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Shackleton and the Endurance

A complete B1 classroom lesson built around a short English reading. Use it as a 45–60 minute lesson, or choose individual sections for a shorter class.

B150–60 minutesExploration & survivalPrintable
Teacher lesson: Imagine your group is stranded in a very cold place. Choose the three most important things to protect: food, water, shelter, communication, transport, tools . Explain your choices. Work through the nine panels in order, or choose the sections that suit your class. Teacher answers and the listening script are stored separately.
Teacher AnswersOpen original reading
1 Lesson Goals
The Endurance expedition in Antarctic ice

By the end of this lesson, I will be able to:

  • understand the main ideas and key details in Shackleton and the Endurance.
  • learn and use important vocabulary from the lesson.
  • use the lesson language in speaking or writing.
Start here: What do you already know about this topic? Tell a partner one idea.
2 Reading
Before you read:

Imagine your group is stranded in a very cold place. Choose the three most important things to protect: food, water, shelter, communication, transport, tools. Explain your choices.

In 1915, Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance became trapped in sea ice in the Weddell Sea. The crew could not simply sail home. For months, the men lived beside the frozen ship while the ice carried them slowly across the sea. Eventually the pressure crushed Endurance and the crew camped on drifting ice. They had to protect food, equipment and small lifeboats while facing cold, wind and uncertainty. When the ice finally broke apart, they reached remote Elephant Island. Shackleton and five companions then sailed a small boat about 1,300 kilometres to South Georgia to find help. Despite the extraordinary conditions, every member of the Endurance crew survived. Their story remains a famous example of preparation, teamwork and leadership under pressure.
3 Vocabulary
Words: trapped · drifting · remote · uncertainty · companions · leadership

Use context from the reading to explain each word in your own words.

4 Check Your Understanding

1. Why could the crew not simply sail home?

2. What happened to Endurance?

3. Why was Elephant Island not the end of the problem?

4. What did Shackleton and five companions do?

5. Which qualities helped the crew survive? Give evidence from the text.

5 Language Focus

Complete with the best form of the verb.

1. The crew (live) beside the ship while the ice (carry) them across the sea.

2. The men (protect) their equipment while they (face) extreme cold.

3. When the ice (break) apart, the crew (reach) Elephant Island.

4. Shackleton (sail) to South Georgia because the crew (need) help.

6 Listen & Speak

Listen

Listen to your teacher and answer the questions.

1. In which sea was Endurance trapped?

2. What did the crew protect after the ship was crushed?

3. Where did Shackleton sail to find help?

4. Did every crew member survive?

Speak

Discuss in groups.

• What makes someone a good leader in an emergency?
• Is careful preparation more important than courage? Why?
• What decisions in the reading seem especially important?

Shackleton and the Endurance — Continued
7 Use Your English

Something New

One student is a reporter and one is a rescued crew member. Ask and answer three questions about the rescue, then swap roles.

Write

Write 100–130 words: What can modern teams learn from the Endurance crew? Refer to at least two details from the reading.

8 Puzzle or Game
Draw, Mime or Describe

Choose a useful word from this lesson. Do not say the word. Draw it, mime it, or describe it. Your partner has three guesses.

Swap roles and play again with a different word.

9 Success Criteria ✓

Tick each statement when you can do it.

  • I can explain the main idea of the lesson.
  • I can use at least three new words correctly.
  • I can complete the language task.
  • I can share an idea in spoken or written English.

One thing I am proud of today:

10 Show What You Can Do
Final challenge: Shackleton and the Endurance

Plan: Note your strongest idea, 3 useful words or phrases, and one supporting detail from the lesson.

Respond: Write a short paragraph of 6–8 sentences, or prepare a 45-second spoken response, showing what you learned.

Reflect: Underline the part of your response that best shows your progress.