Famous Female Explorers

Active learning works because Year 2 pupils need concrete evidence to challenge stereotypes about explorers. Hands-on timeline work, role-play, and mapping let children see barriers firsthand, making achievements feel real rather than abstract. These methods also build empathy by letting pupils step into the explorers' shoes through structured activities.

• Year 2
• History
• 4 activities
• 25 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the primary achievements of Amelia Earhart and Valentina Tereshkova.
2. Explain at least two specific challenges faced by female explorers due to societal expectations or technological limitations of their time.
3. Compare the methods and risks involved in Amelia Earhart's aviation journey with Valentina Tereshkova's space mission.
4. Formulate an opinion on the most significant contribution of a chosen female explorer, providing one piece of supporting evidence.

Gallery Walk

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Timeline Build: Explorer Achievements

Pupils work in small groups to research one explorer using provided cards with key dates and facts. They sequence events on a large class timeline, adding drawings of planes, rockets, or maps. Finish with a whole-class walk-through to share highlights.

Prepare & details

Who is one female explorer you have learned about and what did she do?

Facilitation Tip: During Timeline Build, place each explorer's card in a visible line and ask pupils to adjust order based on dates, reinforcing sequencing skills while studying history.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Role-Play Interviews: Facing Challenges

Assign pairs one as explorer and one as reporter. The reporter asks prepared questions about journeys and obstacles, while the explorer responds in character using fact sheets. Switch roles and perform for the class.

Prepare & details

What challenges did some female explorers face that made their journeys even harder?

Facilitation Tip: For Role-Play Interviews, provide sentence starters like 'I faced difficulty when...' to scaffold responses and keep discussions focused on challenges.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Map Journeys: Plotting Paths

Provide world maps for individual or pair work. Pupils mark routes of Earhart's flight or Tereshkova's launch site, noting distances and dangers with stickers or drawings. Discuss as a class what made paths impressive.

Prepare & details

What do you think is the most impressive thing a female explorer has ever achieved?

Facilitation Tip: In Map Journeys, use a large world map and colored string to trace routes, helping pupils visualize distances and difficulties like weather or lack of resources.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Achievement Posters

Groups create posters showing one explorer's life, challenges, and triumphs with images and captions. Display around the room for a gallery walk where pupils leave sticky-note comments on impressive facts.

Prepare & details

Who is one female explorer you have learned about and what did she do?

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should pair storytelling with hands-on tasks to make abstract concepts tangible for young learners. Avoid long lectures; instead, use short narratives followed by active tasks that require pupils to engage with the material. Research shows that combining visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements strengthens retention and empathy, especially when addressing historical biases.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like pupils confidently naming explorers, explaining their achievements, and discussing challenges they faced. They should use timelines and maps to sequence events, role-play interviews that include obstacles, and create posters that celebrate female contributions. Their reflections should show growing awareness of societal barriers.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Timeline Build, watch for pupils who assume all explorers were men because the timeline starts with male figures.

What to Teach Instead

Use the timeline to deliberately place Earhart and Tereshkova early, prompting pupils to notice and discuss why these women are often overlooked. Ask, 'Why might Earhart's flight be less well-known than Lindbergh's?' to guide reflection.

Common Misconception

During Role-Play Interviews, watch for pupils who portray challenges as minor or easily overcome.

What to Teach Instead

Provide role cards with specific barriers, like 'You were denied funding because you are a woman' or 'Your map was inaccurate, leading you off course.' Ask pupils to include these in their interviews to highlight real difficulties.

Common Misconception

During Map Journeys, watch for pupils who assume explorers' routes were straightforward or without planning.

What to Teach Instead

Use replicas of navigational tools like compasses or early flight maps. Ask pupils to explain how these tools helped explorers prepare, making the dangers and planning visible.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Timeline Build, provide students with a card asking them to name one female explorer, her main achievement, and one difficulty she faced. Collect cards to check their understanding of key figures and challenges.

Discussion Prompt

During Role-Play Interviews, ask students to pair up and share one question they would ask Earhart or Tereshkova about her journey. Have them explain why that question is important, encouraging critical thinking about the explorers' experiences.

Quick Check

After Gallery Walk, show images of Earhart's plane and the Vostok 6 spacecraft. Ask students to point to the image of the explorer they learned about and state one fact about her journey. This quickly assesses recall and identification.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask pupils to research and add one more female explorer to the timeline, writing a short fact card about her journey.
• Scaffolding: Provide pre-printed explorer images with key facts for pupils to match during the gallery walk if they struggle with writing.
• Deeper: Invite pupils to compare the tools Earhart and Tereshkova used, listing similarities and differences in a Venn diagram.

Key Vocabulary

Aviator	A pilot of an aircraft. Amelia Earhart was a famous aviator known for her long-distance flights.
Cosmonaut	A person trained to travel in a spacecraft. Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to become a cosmonaut and travel to space.
Solo Flight	A flight undertaken by a pilot without any passengers or co-pilots. Amelia Earhart completed a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
Pioneer	A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area. Both Earhart and Tereshkova were pioneers in their fields of exploration.