The Endurance

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question: What are the main qualities of a strong leader?

2. List Vocabulary
Share some of the challenging vocabulary words in the article (see below). Encourage students to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• abandon (p. 18)
• expedition (p. 18)
• triumph (p. 18)
• terrain (p. 19)
• dwindled (p. 20)
• stamina (p. 21)

3. Engage
Have students examine the main photo on pages 18–19 in the magazine. Display a world map and point out Antarctica. Explain that the ship in the photo is trapped in ice near Antarctica. Then have students imagine that they have to abandon a ship trapped in ice and then survive living on the ice for six months. Ask: How would you feel? What would you worry about? How would you maintain a hopeful attitude about being rescued?

4. Read and Discuss
Ask students to read the Upfront article about the Endurance expedition. Review why the article is a secondary source. (It was written by someone who didn’t personally experience or witness the events.) Then pose these critical-thinking questions:

• What was Shackleton’s goal with the Endurance expedition? What actually happened? (Shackleton’s goal was to reach Antarctica and then lead a crew across the continent of Antarctica by foot. However, not far from the continent, the Endurance became trapped in ice for many months, and eventually, the crew had to abandon the ship and survive on the ice for many more months. Shackleton left with a small group to seek help, eventually returning about four months later to rescue the crew.)  

• What does the map on page 19 help you understand about how close the Endurance came to reaching Antarctica and what happened after the ship became trapped in ice? (The map helps you understand that the Endurance came very close to reaching Antarctica, how far the crew drifted in the boat while trapped by ice, and then how far they drifted while living on the ice. The map also helps you understand how far Shackleton had to sail on the small boat to get help.)

• The author says, “Against all odds, the men reached the island [of South Georgia].” What does the author mean by “against all odds”? What details does she provide to support this assessment of the journey? (She means that they succeeded despite extreme challenges. She supports her assessment by explaining the great length of the journey and the harsh weather they faced.)

• Why do you think Nancy F. Koehn describes the Endurance expedition as “a story about the triumph of the human spirit”? Do you agree with her? Explain. (Responses will vary, but students should support their ideas with evidence, such as text details about how all of the crew survived and the ways they kept up their spirits as well as how Shackleton never gave up in rescuing his crew.)

5. Use the Primary Sources
Project, distribute, or assign in Google Classroom the PDF ‘A Fateful Day,’ which features excerpts from South, Ernest Shackleton’s memoir about the Endurance expedition. Discuss what makes the memoir a primary source. (It provides firsthand evidence concerning the topic.) Have students read the excerpts and answer the questions below (which appear on the PDF without answers).

• How would you describe the tone and purpose of these excerpts from Shackleton’s memoir? (The tone can be described as reflective and respectful—to the ship builders, the crew, and nature. Shackleton’s purpose is to describe the events that led to the abandonment of the Endurance and how those events affected him.)

• Shackleton praises the shipbuilders. How does this help emphasize the power of the ice he then describes? (By praising the shipbuilders, Shackleton establishes that the Endurance was a well-crafted and strong ship, which helps emphasize that the ice was extremely powerful. Even a ship such as the Endurance could not break through it or survive its pressure. This also helps convey the extent of the danger the crew faced when stuck on the ship.)

• Why did Shackleton and his crew face the month of October with anxious hearts? (They were anxious for the month because they were unsure of whether the ice would eventually release them so they could continue their expedition or would, instead, carry them farther into dangerous areas and maybe even crush them.) 

• None of the crew died while abandoning the ship or later when stuck on the ice floes. What does this excerpt help you understand about why they survived? (This excerpt shows the great thought and planning Shackleton put into every aspect of survival. As soon as he realized that the ship would likely be crushed by the ice, he began reviewing—over and over—the plans that he had made long before even starting the journey for how to best abandon the ship and set up camps on the ice floes. He had made plans for how to move everything off the boat at a moment’s notice.)

• Based on the Upfront article and the excerpts from Shackleton’s memoir, why do you think Shackleton is remembered today as a great explorer and leader? (Students’ responses will vary, but they should be supported with evidence from both texts.)

6. Writing Prompt
What do you think the Endurance voyage can teach us about facing adversity? Write one paragraph to explain your thoughts.

7. Quiz
Use the quiz to assess comprehension.

8. Classroom Debate
Find out more about Ada Blackjack. Which is the greater tale of endurance—hers or Shackleton’s?

9. Research Project
Have students each select and research one of the survival stories from the sidebar on page 21 of the magazine. Then bring the class together to share what they’ve learned and discuss common themes among the stories.