Students choose a historical period (e.g., Ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages) or a distant, exotic place (e.g., rainforest, desert, North Pole). They then take an imaginary journey there and describe, draw, or narrate what they would see and experience.

Proposed step by step implementation of the learning activity:

1. Introduction and Engagement (10–15 min): The teacher introduces 3–4 historical periods (e.g., Ancient Egypt, medieval Europe, early 20th century) or exotic locations (e.g., jungle, desert, polar region, deep sea) using multimedia tools (images, music, short videos, or audio clips). The aim is to help students connect visually and emotionally with these unfamiliar worlds.
2. Selection (5–10 min): Students choose one period or place that particularly captures their interest or with which they can connect. The choice may be made individually or through a brief discussion in pairs, but it must be based on personal interest.
3. Planning the time and space adventure (5–10 min): The teacher supports the students’ imagination with guiding questions (e.g., “What kind of vehicle would you use?”, “How do people dress there?”, “What sounds do you hear around you?”, “What smells do you notice?”).
4. Creation – Drawing or Short Writing (15–20 min): Students can choose between: drawing what they saw during the journey (e.g., cities, people, animals, buildings, natural environment), or writing a short composition (approx. 5–7 sentences) narrating their experiences: who they saw, what they felt, what adventures they had.
5. Presentation and Reflection (10–15 min): Students present their drawings or read aloud their compositions to each other. The teacher and peers provide positive feedback and ask questions. This step also fosters language and presentation skills, empathy, and attentive listening.
6. Conclusion (5 min): The teacher summarizes what students have learned about different cultures and time periods and how it felt to imagine themselves in another world. Reflection questions deepen the understanding (e.g., “What was the most exciting part for you?”, “Would you like to visit there for real?”, “What did you learn about your imaginary self?”).

Flexible classroom seating is ideal to support pair or group work.

The “Time and Space Adventures” activity primarily fosters curiosity, a sense of wonder, and openness. By allowing students to choose a historical period or exotic place based on personal interest, the activity stimulates their intrinsic motivation and encourages them to explore unfamiliar times and cultures with openness and fascination. As they describe what they see, hear, smell in their imagined journey, students deepen their curiosity and broaden their perspective on different ways of life. Sharing their work with peers and reflecting on each other’s ideas further strengthens their openness, attentive listening, and respect for diverse viewpoints. As a result, the activity nurtures a mindset of exploration and discovery, grounded in curiosity and wonder.

As a result of this activity, students will be able to explore unfamiliar cultures, eras, and environments with openness and curiosity.

• They will understand how to observe details, ask exploratory questions, and imagine alternative ways of living.
• They will be able to describe what they “experience” in another time or place, make connections to real-world knowledge, and express curiosity through drawing, storytelling, or discussion.

This activity can be integrated into regular lessons as a project (e.g., in language arts, environmental studies, visual arts, or history), or as part of a thematic day/week (e.g., “Time Travel”, “Around the World Adventures”, “Globetrotter Day”). The teacher may preselect a few eras (e.g., Ancient Egypt, medieval castles, future cities, space travel) or locations (e.g., Amazon rainforest, Arctic, Japan during cherry blossom season), and present them using images, sounds, music, short videos, or stories. This helps spark curiosity, draw attention, and emotionally engage students. Then, students individually or in pairs select a period/place and imagine what it would be like to live there or visit as a traveler: What would they see (buildings, people, nature)?; What smells, sounds, or tastes would they experience?; Who would they meet, and what conversations might happen?; What activities would they take part in? They document their imaginary journey through drawings, short stories, journal entries, postcards, or mini models made from natural or recycled materials.

Example: A 9-year-old chooses Ancient Greece. Inspired by the teacher’s images of the Acropolis, they draw themselves walking in the marketplace. In their story, they meet Socrates, who asks them questions about truth and courage. The student describes how interesting it was to be in a world where people discussed philosophy and how they felt being part of that “other world.”

• Drawing paper,
• Pencils, coloured pencils
• Writing tools
• Pictures, maps
• Audio materials
• Videos (optional)

For pair/small group discussions:

• Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in time or space?
• What would you see there? Who lives there? What are the buildings and nature like?
• What smells or sounds would you notice? What would you wear?
• What customs would there be? What’s different from today?

For full-class discussions:

• Why did you choose this time/place?
• How is this world different from today’s? What would it feel like to live there?
• What did you learn from this journey? What was the most interesting part?
• If you were really there, what would you bring with you?

1. Challenge: Limited prior knowledge of history/geography

• Tip: Provide visual prompts (maps, costumes, landmarks) and short videos to activate background knowledge.
• Trick: Allow students to choose more familiar locations first, then gradually introduce more complex ones.

2. Challenge: Difficulty imagining unseen worlds

• Tip: Use sensory questions (“What do you smell? hear? feel?”) to scaffold imaginative thinking.
• Trick: Let students close their eyes during a guided imagery activity to boost curiosity.

3. Challenge: Uneven engagement between drawing and writing tasks

• Tip: Allow both options so students can choose their preferred expression style.
• Trick: Pair strong writers with strong visual thinkers so they inspire each other.

4. Challenge: Time management during creation phase

• Tip: Display a timer and divide tasks into small steps.
• Trick: Use checkpoints (e.g., “Finish background first”, “Add characters next”).

5. Challenge: Presentation anxiety

• Tip: Let students present in pairs or use a gallery walk format.

Trick: Teachers can read aloud a child’s story if they prefer not to present.

Teachers can adapt this activity to three levels based on student needs:

• Beginners: Simple drawing or 1–2 sentence description
• Advanced learners: More detailed (3–4 sentences), with imaginative elements
• Experts:: Well-developed story or complex image, with dialogue or events

On curiosity and openness:

• What made you the most curious during your imaginary journey?
• Which detail made you wonder the most about the place or time you chose?
• How did imagining another world change the way you think about your own?

On imaginative exploration:

• Which idea or visual element came to you unexpectedly?
• How did your imagination help you explore the place more deeply?
• What new questions did this journey raise for you?

On perspective-taking:

• How did hearing your classmates’ journeys open your mind to new ideas?
• What surprised you about how others imagined the same time/place?

On applying newfound curiosity:

• How could this curiosity help you in history, geography, or reading tasks?
• When might it be useful to imagine something that you have never seen before?