Titanic in the classroom:Setting the Scene

The Titanic:
In the Classroom

Setting the Scene

Teachers could use a number of video resources here. The National Geographic video ‘Secrets of the Titanic’ is a 60 minute overview of the building of the ship, the final voyage and the subsequent discovery and exploration of the wreck by Dr. Ballard.

To create a ‘feel’ for the disaster and promote interest. it is recommended that the video ‘SOS Titanic’ be used. Be aware that this is not strictly factual, but nonetheless would certainly ‘whet the appetite’ of students.

‘A Night to Remember’ is a far more factual video, but is black and white and may not have the appeal of the former for younger audiences. A comparison between the two videos would make an interesting exercise from a Media Studies perspective.

Older students will find the book ‘A Night to Remember’ an extremely useful, if not absorbing, resource. Lord’s other book ‘The Night Lives On’ will provide many starting points for independent investigations of the database.

Undoubtedly the premier reference resource is ‘Titanic, Triumph and Tragedy, A Chronicle in Words and Pictures’ . This is the most complete, and authoritative work yet produced, but its expense will probably put it out of reach of all but the most dedicated Titanic buff. It is however, available from most public and community libraries. A smaller, cheaper, yet still useful publication along the same lines is ‘Titanic, Destination Disaster, The Legends and the Reality’ , by the same authors.

For those interested in the discovery of the wreck, Dr. Ballard’s book ‘The Discovery of the Titanic’ in hardcover form, is again probably too expensive for all but the dedicated, however, much of the photographic material has already been published in the issues of the National Geographic and now a cheaper, softcover version has been published. His later publication ‘Exploring the Titanic’ is a useful (and cheaper!) resource book.

There are many books available that could be utilised to convey a ‘feel’ for the Edwardian era - one that is full of simple line drawings (including a cut-away side view of the Titanic) is the 'Picture Panorama of British History: Edwardian Times' .

Proving that interest in the Titanic is far from dead, there is ‘Titanic, An Illustrated History’ by Don Lynch. This expensive publication is full of evocative artwork and many photos and diagrams. It covers the design, building, launching, collision and discovery of the wreck in minute detail. There is even a panel devoted to the fate of the pet dogs on the ship!