Brunel's race to cross the Atlantic
I can describe Brunel's attempts to win the 'race across the Atlantic'.
Brunel's race to cross the Atlantic
I can describe Brunel's attempts to win the 'race across the Atlantic'.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Just under 200 years ago, a race was underway to see which would be the first steamship to cross the Atlantic.
- A British engineer called Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the SS Great Western to try and achieve this.
- It was a wooden hulled steamship with masts, sails and a paddle wheel.
- The SS Great Western was narrowly beaten by the SS Sirius, which became the first steamship to cross the Atlantic.
- Brunel then designed and built the SS Great Britain, the first iron steamship with a propeller to cross the Atlantic.
Keywords
Steamship - a steamship is a ship that uses a steam engine to help it move
Paddle wheel - a paddle wheel is a large wheel, turned by a steam engine, used to move a boat
Propeller - a propeller is something that spins in the water to move a ship forward
Common misconception
Pupils may think that the 'race across the Atlantic' was an actual race, like on school sports day.
At around the same time, people in different places were trying to achieve the same thing, so whoever achieved it first won the 'race'.
To help you plan your year 1 history lesson on: Brunel's race to cross the Atlantic, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 1 history lesson on: Brunel's race to cross the Atlantic, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 1 history lessons from the William Adams and Brunel unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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