Early explorers and their boats

I can explain what an explorer is and how early explorers travelled.

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Year 1

Early explorers and their boats

I can explain what an explorer is and how early explorers travelled.

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Share activities with pupils

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Lesson details

Key learning points

Explorers often travel to places that are unknown to them.
Humans have always moved around and explored new places.
Humans explored to find new places to live, new survival essentials, or to escape danger.
Some early explorers used very early types of boats like the hollowed out Pesse Canoe.

Common misconception

Pupils may think that explorers always use a map.

Early explorers did not have maps. They often used natural features to navigate by such as rivers.

Keywords

Explorer - an explorer is a person who travels to a place they have never been before
Hollow - early boats were hollow because they had an empty space inside them
Canoe - a canoe is a narrow boat that is used with a paddle

Ask pupils if they like exploring new places. Allow them to share their experiences of visiting new and exciting places, or ask them to talk in groups about what it was like for them when they first started school.

Teacher tip

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).