Seafaring 550 years ago
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe how European seafarers sailed at the time of John Cabot.
Key learning points
- European sailors, like John Cabot, had begun to use boats more similar to those of Zheng He.
- The boats were pointed at the front and square at the back, with a rudder to help them steer.
- The boats had many sails and used rigging to support and control the sails to help them catch as much wind as possible.
- European sailors had also begun to use the compass to navigate, like the Chinese before them, and the astrolabe.
- European sailors, like John Cabot, used lead lines to work out how deep the water they were sailing in was.
Keywords
Rigging - a ship's sails are held up and controlled by ropes known as rigging
Astrolabe - sailors used a tool called an astrolabe to work out how far north or south they were
Lead line - a lead line is a length of rope with a piece of lead attached to it
Common misconception
Pupils may think because European seafarers were using the navigation tools, they invented them too.
European seafarers didn't invent the astrolabe or compass. Many ancient people navigated by the stars like the Polynesians and Vikings.
Teacher tip
Make the connection between an astrolabe and the stars by asking pupils to think of other words beginning 'astro'. Do they think of an 'astronaut' in space?
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Where did seafarer John Cabot travel?
Q2.Where did seafarer Zheng He travel?
Q3.Where did John Cabot think he was travelling to?
Q4.Which type of boat does not have sails?
Q5.What feature of Chinese junks helped them to turn around or change direction easily?
Q6.Chinese junks were known for being very...
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.On a ship, what is rigging?
Q2.Which of these is a type of star chart?
Q3.Which of these did sailors use to measure how deep water was?
Q4.Who first used a compass to navigate at sea?
Q5.550 years ago, what did European sailors add to their boats to help them to turn more easily?
Q6.Sailing boats from 550 years ago had many large to catch the wind.
To help you plan your 1 history lesson on: Seafaring 550 years ago, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 1 history lesson on: Seafaring 550 years ago, 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.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 history lessons from the John Cabot and Brunel unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.