Book Study: A Night to Remember: A Maritime Memorial

After finishing Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember, give students a chance to learn about the R.M.S. Titanic Maritime Memorial Act of 1986 and its aim to strike a balance between preserving historical artifacts and allowing exploration to increase our understanding of the past. Since 1912, people have been fascinated by the sinking of the Titanic. Until 1985, the whereabouts of the ship’s wreckage were unknown. Since the site of the Titanic’s remains were found, countless dive teams and private companies have attempted to visit.

In this extension activity, readers will consider the question: Should tourists be allowed to visit the wreck site of the Titanic? Students will need to reflect on the ethics of exploring a maritime memorial, a gravesite for all those who lost their lives when the Titanic sank. After considering both sides of the argument and recording their notes in the graphic organizer, learners will draft their final stance and argument on a separate sheet of paper.

Geared toward seventh- and eighth-grade learners, this one-page extension activity is part of a larger book study unit on A Night to Remember. Be sure to also check out our standards-based rubrics for argument writing to help you assess your learners’ writing: Argument Writing Rubric for 7th Grade and Argument Writing Rubric for 8th Grade.