EDMUND FITZGERALD SHIPWRECK ACTIVITY

​The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

ELA 8 Activity

​PART 1: NON-FICTION PRACTICE

​Please read this

non-fiction passage about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

​After reading the non-fiction passage, please answer the few comprehension questions about the article.

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If you need to go back and look over the article again, you may.

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Multiple Choice

The S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald began its last journey in...

• November

• August

• September

• October

Multiple Choice

When the Edmund Fitzgerald was found at the bottom of the lake, it was...

• In perfect shape

• Upside down

• In little bits

• in two pieces

Multiple Choice

"The Fitz was in Wisconsin and bound for Detroit." This means that the Edmund Fitzgerald was:

• Going away from Detroit

• Going to Detroit

• Being repaired in Detroit

• Built in Detroit

Multiple Choice

On which body (or bodies) of water did the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sail?

• The Arctic Ocean

• The Pacific Ocean

• The Great Lakes

• The North and South Atlantic

Multiple Choice

When was the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald?

• November 9th, 1975

• November 10th, 1976

• November 8th, 1971

• November 10th, 1975

Multiple Choice

The Edmund Fitzgerald was travelling from Superior, Wisconsin to Detroit. She was 17 miles from a "safe haven" when she went down. What was the name of the place she was trying to get to, or near to?

• Whitefish Bay

• Detroit Bay

• McSorley Point

• Arthur Anderson Ridge

Multiple Choice

What cargo was The Edmund Fitzgerald carrying when she went down?

• Copper ore

• Nothing - the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was empty

• Iron ore

• Dairy products from Wisconsin

Multiple Choice

Which Great Lake was The Edmund Fitzgerald sailing on when she ran into the storm?

• Lake Huron

• Lake Michigan

• Lake Erie

• Lake Superior

Multiple Choice

What was the name of the ship following behind The Edmund Fitzgerald?

• the Arthur M. Anderson

• the Kristie L. Cassidy

• the Morgan Clark

• the Duluth Superior

Multiple Choice

How were the captains of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald and the SS Arthur Anderson communicating during the night of the storm that caused the shipwreck?

• phone call

• text

• radio

• telegraph

Multiple Choice

How many lives were lost when The Edmund Fitzgerald went down?

• 5

• 29

• 74

• 122

Multiple Choice

What did the captain of The Edmund Fitzgerald say in his last radio communication?

• "It's been good to know ya."

• "We are holding our own..."

• "We're in trouble here."

• "Mayday, Mayday. We are sinking.""

Multiple Choice

What was the name of the captain of the The Edmund Fitzgerald?

• Edmund Fitzgerald

• Bernie Cooper

• Ernest McSorley

• Morgan Clark

Open Ended

Using FIVE complete, mature sentences IN YOUR OWN WORDS, briefly explain the WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW behind the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

What happened?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

Why did it happen?

How did it happen?

​PART 2: LISTENING AND MAKING INFERENCES FROM A BALLAD / SONG

​One year after the shipwreck, in 1976, singer Gordon Lightfoot wrote a ballad (song) about the disaster.  Listen to it, below.

Open Ended

Explain in your own words, using ONE complete, mature sentence answer... what does it mean when the song says:

"The lake it is said, never gives up her dead, When the skies of November turn gloomy."

Open Ended

Explain in your own words, using ONE complete, mature sentence answer...

How do we know those on board were veterans or experienced sailors?

Multiple Choice

Verse three talks about the storm.

Dissipate means to slowly disappear.

Strengthen means to increase, or grow stronger.

Maintain means to stay the same.

Which of these three words BEST describe what the storm is doing in Verse 3 of the song?

• DISSIPATE

• STRENGTHEN

• MAINTAIN

Open Ended

Explain in your own words, using ONE complete, mature sentence answer...

What does the cook mean, in the two times that he speaks to the crew in the song in Verse 4?

(The cook's words are in "quotation marks.")

Open Ended

Explain in your own words, using ONE complete, mature sentence answer...

What does it mean when in Verse 5 it says, "And all that remains are the faces and the names, Of the wives and the sons and the daughters."

Open Ended

Which of the different Great Lakes are mentioned in Verse 6? 

(Spelling and capitalization count.)

​PART 3: PROOFREADING/ EDITING PRACTICE

​In the following section, you will read a paragraph with

TEN errors.

​

SEVEN are spelling errors,

​TWO are capitalization errors, and

ONE is an apostrophe usage error.

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Read the error-filled paragraph on the next slide, and then answer the questions to fix the paragraph.

​(Error-Filled Paragraph)

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The Edmund Fitzgerald was a giant freight shipp that operated in the great Lakes. During it's time, it set records for hawling the most iron ore from wisconsin mines to ironwerks in Mishigan and Ohio. On November 10th, 1975, the ship sank during a strom, taking all 29 crew members with it. The event inspire singer Gordon Lightfoot to write and record the song, "The Reck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

Multiple Choice

In sentence one of the paragraph, there are TWO errors. Those errors will appear below. Choose the only CORRECT word option.

Here is the sentence again: The Edmund Fitzgerald was a giant freight shipp that operated in the great Lakes.

• shipp

• operated

• great Lakes

Multiple Choice

In sentence two of the paragraph, there are FIVE errors. Choose the only option that is CORRECT below. Here is the sentence again:

During it's time, it set records for hawling the most iron ore from wisconsin mines to ironwerks in Mishigan and Ohio.

• it's

• records

• hawling

• wisconsin

• ironwerks in Mishigan

Multiple Choice

In sentence three of the paragraph, there is ONE error. Select the ONE option below that is incorrect.

Here is the sentence again:

On November 10th, 1975, the ship sank during a strom, taking all 29 crew members with it.

• November

• sank

• strom

• crew members

Multiple Choice

In sentence four of the paragraph, there are TWO errors. Choose the one box below that is CORRECT.

Here is the sentence again:

The event inspire singer Gordon Lightfoot to write the song, "The Reck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

• inspire

• write

• Reck