shackleton's journey english planning ks2

Shackleton’s Journey – Planning Overview

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).

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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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Shackleton's Journey Letter Writing

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Are your children ready for adventure? Are they prepared to journey through hazardous conditions and to face constant danger? Are they driven by honour and duty? Great, then this Shackleton's Journey KS2 Planning Pack based on the breath-takingly beautiful book by William Grill is for you! Please be aware that, for copyright purposes, we are unable to provide the full text for this scheme of work.

#TheCompleteSeries6lessons

In this series of six lessons, children will read the introduction to Shackleton's Journey and imagine themselves as pioneering crew members of the Endurance, bound for their historic mission to Antarctica. To begin the unit, children will use high-quality model texts to identify the key features of effective letter writing and carry out their own research into given crew members. They will become fully immersed in their character as they imagine themselves in a series of challenging scenarios in the uncharted seascape and landscape of Antarctica. Through games, oral rehearsal, sentence exploration and well-structured, differentiated resources, children will become confident with using the subjunctive form and creating cohesion within and across paragraphs. In the final part of the unit, your Year 6 class will plan, draft and edit an effective letter of application to join Shackleton's crew.

Looking for cool, polar-themed resources? You might be interested in our free polar writing frames - perfect for your children to write their own stories full of adventure and adversity, design ships for the most challenging Antarctic expeditions and much more.

#Lesson1Keyfeaturesofformalletters

This first lesson, inspired by 'Shackleton's Journey', encourages children to reflect on the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration and the world of 1914 before asking them to consider whether they have what it takes to be a polar explorer and how they might apply for a position onboard Shackleton's Endurance.

Your Year 6 class will look in detail at the key features of an effective letter of application and formal language choices. They will analyse a good quality application letter from expedition artist, George Marston, and identify the key features within the text. By the end of the lesson, your Year 6 class will have a solid understanding of the key features of effective letter writing which they can use as an anchor when they come to write their own letter of application.

This letter-writing Year 6 Lesson Pack is ready to teach, with a detailed lesson plan, engaging slides for input and differentiated activities.

What's included:

• Lesson Plan
• Activity ideas
• Differentiated worksheets

#Lesson2Researchingandnotetaking

Children are invited to dive right into the unit by choosing and researching the trail-blazing crew member they would like to write as.

After exploring the roles needed to successfully undertake such an ambitious, historic mission, children will use the Biography Cards provided to research a given crew member (e.g. Frank Worsley, Captain). Your class will select key information about the qualities and experience that make them the perfect fit for this Antarctic expedition and record summary notes which outline ideas for their application letter.

Everything you need to teach this absorbing lesson is included in the pack including: a detailed lesson plan, engaging slideshow and all the printable resources you need.

• Biography cards
• Differentiated note sheets

#Lesson3Thesubjunctiveform

In this highly-interactive session, children will get to grips with the different variants of the subjunctive form - from describing imaginary or hypothetical situations to expressing urgent and compulsory requests.

Children will imagine themselves in different roles and hypothetical situations and decide what they would do in each scenario. Trouble at sea? Engine failure? No problem! If I were your crew member, you could rely on me. After plenty of oral rehearsal, children will experiment with using the subjunctive form, creating a variety of sentences to suit their proposed hypotheticals. Alternatively, you might like to invite children to play the entertaining yet unpredictable game, Kaboom! Who knew learning the finer points of grammar could be this much fun?

This Year 6 Lesson Pack contains everything you need to identify and use the subjunctive form including: a detailed lesson plan, engaging slideshow and printable, differentiated worksheets.

• Kaboom! cards

#Lesson4Buildingcohesion

In this lesson, children will learn about the importance of cohesive devices when writing a clearly structured and engaging letter.

Here, children will focus on paragraphing, adverbials and conjunctions to link ideas, pronouns, synonyms and punctuation. They will use their understanding of these devices to recreate letters from two keen expedition applicants which have been scrambled together.

Everything you need to teach this exciting lesson is included in the pack including: a detailed lesson plan, engaging slideshow and all the printable resources you need.

• Differentiated scrambled sentences and letter templates

#Lesson5Planninganapplicationletter

It's time to bring all of the content that the children have been working on together in one fantastic plan! In this lesson, children will discuss the purpose, structure and content of effective paragraphs to give them all the skills they need to create a compelling plan for their letter of application. Shackleton will be left in no doubt that these applicants are the men for the job!

The slideshow will walk your children through the process of constructing clear, well-structured paragraphs organised around relevant themes and there are plenty of modelled paragraphs which offer children the opportunity to develop ideas for their own letter. Using their very own Paragraph Planner, children will create opening topic sentences before adding supporting details and explanatory ideas which link to a key theme.

This letter-writing Year 6 Lesson Pack is ready to teach, with a detailed lesson plan, engaging slides for input and differentiated activities, all at the click of a button.

• Differentiated planners
• Biography Cards

#Lesson6Writingandeditinganapplicationletter

Your Year 6 class are now ready to make their application! In this final lesson, children will put into practice everything they have learnt about effective letter writing.

After recapping the layout and structure of formal letters, children will use their plan to write in role as a potential crew member aboard the Endurance. At the end of the lesson, children will review each other's letters to decide who are the most suitable candidates to join the expedition team.

This letter-writing Year 6 Lesson Pack contains everything you need to produce an effective letter of application including: a detailed lesson plan, engaging slideshow, as well as printable, differentiated writing frames and checklists.

• Differentiated writing frames and checklists

Free Overview (Medium-Term Plan)

Download a free overview to support your teaching of this scheme of work.

Free Assessment Grid

Download a free, editable assessment grid to support your teaching of this scheme of work.

Curriculum Objectives covered

Reading - comprehension objectives:.

• continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
• reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes
• increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths, legends and traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books from other cultures and traditions
• checking that the book makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and exploring the meaning of words in context

Writing - Transcription Spelling Objectives:

• use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of words
• use the first three or four letters of a word to check spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary
• use a thesaurus

Writing - Composition Objectives:

• identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own
• noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary
• selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning
• using a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs
• assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing
• ensuring the consistent and correct use of tense throughout a piece of writing
• ensuring correct subject and verb agreement when using singular and plural, distinguishing between the language of speech and writing and choosing the appropriate register
• proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors

Writing - Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Objectives:

• recognising vocabulary and structures that are appropriate for formal speech and writing, including subjunctive forms
• using expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely
• using semi-colons, colons or dashes to mark boundaries between independent clauses
• using a colon to introduce a list
• The difference between structures typical of informal speech and structures appropriate for formal speech and writing [for example, the use of question tags: He’s your friend, isn’t he?, or the use of subjunctive forms such as If I were or Were they to come in some very formal writing and speech]

Spoken Language Objectives:

• The difference between vocabulary typical of informal speech and vocabulary appropriate for formal speech and writing [for example, find out – discover; ask for – request; go in – enter]
• How words are related by meaning as synonyms and antonyms [for example, big, large, little].
• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
• articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
• maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments

English Appendix Objectives:

• speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
• participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play/improvisations and debates
• gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
• consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
• select and use appropriate registers for effective communication

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Thank you for your kind words, Susan! We hope that you and your class enjoy these resources :-)

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TEACHING RESOURCES

Shackleton's journey by william grill 9-11.

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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Storybook cross-curricular planning example: Shackleton’s Journey

Added 03 Jul 2017 | Updated 24 Aug 17

This resource demonstrates how to plan a whole school immersion in a quality text to inspire and motivate reading and writing for real purpose and audience. The book chosen is the wonderful Shackleton’s Journey by William Gill, although the same principles could be applied to any text. 

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Shackleton’s Journey

Home » Book Resources » Lower Key Stage 2 » 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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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’.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Shackleton's Journey Cross Curricular Planning Ideas

Subject: History

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Other

Last updated

22 October 2022

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This ideas sequence was created as a cross curricular topic based on Shackleton’s Journey. It follows the book in order and provides suggested activities covering English, Science, History, Art, Design and Technology. ICT and Maths can be embedded throughout a number of the activities. Some of the activities are available on my author page (sail design and application task).

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

Shackleton’s Journey – KS2 book topic planning

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.

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Writing Root Back to List

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A writing root for shackleton's journey.

KS: Lower KS2

Year Group: Year 4

Author(s): William Grill

• Description
• Spelling Seed
• Home Learning Branch

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.

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:

A Writing Root for The Extraordinary Gardener

KS: R & KS1

Year Group: Reception

A Spelling Seed for The Lion and the Unicorn