New
New
Year 1

Chinese innovation in seafaring

I can explain why the Chinese were such good navigators.

New
New
Year 1

Chinese innovation in seafaring

I can explain why the Chinese were such good navigators.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Zheng He and other Chinese sailors were able to navigate across large distances because of various things they used.
  2. The Chinese used strong ships called junks with many large sails.
  3. These ships had a rudder, which allowed the Chinese to steer them without oars, which was easier.
  4. The Chinese were the first seafarers to use a compass, which made navigation more simple and reliable.

Keywords

  • Junk - a Chinese ship with sails and a rudder was called a junk

  • Rudder - a rudder is a flat moveable piece of wood at the back of a boat that can help it change direction

  • Navigate - to navigate means to find a way from one place to another

  • Compass - a compass is a tool used for navigating that always points north

Common misconception

Chinese ships must have had engines.

Engines had not been invented yet. Chinese sailing ships relied on the wind and power of the sea to make long journeys.

Try some model making. Pupils could work in pairs to make their own models of a Chinese junk ship using recyclable materials - make a junk from junk!
Teacher tip

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).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Look at the picture. What do we call this?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: a stele
a painting
a toy
Q2.
Which statement is true?
Zheng He was an Emperor.
Correct answer: Zheng He was an admiral.
Zheng He was a teacher.
Q3.
Where was Zheng He buried?
In China
Correct answer: At sea
In Africa
Q4.
What special name was used to describe Zheng He's ships?
money ships
prize ships
Correct answer: treasure ships
Q5.
Zheng He's Chinese ships were very small.
true
Correct answer: false
Q6.
Match up the pairs to create sentences about Zheng He.
Correct Answer:Zheng He was,from China.

from China.

Correct Answer:Zheng He travelled ,across the Indian Ocean.

across the Indian Ocean.

Correct Answer:Zheng He's journeys were,carved into steles.

carved into steles.

Correct Answer:Zheng He collected gifts,from other countries.

from other countries.

Q1 © Vmenkov. GNU Free Documentation License - Wikipedia

6 Questions

Q1.
Which part of a junk helps the ship to change direction?
sail
flags
Correct answer: rudder
Q2.
On a junk, what are sails for?
To impress people
Correct answer: To catch the wind
To protect the hull
Q3.
Which direction does a compass always point to?
west
east
Correct answer: north
south
Q4.
Which tool was first used by Chinese explorers?
Correct answer: compass
map
galley
junk
Q5.
Which word means to find a way from one place to another?
junk
Correct answer: navigate
rudder
Q6.
Choose the things that would be on a Chinese junk.
Correct answer: sails
Correct answer: compass
computers
Correct answer: rudder

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