Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the
Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the
Endurance. 1998. 134pp. Lexile 1090. Available in paperback.
This excellent narrative captures the
excitement and danger of the 1914 Antarctic expedition headed by Sir Ernest Shackleton. After their ship was frozen for months, then
destroyed by ice, Shackleton and a few of his men set off on a high risk journey
to find help. The book, based heavily on primary
sources, follows Shackleton’s rescue effort while also describing the
conditions and fears of those left behind in camp. Many stunning photographs taken by the
expedition photographer add beauty, information, and a glimpse of the men
involved in this remarkable adventure.
Reading Std #1: Read closely to determine what the
text says explicitly and implicitly, citing specific textual evidence to
support conclusions drawn from it.
Have
student identify the key ideas of this survival story in terms of information
presented but also the sub-text about courage.