Interactive quizzes can be a great way to not only assess student knowledge, but also to teach students new concepts. This is especially true when students have some previous knowledge but benefit from more information on the subject.
I created this quiz to teach my students about life aboard a ship during the Age of Exploration. Typically I will project the quiz on the board for the whole class to see. I cover the questions one at a time. The students read the question and determine their answer. Then I will ask the class for a consensus as to what they think the correct answer is. Then I will reveal the right answer and elaborate on why that is correct. This quiz piques students’ curiosity while teaching them something new in a fun way.
Ship life may not be covered in some state content standards, however, I think it is important for students to understand life aboard a ship during this time. This leads to a better understanding of the determination of the explorers, as well as the risks and costs of exploration. It also helps contrast transportation then and now. It can even be a good lead-in to why the journey across the Atlantic was hard for colonists coming to the New World. If you don’t have time to assign this in class, assign for homework.
See the quiz below, or click here to open it in a new window.
