About the Book

Real people. Amazing accomplishments. True life stories. That’s the stuff biographies are made of! A biography tells the life story of a real person. The author makes us understand why that person was important. How did he overcome difficulties? How did she make a difference in the lives of others? As you read about these real life heroes, you may find yourself thinking about how YOU can change the world! More...

1. What was the purpose of Columbus’ first voyage? Did he find what he was looking for? What did he find?
2. The sailors wanted to turn back but Columbus never did. Why do you think he kept going?
3. What do you think the Indians were thinking when they first saw Columbus and his men?
4. How did he treat Columbus treat the “Indians”? How do you think we should act when we encounter new people or unfamiliar things?

This crossword puzzle is made with key words from your book Christopher Columbus by Stephen Krensky

Word: harbor
Book: A new day begins in a busy Spanish harbor. (p. 5)
Context: The ship was docked in the harbor for repairs.

Word: ships
Book: Someday these ships will be famous. (p. 7)
Context: The cargo ships were going out to sea.

Word: voyage
Book: He is the captain of the Santa Maria and the leader of the voyage. (p. 8)
Context: He took a voyage across the sea in the ship.

Word: captain
Book:  He is the captain of the Santa Maria and the leader of the voyage. (p. 8)
Context: The captain is in charge of the ship.

Word: navigator
Book:  He is a navigator and a mapmaker. (p. 8)
Context: The navigator decides which way the ship goes.

Word: explorer
Book:  Now he dreams of becoming an explorer, too. (p. 8)
Context: The explorer went into the caves to find out was there.

Word: route
Book:  Columbus promises to find a new route from Spain to the Fair East. (p. 11)
Context: I took the long route home from school.

Word: sailors
Book:  Soon the sailors cannot see land. (p. 14)
Context: The sailors worked, ate, and slept on the ship.

Word: island
Book:  As the sun rises, everyone can see an island. (p. 30)
Context: An island has water on all sides.

Word: gold
Book: The Indians were wearing gold rings. (p. 35)
Context: My necklace is made out of gold.

Word: exploration
Definition: traveling for adventure or discovery
Context: He saw many things on his exploration of the states.

Word: discovery
Definition: finding for the first time
Context: She made the first discovery of a new kind of bird.

Word: continent
Definition: one of the main land areas: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica
Context: You can see all of the continents and all of the oceans on the globe.

Word: map
Definition: a drawing of the Earth’s surface; could show things like rivers, mountains, countries, roads, etc.
Context: We looked at the road map to figure out which way to go.

Word: determination
Definition: being firm and strong; strong intention
Context: Her determination helped her stay strong and keep going.

Word: perseverance
Definition: not giving up; being able to stick with something for a long period of time
Context: He showed perseverance when he didn’t give up.