Process
Please read all directions and instructions carefully when completing these processes.
1. Before you get started, watch these videos of footage from Dr. Ballard's initial discovery of the Titanic wreckage as well as current videos of what the shipwreck looks like today.
Dr. Ballard discovers the Titanic
Current footage from the wreck of the Titanic
2. Next, you will complete tasks associated with online research. Please take notes in your writer's journal as you conduct your research. You will need these notes later when you are writing your friendly letters.
a. Read these accounts of survivors from the Titanic. You will be choosing one of these people to write a friendly letter to later on. Remember to take notes.
Ruth Becker
Dr. Washington Dodge
* For this next link, you need to click on "Survivors". Ruth Becker is also mentioned in this article.
b. Browse these websites, videos, and articles about the Titanic. Take notes about important events, people, dates, and times relating to the Titanic. Creating a timeline in your writer's journal will help you. As you read, you might want to jot down thoughts and feelings you have as you scan each website. Please choose three to four websites as a minimum.
Titanic Websites:
*This last link is another perspective on why the Titanic crashed....what do you think happened? Include this in in your letter!
Videos:
Google Earth Titanic Underwater
Games (only if you finish early!)
3. Follow the Writing Process in order to write a letter to a survivor of the Titanic. Through your notes, you should be able to write about your experiences through research, a summary of what you learned, and your own reflection of the Titanic sinking. Please ask thought provoking questions that you would want to know the answer to if this person could write back. This letter must be a minimum of 3 paragraphs.
Use a graphic organizer for brainstorming (teacher will pass it out). The first draft will follow that.