Part 2: The crew and boats
These resources for primary pupils compliment the online book resource ‘Shackleton’s Endurance’ which, tells the story of Shackleton’s famous Trans- Antarctica Expedition. On this expedition, Shackleton’s ship the Endurance was lost to the ice, yet Shackleton eventually got all of her crew home without a single loss of life. The book has six sections, and each is supported by a suite of teaching resources, teacher notes and ideas for assemblies.
The resources also draw on the contemporary Expedition ‘Endurance22’, sailing aboard the Agulhas II, with historian and media personality Dan Snow, which left Cape Town in February 2022 for the Weddell Sea to search for the wreck of Endurance. Through the ‘Parallel Lives’ strand, pupils can explore some of the differences between the two voyages, then and now.
There will be opportunities to dip in and sample resources from different lessons or start at the beginning and work your way through to build a coherent and longer unit of work. Ideas will be provided for both KS1 and KS2.
The Crew
Key Questions
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What kind of expedition leader was Shackleton?
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What is the job of a ship’s captain?
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What other jobs were needed for the expedition?
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How were people recruited?
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What was everyday life like on board for the crew?
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How does life for Shackleton’s crew compare with a crew on a modern-day exploration? (See ‘Crew - then and now’)
Getting Started
Recap the story so far and what pupils remember from it about Shackleton. He had been involved with previous expeditions but ask pupils what they think he became or wanted to be leader of this expedition to cross Antarctica? Look at Slide 3 showing two different images of Shackleton. What can we tell about him from these images – if anything?
Discuss how the photograph of a statue of him in an important setting (The Royal Geographical Society, London) tells us that he did become a very important figure and that he was celebrated in geography circles. It also suggests that he was a successful explorer.
The other photograph (slide 3) shows Shackleton navigating using a ship’s compass, with a dog by his side. We can infer from these images that he could read a compass and navigate and that he didn’t mind dogs. Ask pupils how helpful the evidence from these two images is in answering questions about Shackleton’s leadership. Discuss what other evidence might be useful.
Possible Activities
What makes a great leader?
Ask pupils to imagine they were setting off on a dangerous journey to the South Pole and had to recruit an expedition leader. What qualities would they look for in a person? Can pupils identify some essential knowledge, skills, and personality traits they would want a leader to have? Pupils could write an advert or job description.
Use the samples of evidence on the slideshow and discuss how what these might reveal about Shackleton’s character and skills. For example, slide 4 lists a few of Shackleton’s achievements in early polar exploration whist still a young man. On an expedition to reach the South Pole, he had turned back with only a relatively short distance to go to save the lives of his men, as he was not sure he would have enough rations to last. He still went further south than anyone else had done at that time. The facts of this story suggest that Shackleton cared more about the safety of the men he led, than in being successful at any cost – ask pupils what they think about this. Slide 4 also shows a Nautical Almanac, carried by Shackleton to help him navigate using the position of the stars, indicating that he had a range of practical skills essential for making journeys to unfamiliar places.
Slide 5 reports how Shackleton was knighted in 1909, aged just 35.
Slides 6 and 7 suggest Shackleton’s ambition, and ability to plan ahead. A statement in the press, reveals his intent to lead an expedition to cross Antarctica and he sketches his plans out by drawing a map on the back of a menu whilst out dining. Expeditions could take years to plan, so patience might be another essential characteristic to have.
Slide 8 has a quote from Shackleton himself about the qualities of a successful explorer. Identify and discuss the meaning of each of these words and whether there is any evidence that Shackleton had these qualities. Return to the starting point in which pupils identified essential leadership skills and refine ideas. Can you compile and agree a class list of essential qualities for a good expedition leader?
What were the crew of Endurance like?
Slide 9 has a list of the crew members recruited to sail on Endurance.
Discuss with the class and ask them what they notice about the list. For example – they are all men. Where were the women? At that time, the world of exploration was very much something that men did, whilst women mostly stayed at home.
Ask pupils to look at the job descriptions and note which ones surprised them the most. Perhaps it was that they took an artist on board? Working in pairs or threes, ask pupils to identify the most important jobs in their opinion, e.g. the top five jobs essential for a successful mission. What would they be and why?
Resources
See additional resource links at the bottom of this page. There is a suggested assembly activity with the story of Shackleton’s bible in the downloads box.
The Boats
Key Questions
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What ships were involved in the Trans-Antarctic Expedition?
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What were they like? What were they made of?
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How were they powered?
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What was it like to live on one?
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How much did they cost?
Getting Started
Recap the essential information about the story: there were two ships involved who would each land crew at opposing sides of the great continent of Antarctica. Find out what children know or think they know about the ships by using the questions above and asking pupils to add anything else they know or think they know. This information can they be checked and developed using evidence. An extract from the booklet the Trans-Antarctic Expedition is given on slide 12. Read some of the information out slowly and ask pupils to listen and take notes.
You could also start by making a model of the Endurance from cardboard with instructions from Darrel Wakelam (see link in presentation slide 11) or by copying a sketch of her – see slide 13.
Possible Activities
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Using the photographs provided on slides 15-21, ask pupils to look carefully for evidence about life on board Endurance. What was it like to live on board? The pictures show the men doing a variety of activities from keeping warm to eating, working in laboratories and on cleaning duty.
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Compare the photographs with the grainy images of life on board the Aurora on slides 22 – 25. How does everyday life compare? And why are the images less clear? Discuss how Hurley was a professional photographer whose job was to document the expedition carefully and he did this with great pride and was meticulous in cataloguing dates and people.
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Using the evidence from the photos, ask pupils to imagine they were on board themselves, feeling homesick and writing a letter about their experiences stuck fast in the ice as the winter of 1915 came upon them.
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Discuss why the crew were having a midwinter feast on the 22nd June. This is the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere.
Taking it further
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Investigate Then and Now resources to compare the crew and ships of the Trans-Antarctic expedition with the 2022 expedition to seek for the wreck of the Endurance.
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Consider why there is so much focus on the Endurance and less on the Aurora even though the crew on board were equally heroic in their part of the quest. The Endurance not only had the expedition leader Shackleton on board, already a national hero by this time, but also the skilled photographer Hurley who was able to document the story in great detail. Ask pupils to think about how well a story is told and how this might affect what we think about and remember.
Vocabulary
- See the Book glossary and encourage pupils to develop this with their own collected vocabulary.
Curriculum Links
Geography: Key stage 1
Pupils should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject-specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
Pupils should be taught to:
Locational knowledge
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name and locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans
Human and physical geography
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Identify the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles.
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use basic geographical vocabulary
Geography: Key Stage 2
Locational knowledge
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identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night.
History : Key stage 1
Pupils should develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.
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know where the people and events they study fit within a chronological framework and identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
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use a wide vocabulary of everyday historical terms.
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ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events.
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understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
Pupils should be taught about:
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events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally
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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.
History: Key Stage 2
Pupils should continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study. They should note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms. They should regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. They should construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information. They should understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
Pupils should be taught about:
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a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
Links to other Areas of learning
English: speaking and listening, opportunities for reports, creative writing and descriptive writing, diaries, letters, lists and labels.
Mathematics: opportunities to measure, record, and to create and present data
Art and design: drawing and making models of the Endurance
Web Links
