The Search for Amelia Earhart

In the news: The story

Read a 113-word news story: A Pacific Island Holds a Clue—or a Mystery

A research expedition has reached remote Nikumaroro Island in the Pacific. The team will inspect an object in a lagoon that some people think may be wreckage from Amelia Earhart’s plane, which disappeared in 1937. The researchers hope to find evidence that can help identify the object. Rough weather and sea conditions may limit their time on shore, and the team will sleep on their ship because large coconut crabs are active at night. Some people have a theory that the object is part of Earhart’s plane, while others think it may be a natural feature. The search is still under way, so the team has not yet confirmed what the object is.

Vocabulary: Words in the news

6 items

Discussion: Exploring the island

2 discussion questions

• If you joined an expedition like this, what part of the work would interest you most?
• How would you decide what to investigate first when an object could have several explanations?

Discussion: Taking on a challenge

2 discussion questions

• Have you ever travelled somewhere remote or difficult to reach? What was the experience like?
• What would help you feel safe and prepared while working in a place with difficult conditions?

Discussion: Mysteries and discovery

2 discussion questions

• Why do you think people stay interested in historical mysteries for so long?
• When is it better to keep searching for an answer, and when should people accept that it may remain unknown?