Titanic: Voices from the Disaster

Nonfiction Book
Author: Deborah Hopkinson
Copyright: Deborah Hopkinson, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Reading Level:
     Ages: 8 and up
     Grade Level Equivalent: 8.3
     Lexile Measure: 1040

Five keywords/phrases to describe the book:
Eye-opening, tragic, heart-wrenching, devastating, historical

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud

Summary: This well-put together, informational text provides a detailed account of what truly happened on April 15, 1912 - the night the Titanic sank. Although many have heard this story before, I don't think most can say they've heard it like Deborah Hopkinson tells it. The 1997 movie Titanic tells the story from the point of view of the infamous couple, Jack and Rose. However, this novel tells the story from the point of view of the captain's crew, the stewards and stewardesses, and other brave souls who helped to save as many of the Titanic's passengers as possible. Although none of us could ever begin to imagine what these people experienced, this book does a great job of making the reader feel as if they were there that fateful night through detailed accounts and quotes from the survivors.

Vocabulary:
1) Transatlantic (page 3)
2) Accommodations (page 3)
3) Stewards/Stewardesses (page 10)
4) Promenade (page 13)
5) Unobtrusively (page 16)
6) Culmination (page 16)
7) Astern (page 18)
8) Briny (page 23)
9) Unenviable (page 57)
10) Pneumatic (page 59)
11) Phosphorescent (page 61)
12) Complacency (page 68)
13) Purportedly (page 80)
14) Roused (page 98)
15) Sublime (page 129)
16) Catastrophic (page 134)
17) Foundering (page 142)
18) Precarious (page 144)
19) Stupefying (page 150)
20) Unfathomable (page 151)
21) Peril (page 174)
22) Destitute (page 208)
23) Negligence (page 212)
**Additional vocabulary relating to the boat and its parts are provided in a glossary in the back of the book for students to refer to if necessary.

Electronic Resources:
Titanic Interactive - This is a great interactive experience for students to complete after reading Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. Provided by the History Channel website, this interactive experience allows students to explore the Titanic in a fun and more detailed way. Students can choose to explore the construction of the Titanic, the disaster itself, and the aftermath. This interactive experience includes pictures, exploration of the boat's components and rooms, and even a video of how the Titanic most likely struck the iceberg.

Deborah Hopkinson - This link will take students specifically to the Titanic: Voices from the Disaster section of Deborah Hopkinson's website. If students want to learn more about Deborah herself, they can go to her home page from this link. However, this part of her website will show students the awards this book has received, give links to reviews of this book, and provides additional resources for both students and teachers.

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: Prior to reading this book, have students complete a vocabulary search in which they find the definitions of the words listed above. There are quite a bit of words in this book that students may need to know the definitions of in order to understand the book. Therefore, by finding the definitions to the vocabulary provided prior to reading, students will be able to have a master list to refer to while reading to ensure comprehension.

During: Have students construct a timeline of the events leading up to the Titanic's voyage, during the voyage, and after the voyage. Students should include the dates, but also the times provided in the book, as most of the book takes place on April 15-16, 1912. Constructing a timeline will allow students to see how quickly things turned bad, and how quickly the Titanic sank.

After: Have students create an acrostic poem using the word "Titanic" to describe that awful night. Students should complete this individually in order to reflect their own point of views of that night and their understanding of the events that took place. After completing, have students share their poems with the class. After all students have shared, hang these poems in the classroom for students to see and be proud of.

Writing: Have students imagine that they are a survivor of the Titanic, and are currently sitting on the Carpathia. Students will be writing a letter to home or to a loved one that tells them about their journey on the Titanic. Students should be including details of their first few nights of the ride, of hitting the iceberg, of the Titanic sinking, and of their long-awaited rescue by the Carpathia.

Citation:
Hopkinson, D. (2012). Titanic: voices from the disaster. New York: 
          Scholastic Press.