marks, right? Right? *hyperventilating. Anyways, here is my story, it is from the perspective of a crew mate aboard Jacques Cartier’s ship on his voyage when he “discovered” Canada. My story shows how the crew members of those ships might of felt, and how navigation worked then:   

“As we left the shore of France, I couldn’t help wonder why I had signed up to go across the sea is search of a new trade route to Asia.

As we were sailing, I was very curious about how navigation worked; how on earth were we getting home? I felt that to get these questions answered I would have to ask our captain; Jacques Cartier.

When I got to the captain’s bunk, I knocked on his door, and when he stepped out I asked, “how do you navigate so well? How are we going to get home?” He then invited me in and showed me some of the different navigation instruments. First the compass; which always pointed to the true north, used for finding your direction, then the astrolabe; used for triangulation and identifying stars of planets, then the cross-staff; used for measuring the height of a heavenly body, and lastly, the sextant; like the astrolabe, but could also find the latitude of a ship. He also showed me he navigated using the stars and how he used maps to find where we were. I went back to my bunk feeling satisfied that he knew what he was doing, and I would get home safely.

We traded with the people we found on the land we discovered, they liked trading for our goods, but eventually we had to fight them when they tried to steal our supplies. A lot of them died, which was bad for our relations with them, but they will all probably be dead soon because of the diseases we accidentally brought to them.

When I finally heard the cry of “land! I see land!” From the crow’s nest, I was relived, our journey had taken us a long time to complete, and now we were finally home.”

Keystone 3:

In this keystone we learned about cause and consequence, how something starts, and what that thing could change. We then updated our stories to include this; in my story it was the section about fighting the indigenous people, and how so many people had died, just because a few people went exploring.

We also created some images to go with our stories, here are mine,

Firstly, the compass;

And the astrolabe;

Then the sextant;

And then the cross-staff;

And lastly, a short video showing a mini timeline-ish thing of how the exploration might of happened.

Finish line:

For the last step of our project, we put our project into book creator. Here was the finished product:

Overall, this was quite a fun project, we also did peer reviews the whole way through, and I learned lots of new skills.

Thank you for reading my blog post about exploration, I hope you enjoyed it! If you want to read a longer, unfinished version of my story, click underneath:

[wmd-accordion tab_background=”#066196″ tab_color=”#fff” content_background=”#2196d1″ content_color=”#fff” border_radius=”4″ ls-id=”640911f355886″][wmd-accordion-tab title=”Longer unfinished story”]It was as I was leaving the recruitment station that the full reality of what I%E2%80%99d just done set in. I had signed up to go across the sea%2C in pursuit of a seemingly impossible goal%3B looking for a new route to Asia%2C where there could be nothing but ocean. It was such a crazy thing to do%2C and as I walked along the shore to my home%2C all I could do was wonder if I had just condemned myself to death far away from anything I knew or loved.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt was already time to leave%21 April 20th already%21 How had this happened%2C it felt like I had just singed up for this voyage yesterday%2C I tried I to keep calm as I helped load the last provisions onto the ship. For the third time that day%2C I kept wondering why King Francis I had paid for this%3B did he enjoy watching sailors sail away to their death%3F It cost so much money that only the King could have afforded. And then there was Jacques Cartier himself. I didn%E2%80%99t know much about%2C just that he had been hired by the King to explore the seas. I had to trust him though%2C he was the man who was supposed to be getting me across the ocean and back alive. As we sailed away from France%2C I knew our journey had only just begun and I was already ready to be back.%0D%0A%0D%0AI was used to ships of course%2C growing up on the coast of France%2C I was used to the parts of the ship and the ideas of sailing%2C but the idea of navigation fascinated me%21 How was one supposed to find where they were with no land in sight%2C or just decide where they wanted to land%2C and then actually end up there instead of thousands of kilometres away. I wanted to know more%2C and I could only think of one man who could show me%3B Jacques Cartier.%0D%0A%0D%0AWe had been at sea for three days%2C and I still hadn%E2%80%99t worked up the courage to ask our captain about navigation%2C but I was going to today%2C and nothing was going to stop me%21 But as I was walking to the captains bunk I kept having doubts%3B did everyone onboard already know everything about navigation%3F Would our captain punish me for not knowing%3F It was a battle just to look towards the direction of the captains bunk%2C but eventually I managed to get myself to the door of Jacques Cartier%E2%80%99s bunk. Holding my breath%2C I knocked on the door.%0D%0A%0D%0AI stood there holding my breath for a while%2C waiting for the door to open%2C fighting the urge to run away. When the door finally opened%2C there he was%3B Jacques Cartier%21 When I look at him%2C everything just seemed right about him%2C his expression focused and brooding%2C his hair and beard a light brown%2C and his blue-green eyes just went so well with what my idea of a master navigator looked like%2C that I just stood with my feet planted in place%2C looking dumbfounded for several seconds until he said to me %E2%80%9Cwhat do you want%3F%E2%80%9D %E2%80%9CDuh-uh%E2%80%A6 uh%E2%80%9D I stuttered back to him. %E2%80%9CI%2C I just had a few%2C a few questions about navigation sir%E2%80%9D I managed to choke out. %E2%80%9CWell then come in young fellow%2C and I will show the wonders of the art%E2%80%9D he said back to me. %E2%80%9CReally%21%E2%80%9D I exclaimed%2C unable to control my excitement. %E2%80%9COf course.%E2%80%9D He said as I followed him into his bunk. As I looked around the bunk I couldn%E2%80%99t help but gasp.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt was so very different from what I was Imagining%2C but also. Much better. I had been expecting a luxurious room%2C but instead I was greeted with haphazard mess. But it was amazing%2C navigation instruments everywhere%2C I was happy with the fact our captain wasn%E2%80%99t trying to prove he was better than us%2C and was just focusing on where we were going%2C also I found all the navigation gear fascinating. I picked up a flat cylinder with lots of markings and a needle and asked with wonder %E2%80%9Cwhat is this%3F%E2%80%9D He responded by saying %E2%80%9Cthat is a compass%2C it always points to the true north%2C so it is used for telling which direction you are travelling%E2%80%9D I was blown away by that%2C so when Jack %28can I call him that%2C or will that get me dumped overboard%3F%29 pulled out what looked like a stick standing up vertically%2C with more sticks coming of the sides horizontally%2C with markings everywhere%2C I was blown away. %E2%80%9CThis is a cross staff%E2%80%9D he explained. %E2%80%9CIt is commonly used to measure the altitude of a heavenly body%3B something in the sky%E2%80%9D he continued. %E2%80%9Dwow%E2%80%9D was all I could say. Then he pulled out a strange device and said %E2%80%9Cthis is an astrolabe%2C it was used for triangulation. Basically finding where you are%2C and also to identify celestial bodies%2C and measure the altitude of them as well.%E2%80%9D I found this fascinating%2C but there was a question I needed to ask%3B %E2%80%9Cwhy did you say %E2%80%9Cwas%E2%80%9D%2C sir%3F%E2%80%9D He responded to my question by saying%3B %E2%80%9Cwell%2C it was replaced for the most part by this contraption.%E2%80%9D He pulled out yet another strange looking device%3B %E2%80%9CThis is a sextant. It can do everything that an astrolabe can do%2C but it can also find the latitude of a ship.%E2%80%9D He told me. I pointed at a strange looking piece of paper on the wall. %E2%80%9CWhat%E2%80%99s that%3F%E2%80%9D I asked him. %E2%80%9CThat is a map%2C it shows what part of the world looks like%2C and therefore is a key aspect of navigation.%E2%80%9D He told me. %E2%80%9CWow.%E2%80%9D was once again all I could say. %E2%80%9CWe also look at the positions of the stars to help us navigate%2C celestial navigation is one of the biggest tools in navigation.%E2%80%9D He informed me. After a few seconds of silence%2C I said%3B %E2%80%9Cthank you sir.%E2%80%9D He then said%3B %E2%80%9Cyou should get back to your post%2C and I will see you around.%E2%80%9D %E2%80%9CYes sir. Thank you sir.%E2%80%9D I said as I left.l%0D%0A%0D%0AWhen I got back to my bunk at the end of the day%2C and tried to sleep%2C all I could think about was the fascinating thing that was navigation. At least now I trusted to get us home if we didn%E2%80%99t die in hundreds of possible ways%2C I trusted our captain to get us home safely.%0D%0A%0D%0AHowever%2C I still found myself wondering about why we doing this%2C why would we risk everything just for a slightly faster trade route%3F I thought about for awhile%2C then decided to ask some of the crew who had been on voyages like this before.%0D%0A%0D%0AAfter a bit of searching%2C I found a crew member prepared to answer my question. His name was Valerian. He was a very rugged man with hard hands and many scars%2C I was scared just looking at him%2C but I needed answers%2C so I approached him hesitantly. %E2%80%9CWhy are we doing this you think%3F%E2%80%9D I asked him. %E2%80%9CFor the loot%2C right%3F%E2%80%9D He replied. %E2%80%9CYeah%2C but what about the fame%3F We get famous too%3F%E2%80%9DI questioned. %E2%80%9CWe also have to covert anyone we meet though%3B for god%E2%80%9D he said back. %E2%80%9CProbably a bit of everything right%3F%E2%80%9D I asked. %E2%80%9CI guess%E2%80%9D he said%2C %E2%80%9C%E2%80%9Dnow leave%2C I wanna relax before my next shift. %E2%80%9CAlright%2C thanks%E2%80%9D I said as I left.%0D%0A[/wmd-accordion-tab][/wmd-accordion]

Bye!