Lesson Plan - A New View

Watch the Video
Build background knowledge by watching the video “Searching for the Titanic.” Discuss: Why did it take decades for explorers to locate the wreckage of the Titanic? 

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• expeditions
• deteriorates

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about why people are so fascinated by the Titanic.

1. What do you think researcher Ross Mumford means when he calls the Titanic a “real-life puzzle that people of all ages are still trying to solve”?
When researcher Ross Mumford calls the Titanic a “real-life puzzle that people of all ages are still trying to solve,” he means that there are still unanswered questions about the disaster. To answer those questions, people have been bringing objects up from the Titanic and studying the wreckage.
^{RI.4.1 Inference}

2. Why do experts say that the Titanic wreckage could disappear in the next few decades?
Experts say that the Titanic wreckage could disappear in the next few decades because the wreckage is falling apart and deteriorating. The article explains that “over the years, ocean currents and sea creatures have eaten away at the Titanic.”
^{RI.4.5 Cause and Effect}

3. Summarize the main ideas of the section “New Angles.”
The section “New Angles” is mainly about new discoveries made by the Magellan team. The Magellan scans were used to create a 3-D model of the Titanic. It is revealing details like what caused the ship to sink and what First Officer William Murdoch was doing when he was swept away.
^{RI.4.2 Main Idea and Key Details}

Featured Skill: Reading a Diagram
Use the skill builder “Inside the Titanic” to explore the layout of the ship as it looked in 1912.
^{RI.4.7 Text Features}