Research and learn about 20 key world explorers from the Age of Exploration and then review what has been learned by playing the “guess the explorer” game. Great for an Age of Exploration Unit, either in the learning stages or as explorer unit review.
Each explorer card has key facts such as
- explorer nationality
- approximate year(s) of exploring
- how he explored (by land or sea)
- where he went
- why he went or what his journey taught other explorers.
There is also a page for students to research and fill in about their own explorers, and an organization chart to compare and contrast two explorers.
Major Update Summer 2026
Finally, there is a fun Guess the Explorers! game to review what has been learned. Use this set of explorer information cards, sorting cards, and much more to make your explorers unit fun and hands-on.
Included explorers are as follows: Leif Erikson, Marco Polo, Bartolomeu Dias, Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Amerigo Vespucci, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, Ferdinand Magellan, Juan de Ponce de León, Hernando de Soto, Francisco Coronado, Jacques Cartier, Giovanni de Verrazzano, Robert de La Salle, Henry Hudson, Francisco Pizarro, Samuel de Champlain, Hernando de Cortez, Vasco de Gama, James Cook.
Information cards have lots of details, maps, dates, and graphics with explorer biographies.
Small information cards could be put together into a booklet about explorers
Blank information cards let you do explorer research.
Use the Venn Diagram and writing prompts to compare European explorers.
Sort the explorers by nation, how they traveled, and why they traveled.
BONUS! Timeline Squares for your own explorer timelines.
Explorer Game: After you learn about the explorers, figure out the secret identity of your opponent’s explorer before they figure out yours in a guess who style game! Ask yes or no questions and eliminate non-relevant explorers. Guess the Explorer! is a perfect “center” wrap-up to a school explorers unit, specifically North American explorers. We also played the explorers game in my homeschool and in homeschool groups.
Sample questions:
- Did your explorer travel by land? or Did your explorer travel by sea?
- Did your explorer seek a Northwest Passage? or Did your explorer seek for gold?
- Did your explorer ever see Asia? or Did your explorer ever see North America?
- Did your explorer stay in North America?
- Is your explorer Spanish? or Is your explorer Portuguese?
Check out the other social studies games I have in my store.