Spanish Explorers of North America

They came, they saw, they conquered. They also mapped the terra incognita of the New World. No, the Spanish explorers were not nice to the native people, and many of them got their comeuppance, either starving or being killed by the natives themselves. Their travels were the stuff of epics and their names still ring down through the ages: Ponce de Leon, Narvaez, Cabeza de Vaca, DeSoto, Coronado, and Cabrillo. While it's hard to cover so many important subjects in such a short running time, the animated maps showing the routes of the frequently-lost explorers are helpful and the costumed reenactors from historic St. Augustine offer students a livelier view of the 16th century conquistadors than the stiff portraits in textbooks. The accompanying teacher's guide includes pre- and post-viewing tests, a vocabulary list, a crossword puzzle and maps. Recommended. Aud: J, H. (R. Reagan)