R.M.S.TITANIC

The Titanic is a veritable time capsule of information about the way that people lived in 1912. The stories (fact and fiction) surrounding the Titanic disaster points to the way people on the Titanic lived -- in first class, second class, and steerage -- as a reflection of society at that time.

My interest in the Titanic was sparked with my introduction to the poem "Titanic" by Canadian writer E.J. Pratt. Pratt's consistent theme of man verses nature -- the great uncaring and unforgiving world -- made the Titanic disaster a natural for his particular literary genius. Pratt shows the necessity of living with nature B never taking it for granted. The Titanic is an interesting topic that captures the interest of students (and teachers) of all ages. I have compiled, edited and created web pages for your use, so feel free to explore the index and use this teachers guide to assist in your exploration of the R.M.S. Titanic. Following are a few tips for smooth sailing.

This site is a huge resource of information concerning the history of the Titanic and its passengers. I have designed the site so that the user can move around in a sequential manner. Each page has a next (AHEAD) button to access the following page and also a return button to allow you to return to the page you were just on. Unfortunately, the site is too large to allow for an index on every page; however, with this in mind, I have provided the user with a link to a master index. This is a comprehensive index that links the site together. Each section is clearly marked with a topic heading and the index can be reached from any page. With this format, information is but a click away.

The site also contains a large database of historic pictures to help students visualize the greatness of this vessel and the importance of its disaster at sea. I also included a number of pages pertaining to the making of the movie "Titanic" (Both back stage and actual stills from the movie). These pages may be used to reveal the attention to detail that was observed in the creation of the movie. It would allow for a great comparative essay. 

This is a project that truly moves across the curriculum. From the computer base teachers can employ lessons in Math (especially conversion and ratio), Science (Biology in particular), English (topics almost inexhaustible B many themes can be touched upon), Social Studies (the promotion of the way of life in 1912 B class differences B etc.), Industrial arts (ship design plans are available on the site), Special Education (many hands on projects including drawing pictures and scanning the same into the computer), etc. The best thing about the project is that students are being taught computer-related skills and terminology as a by-product of the "regular" curriculum. 

I will include a section of activities; however, the site is limited only by your imagination. Look through the site, print a copy of the index for yourself, and sail away into the wonders that are the Titanic.

Before you start. Pose a handful of questions for students to answer before they begin their search. Guesses are encouraged! Then let them go. 

Watch a tidal wave of excitement build as they verify or correct their answers to those questions. (Just for you, the correct answers are included below in parentheses.) This is a good way to get students used to moving around in the browser. They pick up the related computer skills while they search for historical data. Most of the time they will not even realize that they are being taught curriculum related criteria. 

1) How many passengers were on board the Titanic when it sank? (about 2,500)

2) In which ocean did the Titanic sink? (the Atlantic Ocean)

3) How many pounds of meat were loaded on board the Titanic for its famous voyage? (75,000 pounds)

4) How far beneath the sea was the wreck of the Titanic found in 1984? (2-1/2 to 3 miles)

5) Who was Colonel John Jacob Astor--and how is he connected to the Titanic? (He was the richest man in the United States at the time; he drowned when the Titanic sank.)

6) Who was Molly Brown. (A rich American woman B she became known as AThe Unsinkable Molly Brown)

Click here to send suggestions to the site manager 

Before you start. A huge debate surrounds the raising of the wreck of the Titanic. "Taking things from the ship is like robbing a grave," some experts say. "The Titanic should be left alone out of respect for those who died," they add. Others disagree. "This is history, and people should be able to see it," they say. "We need to save what we can before it's gone forever." Invite students to use the information they find as they search the site to formulate their opinions about the Should the Titanic be raised? Debate the issue.

BACK TO TOP