The Titanic
A WebQuest
Introduction
The sinking of the Titanic is known as one of the worst disasters in the twentieth century. Built over the course of two years by the White Star Line, the Titanic set sail from England in 1912. It was the largest luxury liner every built and was considered “unsinkable” due to its modern construction and system of water tight compartments in the hull. However, when it hit an iceberg on the night of April 14, the ship sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean within two and a half hours. Only 705 people survived out of the 2,228 passengers and crew originally aboard the Titanic.
Task
You are the descendent of a Titanic passenger (see card with name of ancestor). You are researching your family tree and have decided to find out what happened to your ancestor on this fateful voyage by visiting various websites. Did your ancestor survive or meet his / her icy demise in the North Atlantic? After learning more about the Titanic experience, you will be directed to go to a site that will tell what happened to your ancestor.
Process
Activity #1 - EQ: What did the Titanic look like?
You will look at actual black and white photographs of the ship taken as it was being built. You will also watch some authentic newsreel showing the Titanic getting ready for its maiden voyage. Remember, the Titanic was the largest luxury ship of its time in 1912. There were cabins for first class, second class, and third class (or steerage) passengers to sleep in as well as eating and socializing areas.
Reading Assignment:
Primary sources are sources that came from the actual period in history. Go to the following links to look at authenitic Images of the Titanic.
Notetaking Assignment:
Under “Images” fill in the graphic organizer with facts, details and descriptions about the following topics: building the ship, interior of the ship, passengers, and sinking.
Activity # 2 - EQ: What exactly happened to the Titanic?
You have already read the description of the event in your Interactive Reader. By the way, the author Robert D. Ballard is the oceanographer / underwater archaeologist who first discovered the wreckage of the lost vessel in 1985 and recovered many of the artifacts.
Reading Assignment:
Read the following timeline that tells about the events of the night the Titanic went down. Titanic Timeline
Notetaking Assignment:
Under “Timeline” fill in the flowchart to show the sequence of important events in the life of the Titanic.
Activity #3 - EQ: Which passengers survived?
Unfortunately, on the Titanic not all passengers were equal. Certain passengers had a higher rate of survival.
Reading Assignment:
You will be reading a chart showing the percentage of survivors in first class, second class, and third class (also called steerage). First class passengers tended to be the wealthy. Second class passengers tended to be middle class professionals. Third class tended to be the poor, many of whom were immigrants going to America for a better life. Who was more likely to survive?
Click on this link: Survivors
Notetaking Assignment:
Under "Survivors," answer the questions using the information from the chart.
Activity #4: EQ: What was it like to be a passenger on the Titanic?
Next you will read a first hand account from a Titanic survivor. Notice how the survivor describes the ship and the people aboard. Find out how she was able to survive when so many people died. Think about the emotions she must have been experiencing at the time as well as how the whole experience must have affected her afterwards.
Reading Assignmnet: Read the following first-hand account of the sinking of the Titanic using the link below. Once you access the site, scroll down until you see red print. Begin reading at this point.
First Class passenger – Elizabeth Shutes, governess
Notetaking Assignmnet: Under "Elizabeth Shutes" draw a visual representation of what the sinking must have looked like with the ship, lifeboats, people in the water, etc.
Activity #5 - EQ: What caused the sinking of the Titanic?
Reading Assignment:
What were the factors that contributed to the sinking of the Titanic?
Click on this link: Contributing Factors
Notetaking Assignment:
Fill in the graphic organizer to show the factors that caused the Titanic to sink so quickly.
Activity #6: EQ: Did your ancestor survive?
Reading assignment:
Now click on the link below to find out if your ancestor survived the sinking of the Titanic. Type your ancestor's name in the search box and click on the link that says "Titanic Biographies." Biographies
Notetaking Assignment: Fill in your Titanic passport.
Evaluation
Turn in your notetaking sheet as a daily grade. Your grade will be based on:
1. ability to identify important details while reading nonfiction
2. ability to summarize important details using graphic organizers
2. completing all activities assigned
A = (95) All sections completed per directions, ample details provided
B = (85) All but 1 section completed, many details provided
C = (75) 2 sections missing and / or needs more details
U = (grade will vary) missing 3 or more sections, very few details
You will be using your notes to write a journal from the point of view of a Titanic passenger. You will also be writing some expository paragraphs to share what you have learned.
Conclusion and Other Resources
Hopefully, you have become familiar with some of the historical facts surrounding the Titanic disaster and have come to understand the traumatic nature of this event on the people involved. For more information about the Titanic, see the following links below. You can also visit your school or public library to access books about the sinking and the recovery of artifacts.
General History of the TitanicTitanic Quiz1912 newspaper article from Belfast, Ireland
http://www.irelandseye.com/titanic/2.htm
The Titanic Inquiry Project – transcripts of the American and British investigations and testimonies of survivors