Christopher Columbus Fact File

Year 2 HistoryExplorers: Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong4 pages

About this worksheet

A Year 2 history fact file on Christopher Columbus, written for the England National Curriculum. Pupils draw or stick a picture of him, then fill in seven key facts, from when he was born to what he was looking for. A picture of the Santa María, his flagship, sits beside the facts. Pupils then add one surprising fact and write two or three sentences on why he is remembered. The answer key gives the facts (born 1451 in Genoa, sailed for Spain, the Santa María, the Pinta and the Niña, landed in the Bahamas in 1492) and a model paragraph. Pupils need books or a website to research from.

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Christopher Columbus Fact File: Explorers: Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong - page 1
Christopher Columbus Fact File: Explorers: Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong - page 2
Christopher Columbus Fact File: Explorers: Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong - page 3
Christopher Columbus Fact File: Explorers: Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong - page 4

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Curriculum objectives covered

Significant individuals

“The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods [for example, Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong, William Caxton and Tim Berners-Lee, Pieter Bruegel the Elder and LS Lowry, Rosa Parks and Emily Davison, Mary Seacole and/or Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell]”

The whole fact file is about Columbus, who is named in the statement. Comparing him with Neil Armstrong is not on the sheet, so pair it with a second fact file for that.

Events beyond living memory

“Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally [for example, the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries]”

The 1492 voyage is the event, covered in Key Facts and in the final writing question.

What's inside this worksheet

Christopher Columbus: Explorer Fact File

A box to draw or stick a picture of Columbus, and a captioned picture of the Santa María.

Key Facts

Seven lines to fill in: when he was born, the country he sailed for, what he is famous for, his three ships, the year of his first voyage, where he landed and what he was looking for.

Did You Know?

Pupils write one surprising fact they found, such as the Santa María running aground on Christmas Day 1492.

Why Is Christopher Columbus Remembered?

Pupils write 2 to 3 sentences on why he matters in history.

How teachers use it

Research lesson

Give each table one book or printout and let pupils hunt for the seven Key Facts before they share.

Compare two explorers

Pupils who finish can fill in a second copy for Neil Armstrong, then say what was the same about the two journeys.

Ship model

Use the Santa María picture to talk about how long the crossing took without engines.

More Year 2 History worksheets

The Great Fire of LondonTransport Through History

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