Have a look at what we have been learning about in our latest experience-Cold Feet. 

Our outcome is to produce a Year 6 anthology on polar explorers that we will have in local libraries. 

So far we have:

• Learnt about the similarities and differences between the Arctic and Antarctica and their geographical features. 
• Learnt about the race to the South Pole and also the race to the North Pole-and the disagreements about who was first at the North Pole. 
• Carried out research from a range of sources and written as different polar explorers.
• Learnt about inference, internal monologue, facts and opinions and used it in our writing. 
• Looked at: Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Robert Peary and Fredrick Cook
• On Thursday 4th November, we had a fascinating Zoom talk with a polar explorer from the Polar Research Institute. 

Look at some of our AMAZING work below. 

Week beginning Monday 15th November

This week we have learnt about Edmund Hillary and how he became the first man to reach the South Pole in a motorised vehicle-he wasn't even supposed to be there! 

Have a look at the guided groups' writing from the perspective of Edmund Hillary below-we focused on using internal monologue. 

Dear World,

                     My name is Edmund Hillary and as you probably know I am the most despised man in Britain. Here’s my full story as to why.

Now let me begin. My team and I were offered an opportunity to support the British explorer Dr. Vivian Fuchs, to drop off food and supplies along the Antarctic and I whole-heartedly agreed to do so.

In twenty-four hours, my team and I had achieved a world record for being the first team to travel fifty-two miles in a motorised tractor in the Antarctic. And I think it is fair that we were travelling by tractor not by foot. At this rate, I would finish in no time.

By the second day, it was never part of our original plan, however we had to dig out the snow with shovels so our tractors could mobilise once more. With a brutal temperature of below minus 35 degrees Celsius, you really wouldn’t have wanted to have been in our position, surviving in the howling wind. Sighing deeply, one of the tractors had fallen in a small crevasse, which meant we lost a whole valuable day. If we didn’t have the three tractors we wouldn’t have been able to get out this sticky situation. At least we now know that we need all three.  Sadly, we had to dispose of six tons of petrol because it was too heavy and taking up too much space and now I am worried if we have enough fuel. At this moment my thoughts swirled in my head, are we going to run out of fuel…I don’t think so…no, no, no we can’t. This wasn’t looking good for my team and me.

Only being 800km from the based camp, we pushed on until I heard the bad news of Fuchs still being a month away. I should go…actual no I shouldn’t…but it’s only a once in a lifetime opportunity. This was the easiest decision of my life. That’s it, I’m going to the South Pole and it’s final.

Yours sincerely,

                           Edmund Hillary