Explorers
A Pathfinder for Grades 5 - 8

Good books to start with.

There are several excellent reference books about explorers. Use the index of the book to find the words in the boxes below or ask your librarian to help you use the book. Most reference books cannot be checked out.

1. J 031 World Book Encyclopedia, Chicago: World Book, 1999-2003. When looking up an explorer in an encyclopedia, the same rule applies as when looking up a biography, search by the last name. Also, check the index, for other possible related topics.
2. R 910.922 W927 Bohlander, Richard (edt), World Explorers and Discoverers. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1991.
3. R 910.922 W164- Waldman, Carl, & Alan Wexler, Who Was Who in World Exploration. New York: Facts on File, 1992.

How can I learn more about explorers?

To learn more about explorers, you will need to use the following important words:

Name of the individual explorer. Use his/her last name first	Discovery and exploration	Explorers
Expedition	Outer space exploration	Underwater exploration
Name of specific geographical area such as Arctic and Antarctica

You can use the keywords above to learn more about explorers. Go to http://www.library.torrnet.com/  and click on NEW! Online Catalog of Books, Videos, CDs, DVDs & More

In the light blue search box, decide what you will search for: 

Subject
Word or phrase 
Author
Title
Series
Periodical title (Magazines and newspapers are periodicals)

Next, if you add the keywords juvenile literature to one of the keywords in the boxes above, you will find non-fiction items that the library has. If you add the keywords juvenile fiction to one of the keywords in the boxes above, you will find fiction items that the library has.

Call numbers to locate other books on explorers: 

• 551.46 Underwater Exploration
• 629.4 Outer Space Exploration 
• 910.9 Explorers and Discoveries
• 920 Collective Biographies 
• J B Biography Collection (Arranged alphabetically by the famous person's last name.)

Where else can I learn more about explorers?

Go to http://www.library.torrnet.com/  and click on Magazines, Newspapers and other databases to get to the following databases where you can find information from magazines and newspapers:

• DIScovering Collection, This database designed with the student in mind is available to Torrance Public Library holders. It includes biographical information, historical content and images.  Access is available from home and work for this database.  For remote access click the link above.  The username is    torr56119  and the password is your library card number.

Websites:

• Mariner's Museum, Age of Exploration
  This site is filled with information about early exploration.
• Multnomah County Library, "Homework Central - Explorers"
  Multnomah County Library has compiled an extensive list of websites on exploration and explorers.
• CyberSleuth Kids: Explorers on the Web
  Over 200 websites gathered by the Cybersleth.
• KidsInfo: Explorers 
  Developed for kids, this mega site looks at exploration beginning from ancient times. Scan to the end of the page for some interesting facts.
• Library of Congress: Discovery and Exploration - Geography and Map Division
  Through the National Digital Library Program view the original maps and documents during the Age of Exploration.

People & Places: 

• Cabrillo Festival and National Monument 
  1800 Cabrillo Monument Drive, San Diego, CA 92106 (619) 557-5450,  On September 28, 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed on San Miguel (now San Diego) and was the first European to walk on what later became the Western United States. San Diego commemorates this event with a week-long festival beginning September 21st. It culminates with a reenactment of this event. Check the website for more information

Torrance Public Library
(310) 618-5964
http://www.library.torrnet.com