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Year 6

Answering a range of comprehension questions on 'Shackleton's Journey'

I can use evidence in the text to support reasoning.

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Year 6

Answering a range of comprehension questions on 'Shackleton's Journey'

I can use evidence in the text to support reasoning.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Reading between the lines to search for clues can help to infer meaning.
  2. Evidence from the text helps us to justify our inferences.
  3. An impression can be formed from reader’s initial feelings from reading the text, or prior experience.

Keywords

  • Inference - Inference means to use clues from within the text to draw conclusions.

  • Evidence - Evidence is the information from a text that can support or justify our reasoning.

  • Impression - An impression refers to initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading a text.

Common misconception

Impressions can only be formed from what readers have understood from the text.

Explain that impressions can also be based on a reader's prior experience, however reasoning should be supported with factual evidence.


To help you plan your year 6 english lesson on: Answering a range of comprehension questions on 'Shackleton's Journey', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There are several possible impressions readers can make about Frank Wild. Encourage pupils to ensure their points are different. Mind map a list of character traits to support.
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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Supervision

Adult supervision required

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? The weather was calm during the expedition's journey to Antarctica.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q2.
How far away from civilisation was the Endurance when it became stuck in the ice?
5 miles
50 miles
Correct answer: 500 miles
5000 miles
Q3.
Why might the dogs have enjoyed being off the ship?
They would be able to chase cats.
They would be able to catch their own food.
Correct answer: They would have more space to exercise and run around in.
Q4.
Which crew member made the stove where lots of the crew hung out together?
Louis Rickinson
Correct answer: Henry McNeish
Alexander Kerr
Thomas McLeod
Q5.
Which dangers did the crew need to be aware of when on the ice floe?
Correct answer: vibrations
penguins
Correct answer: pressure ridges
fish
Q6.
Put the following events that have occurred so far in 'Shackleton's Journey' in the correct order.
1 - Endurance sets sail for Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 - The crew spend a month making final preparations at Grytviken Whaling Station
3 - Endurance becomes stuck in pack ice
4 - Endurance is remodelled as a winter base
5 - Endurance is isolated, now 500 miles from other signs of civilisation

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the following keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:inferences,to use clues from within the text to draw conclusions
tick

to use clues from within the text to draw conclusions

Correct Answer:evidence,information from a text that can support reasoning
tick

information from a text that can support reasoning

Correct Answer:impression,initial feelings about a person, place or thing
tick

initial feelings about a person, place or thing

Q2.
Which of the following contributed to Shackleton making the decision to evacuate the ship?
Correct answer: Endurance had tilted at a 30-degree angle.
Correct answer: Ice continued to pressure the ship.
The men required more exercise.
It would be more comfortable living on the ice floe.
Correct answer: It was growing harder and harder to repair.
Q3.
After abandoning the Endurance, which two camps did the crew set up on the ice floe?
Ocean and Determination
Determination and Patience
Correct answer: Ocean and Patience
Patience and Lake
Q4.
Why did Shackleton and his crew have to leave the ice floe?
There were lots of passing ships that could offer to help the crew.
Correct answer: The ice was breaking up and it was becoming less stable.
The waves were very high and dangerous.
Q5.
What were the names of the lifeboats that the crew sailed to Elephant Island in?
Correct answer: James Caird
Frank Worsley
Correct answer: Dudley Docker
Correct answer: Stancomb Wills
Charles Green
Q6.
What were some of the dangers the crew faced as they sailed?
Penguins nudged the boats off course.
Correct answer: They had to row against 60 foot sprays of icy cold water.
Correct answer: Food supplies were now very limited.
Correct answer: Camping on smaller sections of ice meant crew might fall into the water.
The navigational equipment did not work.