The Columbian Exchange: Countable and Non-Countable Noun Review

Introduction: On October 12th we celebrate the Day of Cultural Exchange. This date marks the date in 1492 in which Spanish expeditions made the first contact between the Old World and New World. This sigular event had many historical consequences and in this activity, we will explore the effects of the exchange of animals and plants between these two parts of the globe. Work with your partners to complete the tasks below. 

Task 1: Old World or New World Origin?

Your teacher assigned you to a group. Click on the link below and then go to your assigned section of the document.

• Shared Document: CLICK HERE

Task 2: Paragraph Writing

Now work with your partners to write a paragraph by completing the missing information below.

"The Columbian Exchange is an event that changed the world. It represents the exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the New and Old Worlds starting on October 12, 1492. Before the arrival of Europeans, in the Americas people ate many ______s, ________s, and also some _______ but they did not eat any ______ or ______. Europeans did not have access to _______s or _______s but they did have many ______s and a little ______.  Over the centuries, these plants and animals have traveled around the globe. Now people everywhere can enjoy as much ______ and ______ as they want and they can easily buy a few ______s and _______s at their local supermarket. 

Task 3: Pair Discussion

Talk to your partners about the things you eat and drink using the sentence starters below.

• I typically eat lots of ______ because...
• I don't drink much ______ because...
• My typical meal does not include any _____ but it does include a many ______...
• I think I eat to much ____ because...
• I think I eat too little ______ because...
• I should probably eat more ______ because...
• For a light snack I eat a few ______ and ...

Continue your conversation with your partners. How many of these words can you include?

• some
• any
• much
• many
• a few
• a little

Task 4: Critical Thinking

Discuss these questions with a partner.

• What proportion of your diet consists of New World items and Old World items?
• Think about three typical Costa Rican dishes. What are their ingredients? How many of them are Old World items? How many are from the New World?
• The Columbian exchange also brought many negative consequences. What were some of them?
• The world of 2020 is now completely connected. What are some possitive and negative effects of our globalized society?