A Writing Root for Shackleton's Journey

Outcomes:

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

Main Outcome:

Newspaper report

Length:

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