Additional Activities and Resources - Episode 1. Shipping

In 4000BC, boat builders in ancient Egypt used reeds to build what were probably the first sailing boats. The Egyptian reed boats had a mast and sails and were used on the river Nile. Throughout the world, sailing evolved differently but all for the purpose of exploration, conquest and trade.

Did you know? A Bermuda rig, also called a Marconi rig, is a fore-and-aft rig that uses a triangular mainsail. The sail is usually attached to a boom at its foot. The Bermuda rig was developed in 17th century Bermuda. It allowed for easier maneuvering of boats around the tricky reefs. This style has been adopted worldwide. The Bermuda Sloop design came not long after the development of this faster style rig. Today’s Spirit of Bermuda is modeled after a sloop from the early 19th century used in the Royal Navy. (Photo: The 1832 painting of the Royal Navy Bermuda sloop, by John Lynn. This is a great example of the Bermuda rig).

Activity - Build a boat fleet Gather some household materials or go outside and collect sticks and leaves to create your sailing fleet. See how many different boats you can make! Be sure to give your ships a name and share your creations with us on our Padlet account (scan QR code below).

Call to Action - Eco-Schools Transport pathway The biggest difference we see in these original sailboats and our boats today is the use of petrol. Sailboats were powered by wind, a renewable energy that did not pollute the environment. Petrol is non-renewable (it will run out), plus it pollutes our breathing air and can be deadly if leaked into the environment. So if you do not have a sailboat to get to school each day, what are some sustainable alternatives to using petrol? Walk or take your push bike, carpool with your friends or take the bus, and you can even look into swapping your motorcar/bike to an electric vehicle.

Challenge - Build a Ship in a Jar You will need: 1 jar (spaghetti sauce size), clay, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, white or colored paper, hot glue or regular glue. Build a ship out of the materials suggested or add your own materials! Make sure your ship fits into the opening of the jar! You can use clay to create the ocean scene or parts of your ship. You may want to add masts, sails and passengers. Remember there is no wrong way to make a ship so great creative! Share your creations on our Padlet account (scan QR code).