a seafarer is a person who often travels by sea

when people navigate, they control where their boat is going

a sail is a large piece of cloth attached to a boat that uses the wind to help the boat move

How Polynesian explorers travelled and navigated

History

Early explorers and their boats

Seafaring in the early Mediterranean world

The Vikings and their longboats

Viking navigation and expansion

The incredible voyages of Zheng He

Chinese innovation in seafaring

John Cabot's journeys across the Atlantic

Seafaring 550 years ago

Brunel's race to cross the Atlantic

Life aboard the SS Great Britain

From sail to steam power

In ‘Significant explorers: how has seafaring changed over time?’ pupils develop their chronological framework, studying a theme that introduced change and continuity across a long time span. In ‘Significant rulers from the past: what can their stories tell us?’ they continue to develop chronological understanding whilst being introduced to various substantive concepts that relate to ruling.

In ‘Traditional stories: what do they tell us about the distant past?’ pupils moved to the distant past in order to start building their chronological framework by hearing traditional historical stories. In ‘Significant explorers: how has seafaring changed over time?’ pupils develop this framework further by studying a theme that introduces change and continuity across a long time span.

This unit on explorers and seafaring gives students a clear sense of change over time, highlighting technological, economic, and cultural shifts. It covers the sea's role in trade and exploration and explores material culture, craftsmanship, and the influence of seafaring on language and art.

Significant explorers: How has seafaring changed over time?

What do we call a large piece of cloth attached to a boat?

What is the hard outer shell of a boat called?

What did Polynesian explorers use to help them to navigate?

What was special about the canoes that Polynesian explorers used?

Which word describes a person that travels to places that they have never been before?

They asked for directions from other people.

How did early explorers know which way to go?

The Pesse Canoe is an example of a canoe made by early humans.

Early humans had no other types of transport.

Early humans had to travel on rivers so they must have had a boat.

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. Early explorers carved out the inside of tree trunks to make canoes. This left a __________ space inside the canoe where they would stand.

Why did early explorers travel to new places?

How Polynesian explorers travelled and navigated

Lesson outcome