The year is 1907; a newspaper advert placed by Ernest Shackleton entices you on the adventure of a lifetime to the South Pole, but you only have £2 16s 2½d (£2.81 in today’s money) to purchase food and equipment for the long hazardous journey.
Men Wanted – for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful, honour and recognition in case of success.
Keeping within their meagre budgets, the boys, working in groups, had to decide which would be the best provisions to purchase and how much of each would be needed to get them to the Antarctic. But what to choose? A snow car or a sledge, beef jerky or peanut butter, skis or ice skates?
After making their selections, the boys soon discovered how well they had considered the extreme conditions they would face and the length of their journey, with points awarded for good decisions but points deducted for poor choices.
It’s been over a year, and you’re still on the ice. . . if you haven’t brought canned food for eighteen months, minus 30 points. However, you brought 3x canned food, you planned well, plus 20 points.
Your diary is a real source of comfort as you relay your feelings. However, if you brought pen and ink, the ink froze, meaning you must heat it each time you want to write. If you brought a set of pencils, plus 10 points.
While some teams had to turn back (negative points), as they had not considered the conditions carefully or rations needed correctly, several teams did make it to the South Pole and returned to London as famous explorers!
The challenge certainly made for a highly competitive, informative and fun series of lessons.
A few of our intrepid explorers, braving the cold conditions!
