Language Arts: A Voyage of Endurance

Abstract
This lesson wraps up the learning cycle on journal writing, even though the class will continue to write in their class journals throughout the year. Students will apply what they have learned about the three different types of journal writing by composing one of each type on the subject of Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica. They will do this after watching the film The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition. Before watching the film, students will compose a personal journal entry on the expedition. While watching the film, students will write a dialectical journal summarizing the facts of the expedition and analyzing the ways in which the film presents the expedition. After finishing the video, students will compose a creative journal entry in which they will write a fictional news article about the voyage.

Purpose – This is a second “apply” lesson for this learning cycle. Students will have the chance to apply what they have learned about journal writing not only to practice composing the three types of journal entries, but also to understand the vital role that the journals of the expedition members played in preserving this historical adventure.

Objectives
Students will be able to:
1. Analyze and evaluate the impact of visual media on the intended audience.
2. Compose 3 distinct types of journal writings which reflect the purposes for which they are designed.

National English Education Standard
Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

Teacher Background
The instructor should be familiar with the history of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the events of his 1914 expedition to Antarctica, and the diary entries written by him and members of his expedition. You will need to obtain the film The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition, directed by George Butler II and narrated by Liam Neeson. It is available in most video stores on VHS or DVD, and available for purchase online as well. A wonderfully rendered documentary, approximately 97 minutes long. If you wish, you may use one of the other films available on the expedition, there are several.