Twists and turns, mystery and mayhem together with fascinating details about 18th Century London. I found this a hugely exciting read.’ -Mary Hooper To get everyone excited about the book club, you could share the video below of author Catherine Johnson reading an extract from the book. Use this lesson to show children a more modern explorer compared to Ibn Battuta. It is also a great lesson to show children the impact of racism - Matthew Henson only received recognition for his achievement in his later years and after his death because of it. This is followed by a section called Rapid Retrieval which is a selection of retrieval questions based on the day’s reading. Both original and informative . . . the wealth of detail never slows what is a tightly woven plot’ Historical Novel Society

race inequality Race to the Frozen Storykit - injustice, race inequality Race to the Frozen

The person leading the activity should remind everyone that Matthew Henson was the first person to reach the North Pole. Explorers like him need an array of skills to help them achieve their goals. I would definitely recommend this book to other people because it has a nice storyline that tells a true story from someone who started as a nobody and ending up being honoured for everything they have done and managing to reach the North Pole, all because they were determined. In addition, it teaches you about the past and what the high North is like (the way of living there and conditions). But it is mainly about fighting for what you want to and achieve. Although as a history based book, I didn’t find much history based topics within the book. I’m not sure if I’d recommend it although other students that have read the book have different opinions.You can also set a reading activity for your class as part of a lesson covering the topic of Matthew Henson. The book Race to the Frozen North by Catherine Johnson is a great choice, as this book explains the story of the 1909 Arctic expedition. Which level reading comprehension should my child be working on? It’s up to you whether you type them into the chat, share your screen, or hold a list up to your camera.

Race to the Frozen North by Catherine Johnson - Barrington Stoke

Each version of this Matthew Henson Reading Comprehension Activity has a reading sheet and a question sheet, and each version of this resource is differentiated based on difficulty. There are three versions of this resource, and you can determine the difficulty rating of each using the number of stars in the bottom-left corner. One star indicates the simplest version of this resource, and three stars indicates the most complex version of the resource. What is Matthew Henson best known for? This Matthew Henson Reading Comprehension Activity contains a range of printable worksheets which you can use as part of your lesson plan covering the topic of arctic explorers. There are three versions of this reading comprehension activity included in the resource, so you can choose which of these resources best suits the needs of your class.

Young Quills reviews

Catherine Johnson is a British author and screenwriter. She has written several young adult novels and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2004 drama film Bullet Boy. The thing that stood out for me the most from the book was the fact that Matthew got no recognition for reaching the North Pole first until fifty years after doing so. Reading the book, I felt sorry for Matthew and wished he had been praised sooner after making such a huge achievement. I would definitely recommend the book to a friend because it has a great factual plot told with an excellent perspective that shows the innermost thoughts of Matthew through his entire life and of the harsh treatment he endured before becoming the first man to reach the North Pole.

Race to the Frozen North by Catherine Johnson, Katie Hickey

Overall, it is an enjoyable read, though I was a bit disappointed by the omission of Josephine Diebitsch Peary, Peary’s wife, who accompanied Matthew and Peary on their journeys to the north and was considered the First Lady of the Artic. Though the book centres around Matthew, many crew members are mentioned by name, and some play minor roles in the story - thus is seems negligent to completely omit her from the story considering she was with them throughout and even gave birth less than thirteen degrees from the North Pole! Matthew began as an orphan after both his parents had died, he had never known his mum and had liked to imagine that she was as adventurous as he was. After his step-mum had beaten him for tiny and not important things, Matt ran away to Washington DC. He travelled the world at the young age of 11 and returned to land when he was 14. Not able to find a job, Matt resigned to the streets after vowing to never return to his home again. and some handy recs and my top list of Historical PoC here at the Bibliomanic here and here at The Reading Fangirl Decide how you’ll show everyone the list of questions for Roll and recap and get the list ready – we’ve suggested some example questions, but you could add your own.Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments Penniless and shoeless, 11-year-old Matt leaves home and walks to Washington DC in search of a new life. Taken in by the kindly Janey, he helps in her café. But, entranced by a customer’s tales of adventure on the high seas, Matt starts to dream of sailing the world. As he sets off to find work on a ship, little does he know of the deep challenges he’ll face and the incredible things he’ll achieve.

Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story | Book Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story | Book

Matthew Henson was simply an ordinary man. That was, until Commander Robert E. Peary entered his life, and offered him a chance at true adventure. Henson would become navigator, craftsman, translator, and right-hand man on a treacherous journey to the North Pole. Defying the odds and the many prejudices that faced him to become a true pioneer. This is his incredible and often untold story. Matthew is a true and honest character who is an absolute delight to read from start to finish. It is based loosely on the historical tale of the real Matthew Henson - the first man to reach the North Pole - but whose story was kept suppressed because of the colour of his skin. This story opens a positive dialogue with young people about racism, prejudice and discrimination. There are plenty of opportunities to discuss how Matthew is treated by others around him and also the context of the time period. Personally, I was found myself really routing for Matthew throughout the story; I wanted him to be succeed. The narrative is delightfully engaging and educational; a historical tale I wasn't familiar with, so found fascinating to read.

This book teaches you quite a lot about the history of the end of the 18th century to the mid-19th century in America. For example: Most white people were very discriminative towards dark-skinned people and didn’t treat or pay them well. I also learnt how important culture was for most people and being part of some sort of family: like when Matthew met Ikwah and they realised that their skin colour was the same shade and felt part of some sort of family. The winners of The Farshore Reading for Pleasure Teacher Awards 2023, highlighting the work schools are doing to encourage a love of reading, have... Last days of school… that final exam… the awkward visit to say goodbye to some of the teachers. Where will it all lead? Iestyn can’t be sure. Plotting a definite course is not the thing. For him, there’s more life in charging around the forestry in his mate’s car. Until the crash, that is. Until his mate takes up with Martine. Until Iestyn himself has his new job to worry about – and until, more unexpectedly, someone moves in on his feelings with such force that his world is turned upside down.