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shackleton's journey ks2 video

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  • Ks2 Non Fiction Book Topic Shackletons Journey History Geography And Scienc

Shackleton’s Journey – KS2 book topic planning

Clare Pearson

Worksheets, activity ideas and extracts

Art & Design , Design & Technology , English , Geography , History , Science

Shackleton’s Journey is a mesmerising non-fiction picture book by William Grill that focuses on themes of courage and endurance, as well as going into detail about the lives of Shackleton’s crew and the thrilling elements of the expedition.

This download pack contains a three-page PDF featuring cross-curricular classroom activity ideas, including writing persuasive letters , model building, science experiments and learning about the rigours of Shackleton’s mission and the perils of the freezing climate.

This Shackleton’s Journey download contains:

  • Three-page PDF featuring classroom activities
  • Five worksheets to use in class
  • PDF book extracts
  • PDF of Ernest Shackleton facts

Ernest Shackleton facts

  • Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton was born on the 15th February 1874 in Kilkea, Ireland.
  • His children were called Raymond, Cecily and Edward.
  • He served in the Royal Navy and the British Army.
  • His first Antarctic expedition took place in 1901, led by Robert Falcon Scott. Shackleton become ill and had to return home without reaching the South Pole.
  • He married Emily Dorman in 1904.
  • In 1906 Shackleton returned to the Antarctic on the ship Nimrod.
  • In 1914 Shackleton made his third trip to the Antarctic on the ship Endurance. The ship got stuck in the ice and Shackleton, along with five crew members, rowed 1,300km to South Georgia to seek help.
  • Shackleton died on the 5th January 1922, aged 47, in South Georgia.

Clare Pearson is deputy headteacher at Summerbank Primary School in Stoke. Previously, Clare was the Primary Advisory English Teacher for Stoke-on-Trent.

Shackleton's Journey teaching resources

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The Teaching Couple

Shackleton’s Journey – Planning Overview

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Written by Dan

Last updated March 8, 2024

The story of Ernest Shackleton’s incredible journey has captivated audiences for over a century. An endurance feat like no other, the famous Antarctic explorer faced impossible odds and unfathomable perils to survive his remarkable voyage – but with strong leadership, carefully crafted plans, and an unwavering determination, he ultimately gave future generations a heroic tale of resilience that still resonates today.

For teachers looking to introduce this extraordinary story in their classrooms, it can seem overwhelming to cover such an expansive topic effectively.

However, by breaking down the essential elements of Shackleton’s journey into manageable planning points, you, too, can traverse the icy terrain and deliver an inspiring lesson your students will never forget!

Related : For more, check out our article on  Harry The Poisonous Centipede  here.

Table of Contents

Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill

Shackleton’s journey is a beautiful and inspiring children’s book written and illustrated by William Grill. The book tells the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew as they set out on a dangerous expedition to cross Antarctica in 1914.

The journey began when Shackleton and his men sailed from England on the ship Endurance. They encountered many challenges, including treacherous weather conditions, thick ice, and hungry polar bears. Despite these obstacles, they persevered and continued on their journey.

However, disaster struck when the Endurance became trapped in ice for months. The crew was forced to abandon the ship and camp on an ice floe. They had limited supplies and were far from any civilization.

Despite these dire circumstances, Shackleton remained optimistic and determined to save his men. He led rescue missions over several months, braving freezing temperatures and dangerous terrain to reach safety.

All of Shackleton’s men survived thanks to his leadership and determination. The story of Shackleton’s Journey is a testament to the human spirit, showing that even in the face of extreme adversity, we can find hope and strength within ourselves.

Critical Themes In Shackleton’s Journey

Perseverance:.

This theme is evident throughout the story as Shackleton, and his crew face numerous challenges on their journey, including treacherous weather conditions, thick ice, and hunger. Despite these obstacles, they continue their mission, showing remarkable perseverance and determination.

Leadership:

Shackleton’s leadership skills are on full display in this story. He remains calm and focused even in the most challenging situations, inspiring his men to follow him and trust his decision-making abilities. His leadership ultimately leads to the successful rescue of his crew members.

The Endurance crew must work together to survive in harsh conditions with limited resources. They rely on each other for support and encouragement, demonstrating the importance of teamwork in achieving a common goal.

Even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, Shackleton never loses hope that he will be able to save his men. His unwavering optimism inspires those around him to keep going despite the odds.

Resilience:

The crew demonstrates incredible resilience as they endure months of living on an ice floe with limited supplies and uncertain prospects for rescue. They find ways to adapt to their circumstances and persevere through difficult times.

Main Characters in Shackleton’s Journey

Here are the main characters in Shackleton’s Journey:

  • Sir Ernest Shackleton – The expedition’s leader and the story’s protagonist.
  • Frank Hurley – The photographer who documents the journey through photographs.
  • Tom Crean – A skilled seaman who becomes one of Shackleton’s most trusted men.
  • Frank Worsley – The captain of the Endurance, responsible for navigating the ship through treacherous waters.
  • The crew of the Endurance – A group of 27 men from various countries who join Shackleton on his journey to cross Antarctica.

Teaching Opportunities

The story of Shackleton’s Journey can be an excellent tool for improving children’s writing skills in several ways:

  • Vocabulary: The story is rich with descriptive language and technical terms related to sailing and exploration, which can help expand children’s vocabulary. Please encourage students to identify unfamiliar words and look up their meanings.
  • Character development: The characters in the story are well-developed and complex, allowing students to analyze their motivations, actions, and relationships. Students can practice describing character traits and using evidence from the text to support their claims.
  • Narrative structure: The story follows a clear narrative arc with a beginning, middle, and end. Students can study how the author builds tension and suspense throughout the story, using foreshadowing, imagery, and pacing techniques.
  • Persuasive writing: Shackleton was known for his ability to inspire his crew members even in the most challenging circumstances. Students can analyze his leadership style and practice writing persuasive essays or speeches to motivate others toward a common goal.
  • Research skills: The story of Shackleton’s Journey is based on actual events, providing an opportunity for students to conduct research on topics such as Antarctic exploration, sailing technology, or the history of polar expeditions. They can use this research to enhance their understanding of the story and incorporate factual information into their writing.

Key Vocabulary

Here are some key vocabulary words that children may encounter when reading Shackleton’s Journey, along with their definitions:

  • Expedition – A journey or voyage taken for a specific purpose, often involving exploration or research.
  • Antarctica – The southernmost continent on Earth, known for its extreme cold and ice-covered landscapes.
  • Endurance – The name of the ship that Shackleton and his crew sailed on their expedition to Antarctica.
  • Iceberg – A large piece of ice floating in the ocean, often dangerous to ships because it can be challenging to see.
  • Navigation – The process of planning and directing the course of a ship or other vehicle.
  • Arctic – The region around the North Pole, characterized by extreme cold and frozen landscapes.
  • Sledging – Traveling over snow and ice using a sled pulled by dogs or humans.
  • Blubber – A layer of fat beneath the skin of marine mammals, such as whales, used as a fuel source by Arctic explorers.
  • Aurora Australis – Also known as the Southern Lights, a natural phenomenon where colourful lights appear in the sky over Antarctica due to solar activity.

By becoming familiar with these key vocabulary words, children will be better equipped to understand and appreciate Shackleton’s Journey story while expanding their language skills.

Lesson Plans

Lesson plan 1:.

Vocabulary Development Objective:  Students can identify and define key vocabulary words from Shackleton’s Journey.

Materials Needed:

  • Copies of Shackleton’s Journey or access to the text online
  • Whiteboard or chart paper
  • Introduce students to the concept of key vocabulary words, explaining that these are important words that they may frequently encounter in a particular text.
  • Provide students with a list of key vocabulary words from Shackleton’s Journey (or have them create their own list as they read).
  • Have students work in pairs or small groups to research the definitions of each word using dictionaries or online resources.
  • As a class, discuss each word and its purpose, recording them on the whiteboard or chart paper.
  • Please encourage students to use these words in writing and discussing the text.

Assessment:

Have students write short paragraphs using several key vocabulary words from Shackleton’s Journey, demonstrating their understanding of their meanings.

Lesson Plan 2:

Character Analysis Objective:  Students will be able to analyze and describe characters from Shackleton’s Journey.

  • Graphic organizers for character analysis (such as a character web or Venn diagram)
  • Introduce students to character analysis, explaining that this involves studying a character’s traits, motivations, and relationships with other characters in a story.
  • Please choose one or more characters from Shackleton’s Journey for students to analyze (such as Shackleton himself, Frank Worsley, or Tom Crean).
  • Provide students with graphic organizers for character analysis and have them fill in details about each character based on evidence from the text.
  • As a class, discuss each character and compare/contrast their traits and actions with those of other characters.
  • Please encourage students to use what they’ve learned about these characters when writing about leadership, teamwork, or perseverance themes.

Have students write short essays describing one character from Shackleton’s Journey and how he contributed to the expedition’s success (or failure).

Lesson Plan 3:

Research Skills Objective:  Students can research topics related to Antarctica exploration and incorporate this information into their writing.

  • Computers with internet access
  • Research prompts/questions related to Antarctica exploration
  • Introduce students to some basic facts about Antarctica (location, climate, wildlife) and explain why it is an important area for scientific research.
  • Provide students with research prompts/questions related to Antarctic explorers (Shackleton, Amundsen), sailing technology used during polar expeditions, or modern-day scientific research conducted in Antarctica.
  • Have students work independently or in pairs/small groups using computers and online resources (such as National Geographic Kids) to research their chosen topic(s).
  • Please encourage students to take notes on essential facts/details they discover during their investigation.
  • Have students incorporate this information into their writing about Shackleton’s Journey – for example, by including historical context/background information at the beginning of an essay or incorporating scientific findings into a persuasive speech advocating for further exploration of Antarctica.

Have students present summaries of their research findings along with examples of how they incorporated this information into their writing about Shackleton’s Journey

Website Resources

Literacy Shed Plus: “Shackleton’s Journey” by William Grill This website offers a comprehensive set of resources for teaching Shackleton’s Journey, including lesson plans, activities, and worksheets. The resources are organized by key themes such as exploration, survival, and leadership. There are also links to relevant videos and websites for further research.

Link:  https://www.literacyshedplus.com/en-us/resource/shackleton-s-journey-by-william-grill-en-gb

TES: 22-Lesson English Unit – Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill (Year 4/5/6) This resource provides a detailed unit plan for teaching Shackleton’s Journey throughout 22 lessons. The lessons are designed to cover a range of skills, including reading comprehension, writing, and speaking/listening. Each class includes learning objectives, activities, and assessment opportunities.

Link:  https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/22-lesson-english-unit-shackleton-s-journey-by-william-grill-year-4-5-6-english-planning-12691208

Teachwire: KS2 Book Topic – Shackleton’s Journey This website offers a brief overview of Shackleton’s journey and some ideas for related activities and discussion topics. It includes suggestions for incorporating the book into cross-curricular studies such as history and geography.

Link:  https://www.teachwire.net/news/ks2-book-topic-shackletons-journey/

Q: What age group is Shackleton’s Journey suitable for?

A: The book is generally recommended for children in grades 4-6 but can also be adapted for younger or older students.

Q: What critical themes in the book can be explored in the classroom?

A: Some key themes include exploration, leadership, perseverance, teamwork, and survival.

Q: Are there any films or videos that can supplement the book?

A: Yes! There are several documentaries about Shackleton’s expedition that can provide additional context and visuals. “Endurance” and “Shackleton” are two popular options.

Q: How can I incorporate writing into my lessons on Shackleton’s Journey?

A: There are many opportunities for writing throughout the book. For example, students could write journal entries from the perspective of one of the crew members, create persuasive speeches advocating for different courses of action during the journey, or write reflective essays on what they learned from reading about this historic expedition.

Q: Can Shackleton’s Journey be used to teach other subjects besides English/Language Arts?

A: Absolutely! The book relates to many other subjects, such as history (exploration and polar expeditions), geography (mapping and climate), science (biology and ecology), and even math (calculating distances and supplies needed).

Q: How long does teaching a unit on Shackleton’s Journey typically take?

A: This will depend on how much time you have available in your curriculum. Some teachers may focus only on certain aspects of the book over a few days or weeks, while others may plan a more extended unit lasting several months.

Q: Are any online resources available to help me plan my lessons on Shackleton’s Journey?

A: Yes! Several websites offer lesson plans, activities, videos, and other resources related to teaching this book. Examples include Literacy Shed Plus, TES, and Teachwire (links provided in this article).

Related Posts

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About The Author

I'm Dan Higgins, one of the faces behind The Teaching Couple. With 15 years in the education sector and a decade as a teacher, I've witnessed the highs and lows of school life. Over the years, my passion for supporting fellow teachers and making school more bearable has grown. The Teaching Couple is my platform to share strategies, tips, and insights from my journey. Together, we can shape a better school experience for all.

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Writing Root Back to List

Shackleton's Journey

Resource written by

Alex chapman.

Associate Consultant

Resource Preview

A writing root for shackleton's journey.

£5.00 (inc. VAT)

KS: Lower KS2

Year Group: Year 4

Literary Theme: Unearthing Civilisations

Author(s): William Grill

  • Description
  • Spelling Seed
  • Home Learning Branch

Packing lists (justifications), letters (formal and informal), setting descriptions, interviews, diaries, dialogue

Main Outcome:

Newspaper report

15 sessions, 3 weeks

Overview and Outcomes:

This is a three-week Writing Root for  Shackleton’s Journey  by William Grill in which children begin by discovering an advert asking for volunteers to join a ‘hazardous journey’. They then apply for one of the many roles on Shackleton’s expedition.  Children then go on to use William Grill’s text to find out about the perilous adventure whilst creating interviews in role, writing both formal and informal letters and finally creating their own newspaper report about the events of Shackleton’s famous journey.

Synopsis of Text:

Shackleton's Journey is a unique visual re-telling Ernest Shackleton's landmark expedition crossing the Antarctic from one pole to the other. William Grill's impeccably researched and informative illustrations celebrate the 100th anniversary since the historic exploration by Shackleton and his crew on Endurance. Children will love exploring Grill's exploded diagrams and the fascinating details of this landmark voyage.

Text Rationale:

Shackleton’s Journey is a uniquely visual non-fiction re-telling of Ernest Shackleton’s epic expedition across the Antarctic.  The text has a clear factual style as well as sparse but thought-provoking illustrations by William Grill which are highly engaging. This gives children an understanding of the period after the Victorians and the start of WW1 and about what life was like in Britain.

Links and themes:

Explorers, adventure, expeditions, famous people, friendship, resilience, determination and exploration

Date written: June 2017

A Spelling Seed is available for Shackleton's Journey.

Spelling Seed Overview:

This is a three-session spelling seed for the book  Shackleton's Journey by William Grill.  Below is the coverage from Appendix 1 of the National Curriculum 2014.

Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning.

There is a Spelling Seed session for every week of the associated Writing Root.

Word List Words

arrive, caught, imagine, island, medicine, accident(ally), calendar, earth, extreme, famous, sentence, mention

Spelling Rules and Patterns

More Prefixes: inter–, auto–, sub–

The suffix -ous

Home Learning Branch Overview:

This is a Home Learning Branch for Shackleton's Journey .  These branches are designed to support home learners to access literature-based learning using a selection of books we love from Writing Roots.  They include purposeful writing suggestions, links to the wider curriculum so that texts can be used across other subjects, key questions as well as spelling or phonics investigations.

Literary Leaves within the same Literary Theme

A Literary Leaf for Poems from a Green and Blue Planet

A Literary Leaf for Poems from a Green and Blue Planet

Membership only.

A Literary Leaf for The Humans

A Literary Leaf for The Humans

A Literary Leaf for The Fossil Hunter

A Literary Leaf for The Fossil Hunter

The Barnabus Project

A Spelling Seed for The Barnabus Project

Year Group: Year 3

Halibut Jackson

A Writing Root for Halibut Jackson

KS: R & KS1

Year Group: Reception

Otto: Autobiography of a Teddy-bear

A Spelling Seed for Otto: Autobiography of a Teddy-bear

KS: Upper KS2

Year Group: Year 5

edshed

TEACHING RESOURCES

Shackleton's journey by william grill 9-11.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Ernest Shackleton dreamed of crossing the frozen wastes of Antarctica.  The uncharted territory of frozen seas takes Shackleton prisoner by trapping his ship, the Endurance, in a deadly grip of ice.  

Shackleton and his crew were stranded; cold, hungry and thousands of miles from home the expedition set out on a mammoth trek across the ice in search of rescue. 

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Shackleton’s Journey

Home » Book Resources » Lower Key Stage 2 » Shackleton’s Journey

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Shackleton's Journey by William Grill

In the last days of the Heroic Age of Exploration, Ernest Shackleton dreamed of crossing the frozen heart of Antarctica, a place of ferocious seas, uncharted mountains and bone-chilling cold. But when his ship, the Endurance became trapped in the deadly grip of the ice, Shackleton’s dreams were shattered. Stranded in a cold, white world, and thousands of miles from home, the men of the expedition set out on a desperate trek across the ice in search of rescue.

Shackleton’s Journey is the true story of how Shackleton and his crew managed to survive this epic adventure, and a testament to their great courage and endurance.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Alphabetical Order

This activity focuses on pages 7-8 of the book and alphabetical order.

In 1914, 99 dogs were sent from Canada to London. 69 of these dogs were then chosen for the expedition. They gave them all names; and some were named after famous people and members of the crew.

Some of the names were:

Wolf, Sooty, Paddy, Chips, Tim, Dismal, Bob, Martin, Hercules, Noel, Jamie, Alti, Jasper and Roy.

Your Year 3 / Year 4 class will put some of the names into alphabetical order.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Past and Present Tense

This activity focuses on pages 14-24 of the book and tense.

Your LKS2 class will identify verbs in the sentences that have been chosen from the Shackleton’s Journey book and identify whether they are past or present tense.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Vocabulary Extension - Pages 4-28

In this resource, your class will explore some of the challenging vocabulary from pages 4-28 of the book.

Your class will use the words bank to complete the sentences.

We have differentiated this a number of ways and your class can even do an extension activity of looking up definitions, synonyms, antonyms etc.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Suffixes

This resource focuses on suffixes: -ing, -ful, -ly, -ible & -ness

A suffix is a group of letters which are added to the end of a word to make a new word. Your class will use the table in the resource to sort the words that end in the suffix -ing.

The words can all be found in the text of ‘Shackleton’s Journey’.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Sentence Openers

This LKS2 activity focuses on a range of sentence openers from the book.

Your class will begin to recognise the different openers used by the author by categorising them.

By recognising that there are different openers they can use, this will improve their literacy understanding and they can apply it to their independent writing.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Synonyms

Synonyms are words which have the same or similar meanings. We can use synonyms to make our writing more interesting.

In this whole class reading / guided reading activity, tour class will fill in the blanks in the resource with a synonym for the word in brackets.

Make sure to remind them to read the rest of the sentence carefully to check that their choice of synonym makes sense. The first one has been done for them.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Apostrophes

This activity focuses on apostrophes and is from Page 28 of the book to the end.

This resource covers apostrophes for possession and contractions.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Spelling and Applying (including homophones)

This resource is linked to pages 51 and 52 of the book and spelling.

Your class are tasked to find all the spelling errors in the passage and then write the correct spelling of each word above.

We have also included homophones in this activity to help children identify words with different spelling and meanings, to help them put such words into the correct context.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Comprehension

This is a comprehension for the book Shackleton’s Journey and focuses on the whole book.

Your Year 3 / Year 4 class will be encouraged to use their knowledge of the story, their understanding and apply their knowledge to answer the questions.

shackleton's journey ks2 video

Main Focus: Event Sequencing

In this activity, your class will sequence the main events from the story in chronological order to show their understanding.

Your Year 3 / Year 4 class will number each event from 1-14 to complete the story sequence.

Orange welcome sign that reads Royal Geographical Society with IBG.

Become a member and discover where geography can take you.

A black boat can be seen stuck within the white ice backdrop. The ice is undulating and tinged grey by shadows

  • Exploring Shac...
  • Shaping of the...

Shaping of the World

This lesson looks at Shackleton's Endurance expedition in more detail

Once locality, place and physical processes are established, the next phase for pupils is to understand the key aspects of human geography in this extreme environment. Comparing ‘then and now’, they can explore the ‘shaping of the world’ and access to this remote landscape. Using table top maps in conjunction with timelines, pupils plot and role play the journey of the expedition. Using geographical skills such as keys and classification, the timeline can be brought to life, giving consideration to all elements of the expedition - for example, The Ross Sea Party (the food depot ship which was given the task of laying food depots which Shackleton would have used after he had reached the pole). Through discussion pupils consider the reasons why these routes were chosen, considering the environment of Antarctica. Comparisons are made to modern day expeditions and opportunities are provided for explorer talks in school and/or links to expedition blogs.

Key questions

What was the planned journey of the Endurance Expedition?

What journey did they actually take to survive?

This lesson is designed to recap on Shackleton’s Endurance expedition from lesson two to introduce human geography on Antarctica which leads into lesson five, enabling pupils to see how exploration in Antarctica has ‘shaped the world’. Pupils will learn how the expedition did not follow the planned route due to the ship Endurance becoming stuck in the Weddell Sea’s pack ice.

Task one: Brief overview of the route Use of maps and research (see resources) will show pupils the intended and actual routes. Pupils then plot and map onto atlases, table top maps or on map of Antarctica provided in downloads.

The Shackleton 100 Website provides a simple historical overview (plus centenary celebration links). Go to the Shackleton 100 website

The Daily Telegraph map of the route.

Task two: In-depth overview of the Endurance expedition Carrying on from task one, pupils should explore the story of The Endurance and use a variety of video and texts on the subject matter. Again, use of table top maps for pupils to plot the route, using keys where appropriate, would develop graphicacy skills at a range of scales.

Resources for this lesson include:

The Endurance (cert PG) DVD – Drama Documentary about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition. It uses contemporary footage alongside the real footage of the expedition taken by cameraman Frank Hurley.

Shackleton (cert 15 – Requires editing for KS2) DVD – Setting out in 1914, Shackleton (Kenneth Branagh) and his crew set sail for Antarctica, but get into trouble when their ship, the Endurance, becomes stuck in pack ice. Abandoning the doomed vessel, Shackleton then takes the only course of action available, and sets out on foot, determined to lead his ailing crew to safety.

Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill: Shackleton's Journey is a unique visual re-telling of Ernest Shackleton's landmark expedition crossing the Antarctic from one pole to the other. William Grill's impeccably researched and informative illustrations celebrate the 100th anniversary since the historic exploration by Shackleton and his crew on Endurance. Children will love exploring Grill's exploded diagrams and the fascinating details of this landmark voyage.

Mrs Chippy’s Diary by Caroline Alexander: This is the (fictional) journal of Mrs Chippy, the cat who accompanied the carpenter Harry "Chippy" McNeish on the Shackleton's "Endurance" expedition in 1914.

Avoid Joining Shackleton's Polar Expedition! (Danger Zone) by Jen Green: An account of Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition presented in cartoon format. This book charts the events of the Endurance expedition and describes the ways in which Shackleton's polar team dealt with extreme cold, strong icy winds and the lack of food and water. The illustrations and text provide an insight into the conditions experienced by the explorers on this epic journey.

Main Activity

Pupils will continue with their work on mapping and plotting the route of the Endurance expedition. In addition, use of timelines and links to mapping work enables solidarity of learning using lines of latitude learnt. Pupils should also give consideration to all elements of the expedition, for example, The Ross Sea Party (the food depot ship).

Task one: Through discussion consider the reasons why these routes were chosen.

Once this has been established, pupils will role play the journey of the expedition. This provides an opportunity to share with children the ‘Antarctica Day’ planned for lesson six. The table top maps and work carried out during this lesson will also be of use in lesson six. You may also use the PowerPoint of Frank Hurley images from the RGS-IBG archives that depict what life was like on the Endurance expedition.   Task two: In groups of three or four, pupils create a 10 minute piece of drama linked to one stage of the expedition from the following ‘chapters’:

Departing Buenos Aires, on the way to South Georgia

Final few days on land at South Georgia

Departing South Georgia and sailing into the Weddell Sea

Stuck Fast! The Endurance becomes beset in pack ice

Abandon Ship – The crew set up camp on the pack ice (Ocean Camp)

The journey to Elephant Island (in the 3 lifeboats)

Elephant Island and ‘The James Caird Boat Journey’

Crossing South Georgia

Extension opportunities:

Pupils should compare Shackleton’s expedition to what they have learnt in previous lessons about modern expeditions and how these expeditions might be different. Resources for modern day expeditions are below:

Re-enactment (via Shackleton Epic) of the James Caird boat journey voyage. Go to the Discovery UK website

Go to the Coldest Journey (2013) website

Future Expedition Links:

Go to the from Fire to Ice website

Pupils should share and perform drama pieces, in the order of the timeline for the class. If not all group performances are seen they can then be ‘fine-tuned’ to show in an assembly or as part of ‘Antarctica Day’ (lesson six).

File name Files

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Lesson Plan

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Lesson Plan (1)

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Factsheet

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Factsheet (1)

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Images of Endurance Expedition

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Antarctica Map

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Antarctica Map (1)

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Endurance Expedition Timeline and Historical Overview

Exploring Shackleton's Antarctica Lesson 4 Endurance Expedition Timeline and Historical Overview (1)

shackleton's journey ks2 video

This resource has been developed as part of the Rediscovering London's Geography project, funded by the GLA through the London Schools Excellence Fund. It seeks to improve the quality of teaching and learning of geography in London’s schools, in addition to encouraging more pupils to study geography

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'Shackleton's Journey' by William Grill - Whole Class Reading

'Shackleton's Journey' by William Grill - Whole Class Reading

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

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Last updated

14 November 2021

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shackleton's journey ks2 video

Whole Class Reading Ppts for the book ‘Shackleton’s Journey’ by William Grills.

A total of 11 Powerpoints altogether with question slides focusing on DERIC reading model.

Slide sequence;

  • Match synonyms
  • Ready-to-print question slide

Also included is a short SATs style reading assessment which can be used at the conclusion of the book.

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IMAGES

  1. Shackleton's Journey KS2 English Planning Pack by PlanBee

    shackleton's journey ks2 video

  2. Shackleton's Journey KS2 English Planning Pack by PlanBee

    shackleton's journey ks2 video

  3. Shackleton's Journey

    shackleton's journey ks2 video

  4. Shackleton's Journey Bundle KS2

    shackleton's journey ks2 video

  5. Map of Shackleton and the Endurance's Journey to Antarctica

    shackleton's journey ks2 video

  6. Shackleton’s fateful journey from to Antarctica to the S Georgia Islands. : r/interestingasfuck

    shackleton's journey ks2 video

COMMENTS

  1. Sir Ernest Shackleton for Kids

    Learn about the intrepid explorer who led numerous expeditions to the uncharted Antarctic.

  2. The Epic Journey of Shackleton and His Antarctic Trek

    Few exploits of the 20th century could match the courage and perseverance of the Shackleton expedition. Ernest Shackleton became the ultimate model for crisi...

  3. Unit: 'Shackleton's Journey': reading

    I can identify and engage with the key themes in 'Shackleton's Journey'. 1 Slide deck. 1 Worksheet. 2 Quizzes. 1 Video. Free lessons and teaching resources about 'shackleton's journey': reading.

  4. Lesson: Introducing the context of 'Shackleton's Journey'

    Key learning points. 'Shackleton's Journey' is presented as a non-fiction picturebook text. The text chronicles the extraordinary Antarctic expedition led by Sir Ernest Shackleton in 1914. Antarctica is a vast and frigid continent located at the southernmost part of the Earth. Exploring the context of a text can allow readers to engage with it ...

  5. Ernest Henry Shackleton

    Ernest Henry Shackleton was an explorer who traveled to Antarctica . He is known for his adventures during several attempts to reach the South Pole .

  6. Exploring and engaging with themes in 'Shackleton's Journey'

    'Shackleton's Journey' includes themes of leadership, resilience, hope and exploration. Shackleton is recognised as an excellent leader, who remained determined in the face of adversity. Ernest Shackleton set an excellent example to his crew; he was an inspirational role model.

  7. Shackleton's Journey

    endurance cycling, ernest shackleton expedition, shackleton's journey, endurance ship movie, endurance 22, ernest shackleton ks2, shackleton's captain, endur...

  8. Who was Sir Ernest Shackleton?

    Sir Ernest Shackleton: A Polar Explorer. Sir Ernest Shackleton's expeditions took place during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, a period between the late 19th century and the start of the First World War in which many explorers attempted to scientifically and geographically explore the Antarctic continent.Shackleton was able to successfully explore the Antarctic several times, though ...

  9. Shackleton's Journey

    Shackleton's Journey is a mesmerising non-fiction picture book by William Grill that focuses on themes of courage and endurance, as well as going into detail about the lives of Shackleton's crew and the thrilling elements of the expedition. This download pack contains a three-page PDF featuring cross-curricular classroom activity ideas ...

  10. Shackleton's Journey KS2

    Shackleton's Journey by illustrator William Grill brings a beautifully visual and detailed look into the amazing and wondrous adventures of Ernest Shackleton's journey for KS2 children. Children will enjoy examining the finer details of the illustrations of the sled dogs and pack horses that the team used on their travels.

  11. Shackleton's Journey

    Shackleton's Journey by William Grill. Shackleton's journey is a beautiful and inspiring children's book written and illustrated by William Grill. The book tells the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew as they set out on a dangerous expedition to cross Antarctica in 1914. The journey began when Shackleton and his men sailed from ...

  12. Shackleton's Journey

    Shackleton's Journey is a uniquely visual non-fiction re-telling of Ernest Shackleton's epic expedition across the Antarctic. The text has a clear factual style as well as sparse but thought-provoking illustrations by William Grill which are highly engaging. This gives children an understanding of the period after the Victorians and the ...

  13. Lesson: Examining the layout of 'Shackleton's Journey'

    Key learning points. Layout is how the content is presented on the page, such as titles and columns. The layout of a non-fiction text is designed according to its purpose and target audience. A glossary enhances the accessibility and understanding of a non-fiction text, providing definitions for key terms. Non-fiction texts can be presented in ...

  14. Literacy Shed Plus

    Shackleton's Journey by William Grill 9-11 VIEW IN EDSHED. Ernest Shackleton dreamed of crossing the frozen wastes of Antarctica. The uncharted territory of frozen seas takes Shackleton prisoner by trapping his ship, the Endurance, in a deadly grip of ice. Shackleton and his crew were stranded; cold, hungry and thousands of miles from home the ...

  15. Shackleton and the Endurance

    mp4, 126.04 MB. A short animated video. The incredible survival story of Ernest Shackleton and his 27 crew stranded on the Antarctic ice for 2 years after the crushing of their ship, Endurance. This video is based on journals from the expedition written at the time the vessel was abandoned, and takes the form of four diary entries outlining ...

  16. Shackleton's Journey

    Shackleton's Journey by William Grill. In the last days of the Heroic Age of Exploration, Ernest Shackleton dreamed of crossing the frozen heart of Antarctica, a place of ferocious seas, uncharted mountains and bone-chilling cold. But when his ship, the Endurance became trapped in the deadly grip of the ice, Shackleton's dreams were shattered.

  17. Shaping of the World

    Shackleton (cert 15 - Requires editing for KS2) DVD - Setting out in 1914, Shackleton (Kenneth Branagh) and his crew set sail for Antarctica, but get into trouble when their ship, the Endurance, becomes stuck in pack ice. ... Shackleton's Journey by William Grill: Shackleton's Journey is a unique visual re-telling of Ernest Shackleton's ...

  18. Lesson: Building comprehension of 'Shackleton's Journey' through rich

    Keywords. Retrieval - Retrieval is finding key details or information in the text and extracting them.. Prediction - A prediction is an educated guess, based on evidence in the text or prior knowledge.. Glossary - A glossary is a list of technical or subject-specific terms with brief explanations, usually located at the back of a non-fiction text.

  19. Ernest Shackleton's Journey (teacher made)

    This Ernest Shackleton's Journey map details the journey that Ernest Shackleton undertook while on the ship Endurance. Showing the journey from Plymouth, this map details, with dates, the journey around the Antarctic until Shackleton and his crew were finally rescued. This map resource could be used as part of a display board or to accompany research as part of a KS2 written task based on ...

  20. Shackleton's Journey English & Geography Unit KS2

    pdf, 917.5 KB. "Shackleton's Journey" KS2 Resource Unit, an extremely LARGE upper KS2 unit designed to seamlessly integrate English, geography, and design and technology. **If you like my resource, leave a positive review and email me - I'll send you a free resource of your choice worth the same amount: [email protected].

  21. Answering a range of comprehension questions on 'Shackleton's Journey'

    Key stage 2. Key stage 3. Key stage 4. EYFS. Specialist. Curriculum plans. Plan a lesson. Support your team. Pupils. Home. Oak. ... Video. Worksheet. Starter quiz. Exit quiz. Slide deck. Download slide deck. Skip slide deck. ... Put the following events that have occurred so far in 'Shackleton's Journey' in the correct order. 1 - Endurance sets ...

  22. 'Shackleton's Journey' by William Grill

    pptx, 27.94 MB. pptx, 15.88 MB. pptx, 17.61 MB. pptx, 1.43 MB. docx, 120.36 KB. Whole Class Reading Ppts for the book 'Shackleton's Journey' by William Grills. A total of 11 Powerpoints altogether with question slides focusing on DERIC reading model. Slide sequence; Match synonyms.