NOVA Online | Shackleton's Antarctic Odyssey

Site at a Glance | Lesson Plans | Questions of the Day | Field Report | Escape from Antarctica | Related Resources | Join Us/Mail

Welcome to the Classroom Resources section for the NOVA/PBS Online Adventure, Shackleton's Antarctic Odyssey. This live adventure focuses on Ernest Shackleton, a polar explorer who gained worldwide fame during his 1914 attempt to be the first person to cross the Antarctic continent. The epic journey of survival that ensued held stories of stamina and willpower from the expedition's 28 men.

Shackleton's Antarctic Odyssey will follow a team revisiting the scenes of Shackleton's legendary journey, for a NOVA television program and a NOVA large-format film for IMAX^® and IWERKS^® theaters. The team will brave the turbulent waters of the Drake Passage and revisit the legendary locales of the crew's trials—all to get to the bottom of this awe-inspiring survival story.

We invite you and your students to follow along with us on this adventure, which begins Tuesday, October 19, 1999, and runs for about four weeks. During that time, here's what you can expect:

continual availability of the companion Web site that includes photos, QuickTime VRs, audio clips, articles, and activities about Shackleton's original expedition, the current team's attempts to retrace the journey, and life in the Antarctic. Use this Web site to send e-mail to expedition members.
constant updates from the field through daily Dispatches, regular reports chronicling the team's most recent activities and position, current weather information, and sounds from the Antarctic.
a way to receive continued updates on the team's progress.
these Classroom Resources. This section will provide you with:
- Site at a Glance—summary information that details the Web site's features, their type (interview, article, activity), and their grade level appropriateness.
- Lesson Plans—four printable lesson plans investigate topics of geography, navigation, ice, and nutrition.
- Related Resources—books, articles, and Web sites for further exploration about Shackleton and the Antarctic.
For Your Students:
- Field Report—a section that allows students to use photographs and audio clips, and text to create their own summary of the adventure's events.
- Escape from Antarctica (Hot Science)—an activity that challenges students to navigate to South Georgia Island with a sextant.

We hope you and your students will come aboard for our journey to Earth's final frontier.

Regards,

Karen Hartley
Project Director
NOVA Online Teachers
e-mail: Karen_Hartley at wgbh dot org

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