Time Travelers: Exploring Our Past and Present · 2nd Year

Active learning ideas

Grace O'Malley: The Pirate Queen's Leadership

Active learning helps students connect emotionally and intellectually with historical figures like Grace O'Malley, who defied gender norms and led with strength. When students debate her choices or role-play her meeting with Elizabeth I, they see history as a living narrative rather than a series of facts. This approach builds empathy, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of leadership and culture in 16th-century Ireland.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Story
• NCCA: Primary - Life, Society, Work and Culture in the Past

• 30–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Formal Debate
• 40 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: Pirate or Leader?

Divide the class into two groups. One side argues that Grace was a 'pirate' (taking things that weren't hers), while the other argues she was a 'leader' (protecting her people). They must use 'evidence' from her life story.

Analyze how Grace O'Malley defied societal expectations for women in her time.

Facilitation Tip

During the Structured Debate on 'Pirate or Leader,' assign roles explicitly so students argue both perspectives with balanced evidence.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If you were a member of Grace O'Malley's clan in the 16th century, what qualities would you most want in a leader and why?' Encourage students to reference specific actions from her life to support their choices.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 30 min · Pairs

Role Play: The Meeting of the Queens

In pairs, students act out the meeting between Grace O'Malley and Queen Elizabeth I. They must negotiate a deal where Grace's son is released in exchange for her help at sea, focusing on their different languages and cultures.

Explain what her story reveals about life along the Irish coast centuries ago.

Facilitation Tip

For the Role Play of the Meeting of the Queens, provide a clear script with historical details but leave room for improvisation to encourage engagement.

What to look for

Provide students with a short, simplified excerpt from a historical account of Grace O'Malley's life. Ask them to identify two specific actions she took that demonstrate leadership and one challenge she faced due to her gender.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Mapping the Coast

Using a map of Mayo and Galway, students mark the locations of Grace's castles. They discuss why she chose these spots (near the water, high ground) and draw a 'defense plan' for one of them.

Evaluate the qualities that made Grace O'Malley a powerful and respected leader.

Facilitation Tip

In the Collaborative Investigation Mapping the Coast, assign small groups specific coastal areas to research and present, ensuring all students contribute.

What to look for

On a slip of paper, have students write one sentence explaining how Grace O'Malley's life challenges traditional gender roles and one sentence describing the importance of the sea to her community.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching Grace O'Malley effectively requires balancing myth and history while emphasizing her real achievements. Avoid oversimplifying her as a 'rebel pirate,' as students need to see her as a political leader protecting her people. Use primary sources like her letters or accounts of her meeting with Elizabeth I to ground discussions. Research shows that role-playing historical figures helps students internalize complex identities and decisions, making the past more relatable.

Successful learning looks like students confidently discussing Grace O'Malley's dual role as a leader and a figure navigating a male-dominated world. They should use evidence from texts and activities to support their views and demonstrate understanding of her impact on Irish society. By the end, students should articulate how her leadership shaped her community and challenged expectations of women.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Structured Debate on Pirate or Leader, watch for students assuming Grace O'Malley was a fictional character. Correction: Before the debate, show students a real portrait of Grace O'Malley and a photo of her castle, Rockfleet Castle. Explain that she was a real chieftain who lived from 1530 to 1603 and managed her clan's lands and trade routes.

  During the Role Play of the Meeting of the Queens, correct students who describe Grace as 'just a pirate.' Correction: Remind students of her title as 'Chieftain' and ask them to think about her responsibilities to her clan and people. Use her historical accounts to highlight her political role and negotiations with Elizabeth I.

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Methods used in this brief

• Formal Debate
• Role Play
• Inquiry Circle