In the late sixteenth century, Elizabethan explorer Sir Walter Raleigh sailed to Guyana and then attempted to find El Dorado.
Raleigh would have lived in very basic conditions as he explored vast open plains and dense rainforests.
Four hundred years later, eight British children have come to Guyana to follow in Raleigh's footsteps - the Serious Explorers.
Even today, much of Guyana is almost uninhabited and has changed little since Raleigh was here.
The young explorers are well away from twenty-first century modern comforts.
They must learn how to make shelters and beds and how to find food to sustain themselves so that they can survive in the rainforest for thirty-six hours without adult support.
This clip is from the series Seriously Raleigh.
Teacher Notes
Children should identify where there are rainforests and see if they can identify any similarities and differences in the weather of these places.
Does the weather have an impact on rainforests?
They could look into how humans cutting down trees affect people in other areas.
What kinds of animals and insects are in the rainforests?
How does this compare with other areas?
What do you need to survive in the rainforest?
How does this compare with their home environment?
Children could colour code maps to show where the rain forests are and repeat this to show the precipitation and see if there is a link with the rainforests.
They could study the adaptations of the animals and insects that live there to show how they survive.
Curriculum Notes
This clip is suitable for teaching Geography at KS2 and KS3 Level in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and at 2nd and 3rd Level in Scotland.
More from Seriously Raleigh:
Expedition safety. video
The Serious Explorers must learn how to stay safe whilst retracing Raleigh's route to Guyana.
Expedition to Guyana - endangered animals in the rainforest. video
The explorers meet the region's most endangered animals, the caiman and the harpy eagle.
Expedition to Guyana - exploring Mount Roraima. video
The Serious Explorers have come to Mount Roraima to relive the legend of Raleigh.
Expedition to Guyana - life in the rainforest. video
The Serious Explorers take a look at the rainforest in Guyana, a place that has hardly changed since Raleigh’s day.
Expedition to Guyana - Mount Roraima (no narration) video
Extraordinary and stunning views of the imposing and magnificent Mount Roraima. Aerial views capture the magnificence of the mountain.
Expedition to Guyana - navigating an ocean journey. video
The Serious Explorers team are recreating Sir Walter Raleigh's ocean journey in search of El Dorado. They spend four days at sea learning about navigation tools.
Expedition to Guyana - planning an expedition. video
The Serious Explorers have taken almost a year to plan an expedition to recreate his journey. We see their planning process.
Expedition to Guyana - recreating Sir Walter Raleigh's search for El Dorado. video
The Serious Explorers team try out gold panning whilst following in Raleigh’s footsteps.
Expedition to Guyana - rivers and waterfalls (no narration) video
Views of the rivers running through the rainforest of Guyana and a glimpse into the ways in which the rivers support Guyana's rainforest communities.
Expedition to Guyana - the Makushi tribespeople. video
The explorers join in a traditional Makushi celebration and go hunting with the tribesmen, relying on their help.
Expedition to Guyana - transportation for local tribespeople. video
The Serious Explorers try using traditional canoes like the ones Raleigh’s team would have used over four hundred years ago.
