Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Hall of Brave Firsts: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 1
- ForYear 1
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Hall of Brave Firsts is a free printable history worksheet for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6) in Key Stage 1. Children read about three pioneers, match each one to what they did, then pick one person for the gold frame and say why. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start with three names and the brave things those people did. They match each pioneer to the right deed. Then they choose one person to win the gold frame and draw that person in the space provided. They also draw a brave thing they have done themselves. Finally they finish two sentence starters: the gold frame goes to, and they were brave because. There are lines for writing and boxes for drawing.
- Draw the person who gets the gold frame
- Draw a brave thing you have done
- The gold frame goes to ...
- They were brave because ...
Build your own hall of brave firsts
Make a frame
Fold a sheet of plain paper in half and draw a thick frame around the edge. Colour it gold or yellow. Your child draws a person inside and writes their name underneath.
Add a label
Write a short label beside each picture, like a museum would. It can say who the person was and one brave thing they did. Say the label aloud together.
Hang the gallery
Put the finished frames on a wall, a fridge or a windowsill in a row. Let your child walk a visitor along the hall and talk about each picture.
Add a family frame
Draw a brave first from your own family, such as a first swim or a first day at a new school. Children see that ordinary people can be brave too.
Why learn about brave firsts?
In Key Stage 1 History, children learn about the lives of significant people from the past. They do not need dates or long stories yet. They need to know that real people lived long ago, that some did things nobody had done before, and that we still talk about them now. A pioneer is one good word for that idea.
The gold frame task asks for an opinion, not a fact. Children choose one person and give a reason, which is an early step in thinking like a historian. There is no single right choice. What matters is that the reason makes sense to the child and that they can say it out loud, in a sentence.
Facts about pioneers and the past
- A pioneer is someone who does something before other people have done it.
- Doing something for the first time can be hard because there is nobody to show you how.
- People from history were real. Many lived long before our grandparents were born.
- Museums keep pictures and objects so that people today can learn about the past.
- Historians learn about the past from clues such as photographs, letters, objects and buildings.
Skills and curriculum link
- Matching people to deeds
- Giving a reason
- Sharing an opinion
- Listening to a text read aloud
- Early historical thinking
- Drawing and writing
Ideas to help you talk about it
- Explain the word pioneerSay that a pioneer is someone who goes first. Ask your child to think of a time they were the first to try something.
- Use time wordsWords like long ago, before, first and now help children place people in the past. Use them as you talk.
- Opinions are fineThe gold frame is a choice. Accept any reason that makes sense, and ask follow up questions like, what made you pick them?
- Link bravery to feelingsBrave does not mean not scared. It can mean trying something even when you feel nervous. Share an example of your own.
Key words
- PioneerA person who does something for the first time, or before most other people.
- BraveWilling to do something difficult or scary.
- DeedSomething a person did, especially something important.
- MatchJoin two things that belong together.
- OpinionWhat you think or feel about something. Other people may think differently.
- ReasonThe because part of an answer. It explains why you chose something.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the three names and deeds aloud before your child starts. Read them slowly, and read them again if needed.
- Let your child match each person to what they did. Work through the first one together and talk about each choice.
- Ask your child to choose one person for the gold frame, draw them, and finish the sentences. Ask, why did you pick them?
- Check the matching against page 2. Come back to the sheet another day, because repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Show a picture of each person if you can find one in a book. Let your child point to the person they choose and tell you why. Read the three names and deeds aloud slowly, one at a time, and match them together.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to add a fourth pioneer they know and write one sentence about what that person did. Then ask who they would put in a second gold frame, and what reason they would give.
Make it a game
Set up a pretend museum. One child is the guide and tells visitors about their gold frame person. Each visitor asks one question, such as why that person was brave. Swap roles so everyone has a turn as the guide.
Talk about it
- What does the word brave mean to you?
- Which person did you pick for the gold frame, and why?
- Would you have chosen someone different if you had a second frame?
- Can you think of a time you did something for the first time?
- How do you think it felt to go first?
- What would you like to be the first to do one day?
Take it off the page
Brave first diary
Draw three brave firsts from your own life, such as riding a bike or trying a new food. Add a sentence under each one.
Dress up pioneer
Pick a person from the sheet and dress up as them using clothes from home. Tell the family one thing they did.
Library hunt
Visit a library or look at books at home. Find a picture of someone who did something for the first time and talk about what you can see.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go, then let them lead. Read the names and deeds aloud and listen to their reason for the gold frame. Praise the thinking, not only the matching.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity within a unit on significant people. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair it with picture books, a library visit or a family conversation about bravery. Print it again for brothers and sisters, or return to it later to see whether the same person gets the gold frame.
Where this fits in history learning
Before this sheet, children learn that the past is a time before they were born and that people lived differently then. They meet simple time words such as old, new, long ago and now. They also practise listening to a short text read aloud and talking about it.
After this sheet, children can move on to comparing two people from the past, putting events in order, and asking simple questions about why someone mattered. In Key Stage 1 they build towards talking about significant individuals and how they contributed to the world we live in.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Hall of Brave Firsts for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6) in Key Stage 1. Younger children can join in if an adult reads aloud and scribes for them, and Year 2 children can use it as a gentle revisit.
- What will children practise?
Children practise matching significant people to what they did, giving a simple reason for a choice, and sharing an opinion. All of this sits within History at Key Stage 1.
- Is there a right answer for the gold frame?
No. Page 2 has answers for the matching, but the gold frame is a personal choice. Accept any reason that makes sense, and ask your child to explain their thinking in a full sentence.
- What if it feels too hard?
Show a picture of each person and read the deeds aloud again. Let your child point to their gold frame choice and tell you why, instead of writing it. You can come back to the writing another day.
- Is it free, and do I need colour?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No, you do not need colour. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, and children can add colour themselves.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 gives help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
- Can home educators use it?
Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider history plan. It pairs well with books and everyday talk, and you can print it again for siblings or revision.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.