Have students research and report on topics related to the Portuguese discoveries, such as Dom Denis, Henry the Navigator, Caravel ships, Early Portuguese Discoveries, or others that come to mind. Use Smith's book Explorers of the Amazon , Chapter 1, to introduce Pedro Cabral's discovery of Brazil and subsequent naming. Consider showing a film here on the rainforest of Brazil. Check with your district film catalog, or ask your social studies teachers. This would be a good opportunity to connect with the Internet sources either independently or as a class.
Most libraries now carry extensive resources and museums often feature displays.
As the world approaches the year 2000, no country can ignore its own history as it considers the challenges of the future. We are all facing a critical turn where our past use of resources and our current planning will determine our ability to survive. The resources here could be videos, news broadcasts, journalism articles, internet resources from Lynx, WWW, subscription databases, etc. Grouping the class into teams facilitates research. Have each team select a particular topic to compare and contrast.