Teaching notes
The HM Bark Endeavour virtual excursion is produced by the Curriculum & Learning Innovation Centre
(DET NSW) in partnership with the Australian National Maritime Museum.
This resource provides an overview of the HM Bark Endeavour—a replica of the ship commanded by
Lieutenant James Cook in his first voyage of discovery. Teachers may find it useful for students studying
European exploration and colonisation in Australia.
Nine areas of the ship are represented in this resource. Each area, known as a station, contains a photographic
panorama, a gallery of images and a learning activity. Students are guided through each station by
Midshipman Jonathan Munkhouse who narrates interesting facts about the ship and the crew on board the
Endeavour. A glossary of common nautical terms and sayings also accompanies the resource.
The galleries and related learning activities provide opportunities for students to learn about:
•
•
•
•
the first voyage of discovery by explorer and navigator James Cook
some of the purposes for undertaking this voyage
the day-to-day life of the officers and crew on board the Endeavour
historical language used by eighteenth century sailors.
Galleries
Each gallery contains a set of photographic images with an audio narration by Midshipman Jonathan
Munkhouse. The gallery provides several controls for students to use.
HM BARK ENDEAVOUR TEACHING NOTES | 1
© NSW DET 2009
Access controls
•
•
•
Click on Text version to view full size images with captions and audio transcripts on one page.
Click on Print to print current displayed image
Click on Close to close Internet browser window.
Display controls
•
•
•
Click on the About button to read instructions.
Click on the A- or A+ to decrease or increase size of text.
Click on Window button for full screen view of gallery.
Audio controls
•
•
•
Click on Play button to hear the narration.
Click on Text button to view or print the transcript of the narration.
Click on the Sound button to raise or lower the volume.
Navigation controls
•
•
Click on the Next button to view the next image.
Click on the Back button to view the previous image.
Learning activities
The activities in this resource are intended to promote engagement with and reinforcement of the factual
content presented in the virtual tour. Instructions for each activity can be found by clicking on the About
button . A description of each activity with its solution is included below.
Activity 1: Parts of the ship
Matching activity: Students match parts of ship to descriptions by drawing a line between them. These are the
correct matches.
•
•
•
•
•
•
bilge - The lowest part of the hull.
bowsprit - A large spar that projects forward from the forward end of a sailing ship.
capstan - A rotating drum for hoisting anchors, sails and other heavy weights.
mast - A long wooden pole or post that supports spars and sails.
rudder - A device attached to the stern of a ship and used to steer it.
windlass - A machine designed to raise or lower an anchor.
Activity 2: Life at sea
Classification activity: students categorise daily food rations by dragging and dropping text answers into a
text table according to whether they prevent scurvy or not.
Food that prevents scurvy:
•
•
•
•
•
Fresh goat's milk
Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage)
Orange marmalade
A rat
Potatoes
Food that will not prevent scurvy:
•
Salted pork
2
© NSW DET 2009
•
Hard tack biscuits
Activity 3: Units of measurement
Matching activity: students match units of measurement used in eighteenth century to descriptions and their
metric equivalent. These are the correct matches.
•
•
•
•
•
•
inch - A unit of length about 2.4cm
knot - A unit of speed equal to 1.852 km per hour
gill - A unit of volume for measuring liquids about 118mL
Bushel - A unit of volume for measuring dry goods such as grain
Chain - A unit of length about 20m
ounce - A unit of mass for measuring gun powder about 30gm.
Activity 4: Crime and Punishment
Classification activity: students categorise disciplinary offences by dragging and dropping text answers into a
text table by those that receive 12 or 24 strokes of the cat-o'-nine-tails. The correct answers are.
12 strokes of the cat-o'-nine-tails was given for:
•
•
•
•
Disobeying an order
Talking back to an officer
Stealing
Being drunk
24 strokes of the cat-o'-nine-tails was given for:
•
•
Desertion - running away from ship
Hitting an officer
Activity 5: Nautical sayings
Matching activity: students match nautical sayings to the correct meaning. The correct matches are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A shot across the bows - To give someone a warning.
All at sea - To be confused by a situation.
Let the cat out of the bag - To unintentionally tell a secret.
Close quarters - To be in close physical contact with someone.
Get underway - To begin a journey or a project.
Hand over fist - To work quickly and continuously.
In the same boat - To share the same bad situation.
Know the ropes - To understand how to do something properly.
Shiver my timbers - An exclamation of annoyance or surprise.
Activity 6: Animals on board
Multiple choice activity: students answer two questions about animals on board the Endeavour.
Question 1: Which of these farm animals was not on board the Endeavour when it sailed?
Choices:
•
•
•
•
•
Ducks
Goats
Sheep
Chickens
Pigs
HM BARK ENDEAVOUR TEACHING NOTES | 3
© NSW DET 2009
Correct answer:
•
Ducks
Question 2: Which of these animals on board the Endeavour were used for food? You can select more than
one answer.
Choices:
•
•
•
•
A cat
Dogs
Rats
Pigs
Correct answers:
•
•
A cat
Dogs
Activity 7: Officers and gentlemen
Multiple choice activity (Who am I): students match name of officer or gentleman to a description of his
work.
Question 1: Who is the commanding officer on the Endeavour?
Choices:
•
•
•
•
1st Lieutenant James Cook
3rd Lieutenant John Gore
Master of the ship Robert Molyneaux
Boatswain John Gathray
Correct answer:
•
1st Lieutenant James Cook
Question 2: Which of these gentlemen is an astronomer?
Choices:
•
•
•
•
Daniel Solander
Sydney Parkinson
Charles Green
Joseph Banks
Correct answer:
•
Charles Green
Question 3: What is the name of the officer in charge of the marines
Choices:
•
•
•
•
Thomas Rossiter
John Edgecombe
Stephen Forwood
William Monkhouse
4
© NSW DET 2009
Correct answer:
•
John Edgecombe
Activity 8: Scientific discovery
Cloze activity: students complete short close passage using a passage from Cook’s journal on his first
sighting of a ‘kanguroo’
"The head, neck, and shoulders, are very small in proportion to the other parts of the body; the tail is nearly
as long as the body … the fore-legs are kept bent close to the breast, and seemed to be of use only for
digging: the skin is covered with a short fur, of a dark mouse or grey colour excepting the head and ears,
which bear a sight resemblance to those of a hare. This animal is called by the natives ..."
Extract from An Account of the Voyages in the Southern Hemisphere ... by Captain Cook. London: Printed
for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1773. http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/hv23/title.html
Correct order:
•
•
•
•
•
Neck
Tail
Fore-legs
Fur
ears
The animal Lieutenant Cook is describing he called a 'kanguroo". Nowadays it's called a kangaroo.
Activity 9: Learning to navigate
Matching activity: students match images of navigational devices to descriptions by drawing a line between
them. These are the correct matches.
A chronometer is an extremely accurate
clock used to determine the longitude of
the ship - how far East or West it is.
A sextant is an instrument for measuring
the position of the sun or a star from the
horizon to determine latitude of the ship how far north or south it is.
A lead line is used to find the depth of
water under the ship.
A telescope or spyglass allows the
viewing of distant objects was used to
identify landforms, reefs and other ships.
A log line and reel, and sandglass are
used to find the ship’s speed in knots - a
knot is 1.852 km per hour.
HM BARK ENDEAVOUR TEACHING NOTES | 5
© NSW DET 2009
Other resources
Here are some useful links to resources and web site that support this topic area..
Sites2See: HM Bark Endeavour
The Endeavour replica at the Australian Maritime Museum
HMB Endeavour circumnavigation of Australia
Endeavour: the voyage
6
© NSW DET 2009