A Journey to Explore the World
Phase 1 - Ages of Exploration
Pupils will learn that humans had, and still have, a desire to find out more about creation and the world in which we live. Pupils will learn that much of what we know about the world today came from past journeys of exploration. Pupils will consider exploration today, including journeys of exploration to space and to the depths of the seabed.
Part A - The Age of Discovery –15th to early 17th Century
Pupils will:
- know that the Age of Discovery is beyond living memory.
- record significant exploration events on a time line.
- know that this Age of Exploration was only made possible due to advances in cartography (drawing of maps), navigation and shipbuilding.
- know that new exploration is often linked to advances in technology – will be revisited when thinking about journeys of exploration today and in the future.
- learn that the reasons for exploration during this period were often linked to:
- Trade and money (focus for Year 5)
- Religion – tell people about God (evangelise)
- Glory and fame
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Historical person – Christopher Columbus (1451-1506)
Pupils will:
- know that Christopher Columbus is a famous Italian explorer whose journeys were supported by the Spanish.
- learn that Christopher Columbus is acknowledged for discovering the Americas in 1492 and that Europeans would call this the ‘New World’.
- learn that we know today that there were people in the Americas long before Christopher Columbus.
- know that Christopher Columbus was exploring the world to find a new trading route to Asia, India in particular – trade will be focused on in Year 5.
- learn what a colony and colonisation is, and how the Americas were colonised due to Christopher Columbus’ journey of exploration.
- learn about the impact of colonisation on the (native) people.
Historical Event – Story of the Dodo
Pupils will:
- know that the story of the Dodo is an example of the damage that can be caused by human exploration.
- learn that human exploration can affect habitats which can be disastrous – pupils link this learning to learning from Autumn term’s Golden Thread.
Part B – Modern Exploration – Focus on Scientific Exploration
Pupils will learn that much of modern exploration has been focused on learning more about creation and the world in which we live.
Historical figure – Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
Pupils will:
- know that Charles Darwin is local to the Midlands, born in Shrewsbury.
- know that Charles Darwin in 1831 set sail on the HMS Beagle. This was a 5 year voyage around the world where Darwin visited South America, the Galapagos Islands and other islands of the Pacific Ocean.
- know that Charles Darwin used his journey of exploration to gather information about plant and animal life, including keeping detailed sketches and drawings.
- learn that through his journey of exploration he discovered that plants and animals evolve over time – - link this to animal adaption and relate this to their Autumn term Golden Thread.
- know that Charles Darwin wrote about his ideas in his books entitled ‘On the Origin of Species’.
- know that Charles Darwin is an example of exploration which changed the world.
Historical Event – Moon Landing (1969)
Pupils will:
- learn about humans’ desire to explore outside of Earth – linked to Phase 2.
- learn about humans first Moon walk by Neil Armstrong on July 20th 1969 and why, because it was such a historical significant event, it is still remembered by many people today– including the live TV commentary.
Phase 2 Present and Future Exploration
Pupils will:
- consider exploration today and possible future exploration and how this is linked to advances in technology.
- learn about further space exploration, including to other planets.
- consider deep sea exploration and why many people refer to the deep sea as the planet’s final frontier. (oceans cover approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface yet scientists estimate between 90% and 95% undiscovered.
- consider past exploration and the possible impact (positive and negative) of modern exploration.
