Art by Allan Davey

Attack at Sea

The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 shocked and horrified the world. This is the incredible true story of a 12-year-old girl who was there.

By Kristin Lewis

From the October 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: to analyze the author’s use of descriptive language

Lexiles: 950L, 760L

Featured Skill: Author's Craft,

Other Key Skills: mood, figurative language, critical thinking

Listen to this story read aloud.

AS YOU READ

How does the author help you understand what life was like aboard the Lusitania?

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Elsie Hook

The morning of May 1, 1915, dawned warm and drizzly in New York City. Twelve-year-old Elsie Hook, her 11-year-old brother, Frank, and her father, George, were about to board one of the most spectacular ships in the world.

Elsie was filled with excitement as she hurried up the gangway. The pier around her vibrated with activity. Crew members were barking orders. Motorcars and buggies were depositing passengers and their mountains of luggage. A band was playing. And throngs of reporters and curious onlookers were scrambling to catch a glimpse of the RMS Lusitania—a ship so magnificent it was called a “floating palace.”

Elsie must have gazed in wonder at the Lusitania’s four towering steel funnels, which gleamed in the rays of sunshine that briefly pierced the gray clouds. She must have marveled at the ship’s shiny black hull, which stretched the length of more than two football fields. She must have felt glamorous to be traveling to England on a ship as grand as a fancy New York hotel.

But as the Lusitania steamed out of New York Harbor, there was something Elsie could not have known: Thousands of miles away, another boat had also headed out to sea. It was a German war submarine, or U-boat.

And in just six days, that U-boat would tear the Lusitania apart.

On the morning of May 1, 1915, New York City was warm and drizzly. Twelve-year-old Elsie Hook was with her 11-year-old brother, Frank, and her father, George. They were about to board one of the most spectacular ships in the world.

Elsie hurried up the gangway with excitement. The pier vibrated with activity. Crew members barked orders. Motorcars and buggies dropped off passengers and their luggage. A band played. And throngs of reporters and onlookers tried to catch a glimpse of the RMS Lusitania—a ship so magnificent it was called a “floating palace.”

Elsie probably gazed in wonder at the ship’s four towering steel funnels. She likely marveled at the ship’s shiny black hull. It stretched the length of more than two football fields. She must have felt glamorous to be traveling to England on a ship as grand as a fancy hotel.

But as the Lusitania left the harbor, there was something Elsie could not have known: Thousands of miles away, another boat had also headed out to sea. It was a German war submarine, or U-boat.

And in just six days, that U-boat would tear the Lusitania apart.

A Rapidly Changing World

©Look and Learn/Bridgeman Images

POWER AND LUXURY

The Lusitania was one of the largest, fastest, and most luxurious passenger ships of its day. The wealthiest passengers bought first-class tickets. They enjoyed handsome cabins and dined in a grand hall, where they feasted on roast duck, broiled sea bass, apple tarts, and chocolate cakes. Others traveled more simply.

Elsie and her family were about to start a new life. Elsie’s mother had passed away 18 months earlier, and her father had decided to move the family back to his native country, England. But Elsie’s life wasn’t the only thing that had recently changed. Over the last few decades, the whole world had been transformed.

Cities and towns alike were suddenly filled with shiny new automobiles, bright electric lights, and ingenious machines like the telegraph, which sent messages around the globe in minutes. Advances in science and technology had made life safer, more exciting, and more connected than ever before.

Perhaps nothing symbolized the power of human ingenuity more than ocean liners like the Lusitania. A journey across the Atlantic Ocean had once taken months. But with its steam-powered engines, the Lusitania could cross the ocean in mere days.

At the start of the 20th century, it seemed as if humans could do anything—yet by the time the Lusitania set sail in 1915, that optimism was starting to slip away.

Elsie and her family were about to start a new life. Elsie’s mother had passed away 18 months earlier. Her father was moving the family back to his native country, England. But Elsie’s life wasn’t the only thing that had recently changed. Over the last few decades, the whole world had been transformed.

Cities and towns were suddenly filled with automobiles, electric lights, and ingenious machines like the telegraph. It sent messages around the globe in minutes. Advances in science and technology had made life safer, more exciting, and more connected than ever before.

Perhaps nothing symbolized the power of human ingenuity more than ocean liners like the Lusitania. A journey across the Atlantic Ocean used to take months. But with its steam-powered engines, the Lusitania could cross the ocean in just days.

At the start of the 20th century, it seemed as if humans could do anything. Yet by the time the Lusitania set sail in 1915, that optimism was slipping away.

The Horrors of War

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

The warning issued by the German embassy

Less than a year earlier, tensions in Europe had exploded into war. Great Britain, Russia, and France (the Allied Powers) were fighting Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Austria-Hungary (the Central Powers) in World War I.

In the U.S., most people didn’t want to get involved in Europe’s problems. So for the most part, life went on as usual. Still, Elsie no doubt heard stories about what was happening across the Atlantic, where new weapons were unleashing death and destruction on a scale the world had never before seen. Elsie may have heard stories of soldiers huddled in miserable, mud-filled trenches, of once-beautiful countryside scarred by fire and barbed wire, of thousands killed by poison gases and rapid-fire machine guns.

Yet the horrors of war likely seemed distant as the Lusitania sailed through the open sea, the cold waters of the Atlantic splashing across its bow. Soon, however, everyone on board would experience the horrors of the war in Europe firsthand.

The week before the Lusitania left New York, the German embassy in Washington, D.C., had issued a warning to Americans that any ships sailing near England were in danger of being attacked.

And England is exactly where the Lusitania was headed.

Less than a year earlier, tensions in Europe had exploded into World War I. Great Britain, Russia, and France were the Allied Powers. They were fighting the Central Powers—Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Austria-Hungary.

In the U.S., most people didn’t want to get involved in Europe’s problems. And life mostly went on as usual. But Elsie had probably heard stories about what was happening across the Atlantic. New weapons were unleashing death and destruction on a scale the world had never before seen. Soldiers huddled in miserable, mud-filled trenches. Countryside was scarred by fire and barbed wire. Thousands were killed by poison gases and machine guns.

Yet the war probably seemed far away as the Lusitania sailed across the open sea. Soon, however, everyone on board would experience the war firsthand.

The week before the Lusitania left New York, the German embassy in Washington, D.C., had issued a warning to Americans. It said that ships sailing near England were in danger of being attacked.

And England is exactly where the Lusitania was headed.

The Unsinkable Ship

The first two days at sea were cold and dreary. Elsie and Frank explored the Lusitania’s long corridors and open decks. They mingled with other passengers in the dining room, where they sat at enormous tables piled high with fried fish, pies, and puddings. Elsie was excited that even as a third-class passenger, she was allowed to explore the first-class part of the ship, which contained luxuries beyond her wildest dreams. In first class, wealthy passengers stayed in spacious cabins and ate in an opulent dining hall, where they feasted on caviar and oysters.

Yet the many wonders of the ship could not protect the Lusitania as it drew closer to its destination. It was well known that German U-boats prowled the waters near Great Britain, lurking unseen beneath the waves. They had been torpedoing British supply ships there for months.

If any of the Lusitania’s passengers expressed concern, however, crew members were quick to calm their jitters. The Lusitania would not be sunk, they said. It was too fast. Nothing could catch it. Even the ship’s captain, William Turner—who had received notices about U-boat sightings from the British Navy—seemed unconcerned.

The idea of the Lusitania being in any danger was “the best joke I’ve heard in many days,” he had told reporters back in New York.

It was easy to trust him. He was a highly experienced captain, having crossed the Atlantic safely dozens of times.

The first two days at sea were cold and dreary. Elsie and Frank explored the Lusitania’s long corridors and open decks. They mingled with other passengers in the dining room. Enormous tables were piled high with fried fish, pies, and puddings. Elsie was a third-class passenger. But she could explore the first-class part of the ship. It contained luxuries beyond her wildest dreams. In first class, wealthy passengers stayed in spacious cabins. They ate in an opulent dining hall. They feasted on caviar and oysters.

Yet the wonders of the ship could not protect the Lusitania as it drew closer to its destination. It was known that German U-boats prowled the waters near Great Britain, lurking unseen beneath the waves. They had been torpedoing British supply ships there for months.

If any of the Lusitania’s passengers expressed concern, however, crew members were quick to calm them. They said the Lusitania was too fast to be sunk. Nothing could catch it. The ship’s captain, William Turner, had received notices about U-boat sightings from the British Navy. But even he seemed unconcerned.

The idea of the Lusitania being in any danger was “the best joke I’ve heard in many days,” he had told reporters back in New York.

It was easy to trust him. He was an experienced captain. He had crossed the Atlantic safely dozens of times.

On the Hunt

The captain of the German submarine U-20 was a bright and well-respected man named Walther Schwieger. Like the Lusitania, his U-boat was a technological marvel. Silent and stealthy, it could creep up on any ship and sink it with a single torpedo. (By the end of World War I, U-boats would sink more than 5,000 ships.) But unlike the glorious Lusitania, the U-20 was hot and cramped. It reeked of sweat, chemical fumes, and human waste.

On the afternoon of May 7, Schwieger and his crew were on the hunt. They had sunk two British ships the day before, and now they were after a new prize. Schwieger peered through his binoculars; in the distance, he could just make out the four funnels of the Lusitania.

He commanded his submarine to dive beneath the waves and move into position to attack. When the U-boat was less than half a mile from the Lusitania, Schwieger ordered his crew to launch a torpedo.

The captain of the German submarine U-20 was Walther Schwieger. He was bright and well-respected. Like the Lusitania, his U-boat was a technological marvel. It could silently creep up on any ship and sink it with a single torpedo. (By the end of World War I, U-boats had sunk more than 5,000 ships.) But unlike the Lusitania, the U-20 was hot and cramped. It reeked of sweat, chemical fumes, and human waste.

On the afternoon of May 7, Schwieger and his crew were on the hunt. They had sunk two British ships the day before. Now they were after a new prize. Schwieger peered through his binoculars. In the distance, he saw the Lusitania.

He commanded his submarine to dive beneath the waves and move into position to attack. Soon, the U-boat was less than half a mile from the Lusitania. Schwieger ordered his crew to launch a torpedo.

A Nightmare

The torpedo slithered through the water like a snake. When it struck the Lusitania, the torpedo exploded, launching a fountain of water and debris high into the air. A second explosion followed, sending a mighty shudder through the ship. (The cause of the second explosion is debated—one theory is that a boiler exploded.) Glass shattered. Fire broke out. Passengers screamed in terror.

There was little doubt about what had happened: The Lusitania had been attacked.

Immediately, Captain Turner ordered the ship to stop, but the controls were no longer working and the ship plowed forward, taking on more and more water.

Meanwhile, on the deck, Elsie, Frank, and their father fought panic as the ship started to list, or tilt, sharply. All around them, men, women, and children were slipping, some becoming tangled in the ship’s ropes.

Both crew members and passengers tried to hoist the 10-ton lifeboats into the water. But as the ship listed, the boats swung wildly on the ropes being used to lower them, crushing some people and trapping others.

Elsie’s father quickly decided that they’d be better off in the water. So the three of them clutched the railing, waiting for the right moment to jump into the cold sea. If they leapt too soon, they could be hurt or killed in the fall. If they waited too long, they could be sucked down with the ship.

They said a prayer.

Elsie turned to two frantic women beside her and said simply, “Don’t worry, God will save you.”

And then, when the waves began to swirl around their feet, they leaped.

Elsie and her father surfaced.

But Frank?

He was just . . . gone.

When it struck the Lusitania, the torpedo exploded. It sent water and debris high into the air. A second explosion followed. It sent a mighty shudder through the ship. (The cause of the second explosion is debated. One theory is that a boiler exploded.) Glass shattered. Fire broke out. Passengers screamed in terror.

There was no doubt: The Lusitania had been attacked.

Captain Turner ordered the ship to stop. But the controls no longer worked. The ship plowed forward, taking on more and more water.

The ship started to list, or tilt, sharply. On deck, Elsie, Frank, and their father fought panic. All around them, men, women, and children were slipping, some becoming tangled in the ship’s ropes.

Both crew members and passengers tried to hoist the 10-ton lifeboats into the water. But as the ship listed, the boats swung wildly on the ropes being used to lower them. They crushed some people and trapped others.

Elsie’s father decided they’d be better off in the water. The three of them clutched the railing, waiting for the right moment to jump. If they leaped too soon, they could be hurt or killed in the fall. If they waited too long, they could be sucked down with the ship.

They said a prayer.

Elsie turned to two frantic women beside her and said, “Don’t worry, God will save you.”

And then, they leaped.

Elsie and her father surfaced.

But Frank?

He was just . . . gone.

An Agonizing Search

It took 18 minutes for the Lusitania to sink. For those who made it off the ship, the ordeal was just beginning.

Only six of the Lusitania’s 48 lifeboats had been successfully launched. Hundreds of survivors bobbed in the bone-chilling 55-degree water. They were less than 12 miles from the coast of Ireland—maddeningly, close enough to see the shoreline, but too far to swim. Many would die of hypothermia, a condition in which the body’s temperature drops too low.

As for Elsie and her father, they were eventually pulled into one of the six lifeboats. They shouted Frank’s name again and again, their voices joining the cries of hundreds of others.

No reply ever came.

At last, after three miserable hours, the first rescue boats arrived. Still there was no sign of Frank.

Soon bodies of people who had died began washing ashore. Each was covered with a blanket and taken to a morgue. Elsie and her father searched for Frank among the dead.

Finally, on the third day of searching, they heard about a boy at a nearby hospital. Could it be Frank?

They raced to find out—and sure enough, there he was, lying in a hospital bed.

“Gee, Dad, it took you long enough to get here!” Frank said.

The young boy’s leg had been broken when a lifeboat fell on top of him, but he would go on to make a full recovery.

It took 18 minutes for the Lusitania to sink. For those who made it off the ship, the ordeal was just beginning.

Only six of the Lusitania’s 48 lifeboats had been successfully launched. Hundreds of survivors bobbed in the bone-chilling 55-degree water. They were less than 12 miles from the coast of Ireland—close enough to see the shoreline, but too far to swim. Many died of hypothermia, a condition in which the body’s temperature drops too low.

Elsie and her father were pulled into one of the six lifeboats. They shouted Frank’s name again and again. Their voices joined the cries of hundreds of others.

No reply ever came.

After three miserable hours, the first rescue boats arrived. Still there was no sign of Frank.

Soon bodies of people who had died began washing ashore. Each was taken to a morgue. Elsie and her father searched for Frank among the dead.

On the third day of searching, they heard about a boy at a nearby hospital. Could it be Frank?

They raced to find out—and there he was, lying in a hospital bed.

“Gee, Dad, it took you long enough to get here!” Frank said.

The young boy’s leg had been broken when a lifeboat fell on top of him. But he would go on to make a full recovery.

The Legacy

News of the Lusitania’s sinking shook the world. Britain was outraged. Of the 1,959 passengers and crew, only 764 survived. Yet Germany defended the attack. The Lusitania had been carrying many tons of munitions for Allied armies.

Many historians would later say the disaster was a turning point. It helped change public opinion in the United States about the war; 128 Americans had gone down with the ship, and anger against Germany grew.

In 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. Over the next year, America would send 2 million troops to Europe to help the Allies. Germany finally surrendered in 1918.

After the war, Elsie, Frank, and their father moved to Australia. Both Elsie and her brother lived well into their 90s. Captain Turner also survived the Lusitania; he went on to captain another ocean liner. It too was torpedoed and sunk. Turner survived yet again and lived to the age of 76. Schwieger, the captain of the German submarine, was killed in 1917 when his U-boat hit an underwater mine. At the time of his death, he had sunk 49 ships.

As for the Lusitania?

Its remains lie at the bottom of the sea. Over the years, divers have tried to explore the wreck, but it’s dangerous work. And so the Lusitania rests in uneasy peace, in the dark and the cold, the mangled hulk of a magnificent ship that belongs to another world and another time.

Later, many historians said the disaster was a turning point. It helped change public opinion in the United States about the war because 128 Americans had gone down with the ship. Anger against Germany grew.

In 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. Over the next year, America sent 2 million troops to Europe to help the Allies. Germany finally surrendered in 1918.

After the war, Elsie, Frank, and their father moved to Australia. Both Elsie and her brother lived into their 90s. Captain Turner also survived the Lusitania. He went on to captain another ocean liner. It too was torpedoed and sunk. Turner survived yet again and lived to the age of 76. Schwieger, the captain of the German submarine, was killed in 1917 when his U-boat hit an underwater mine. At the time of his death, he had sunk 49 ships.

As for the Lusitania?

Its remains lie at the bottom of the sea. Over the years, divers have tried to explore the wreck. But it’s dangerous work. So the Lusitania rests in uneasy peace, in the dark and the cold, the mangled hulk of a magnificent ship that belongs to another world and another time.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Writing Contest

Choose one element of the article to focus on: the Lusitania, the early 20th century, the German U-boat, or the torpedo. Compile a list of descriptive words, phrases, or lines the author uses for your chosen element. Then write a poem or create a visual art piece reflecting this powerful imagery and emotion. Entries must be submitted to Lusitania contest by a teacher, parent, or legal guardian.* Three winners will each get a copy of Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld.

^{*Entries must be written by a student in grades 4-12 and submitted by their teacher, parent, or legal guardian, who will be the entrant and must be a legal resident of the U.S. age 18 or older. See Contest Page for details.}

Writing Contest

^{This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue.}

video (1)

Audio ()

Activities (12)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

video (1)

Audio ()

Activities (12)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

Essential Questions: What can be learned from past disasters? What are the costs of war? How does living through a disaster affect people?

1. Prepare to Read

(10 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: hoist, ingenious, munitions, optimism, opulent, torpedoing. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

Watch the Behind the Scenes video, in which author Kristin Lewis offers insights into the writing process. Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in small groups or pairs.

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 6 or at the top of the digital story page.

Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version or the Spanish version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the audio read-aloud while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Discussion Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 6 or at the top of the digital story page.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Discussion Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

1. Read the introduction of the article. How do the last two paragraphs differ from the first three? (mood) The first three paragraphs describe a lively scene in New York City just before the Lusitania’s launch, as well as the ship’s beauty and power. These paragraphs create a joyful and exciting mood. That mood shifts in the last two paragraphs, when Kristin Lewis writes that “there was something Elsie could not have known,” that a German war submarine would, in just six days, “tear the Lusitania apart.” By letting the reader know that tragedy will strike later in the story, Lewis creates a mood of doom and suspense.

2. When Lewis writes that the German U-boat U-20 “could creep up on any ship,” she is personifying the U-boat. That is, she is assigning it a human characteristic. Where else in the article does Lewis personify U-boats? What effect does this use of personification create? (figurative language) In the section “The Unsinkable Ship,” Lewis writes that German U-boats “prowled the waters near Great Britain, lurking unseen beneath the waves.” This personification highlights how hard U-boats were to detect, and how terrifying it must have been to travel in areas where U-boats were known to be.

3. What is the mood of the section “A Nightmare”? How does the author create this mood? (mood) The section has a chaotic, desperate, and frightening atmosphere. Lewis writes, “Glass shattered. Fire broke out. Passengers screamed in terror,” with each idea in a separate sentence to emphasize that many terrifying things were happening at once. She describes people becoming tangled in ropes and trying, but failing, to get the lifeboats into the water, which creates a feeling of desperation and anxiety. The feeling of terror intensifies when Lewis describes the Hook family clutching the railing of the ship and “waiting for the right moment to jump into the cold sea.”

4. Why do you think the passengers and crew of the Lusitania were so confident that the ship would be safe? (critical thinking) Lewis writes that the ship was a symbol of the developments in science and technology that were making life safer as well as more exciting and more convenient. People probably put too much trust in the ship’s ability to outrun U-boats and their torpedoes. Plus, as noted in the caption on page 7, few expected the Germans to target a civilian ship.

5. Why is it important to study historic disasters like the sinking of the Lusitania? (critical thinking) Usually, there is something to be learned from disasters of the past—something that could help us avoid similar disasters in the future. Mistakes or decisions that lead to a disaster might be repeated if we don’t explore them. By studying historic disasters, we might be able to learn something about how to prevent a disaster in the future, or we might learn something about coping with or recovering from a tragic event.

3. Write About It: Author’s Craft

(45 minutes)

Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Author’s Craft. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 10 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

Choose one element of the article to focus on: the Lusitania, the early 20th century, the German U-boat, or the torpedo. Compile a list of descriptive words, phrases, or lines the author uses for your chosen element. Then write a poem or create a visual art piece reflecting this powerful imagery and emotion.

Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.)

Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Author's Craft. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 9 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

1. Did the Lusitania plan to cross the Atlantic Ocean? Yes, it did.

2. Were Americans warned that the Lusitania could be a target for German U-Boats? Yes, they were.

3. Did most passengers on the Lusitania take the warnings seriously? No, they didn’t.

4. Was the Lusitania attacked? Yes, it was.

5. Did a lot of people lose their lives when the Lusitania sank? Yes, they did.

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

1. Did the Lusitania plan to cross the Atlantic Ocean? Yes, it did.

2. Were Americans warned that the Lusitania could be a target for German U-Boats? Yes, they were.

3. Did most passengers on the Lusitania take the warnings seriously? No, they didn’t.

4. Was the Lusitania attacked? Yes, it was.

5. Did a lot of people lose their lives when the Lusitania sank? Yes, they did.

Either/Or Questions

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

1. Did the Lusitania depart from New York City or Washington, D.C.? The Lusitania departed from New York City.

2. Was the Lusitania a submarine or an ocean liner? The Lusitania was an ocean liner.

3. Was the Lusitania a simple ship or a fancy ship? The Lusitania was a fancy ship.

4. Could the Lusitania cross the ocean in a few months or a few days? The Lusitania could cross the ocean in a few days.

5. Did the Lusitania sink off the coast of Ireland or off the coast of New York City? The Lusitania sank off the coast of Ireland.

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

1. Did the Lusitania depart from New York City or Washington, D.C.? The Lusitania departed from New York City.

2. Was the Lusitania a submarine or an ocean liner? The Lusitania was an ocean liner.

3. Was the Lusitania a simple ship or a fancy ship? The Lusitania was a fancy ship.

4. Could the Lusitania cross the ocean in a few months or a few days? The Lusitania could cross the ocean in a few days.

5. Did the Lusitania sink off the coast of Ireland or off the coast of New York City? The Lusitania sank off the coast of Ireland.

Short-Answer Questions

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

1. Why were Elsie and her family taking a voyage on the Lusitania? Elsie’s mother had recently died, and her father decided to move the family back to his home country of England.

2. Why didn’t the Lusitania’s passengers listen to the warnings from the German embassy? The war seemed far away to Americans, and they didn’t think that Germans would really target a nonmilitary ship. Plus, the Lusitania’s captain and crew told passengers that the ship couldn’t be sunk, that it was too fast for anything to catch it.

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

1. Why were Elsie and her family taking a voyage on the Lusitania? Elsie’s mother had recently died, and her father decided to move the family back to his home country of England.

2. Why didn’t the Lusitania’s passengers listen to the warnings from the German embassy? The war seemed far away to Americans, and they didn’t think that Germans would really target a nonmilitary ship. Plus, the Lusitania’s captain and crew told passengers that the ship couldn’t be sunk, that it was too fast for anything to catch it.

Language Acquisition Springboard

Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

Who? (Which person or people is this article mainly about?) Elsie, Frank, and George Hook

What? (What event does this article describe?) the sinking of the Lusitania

When? (At what time did this event occur?) May 1915

Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) off the coast of Ireland

Why? (What was the cause of this event?) Europe was at war and the ship sailed into waters near England where German submarines were patrolling. One of these submarines torpedoed the Lusitania.

Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

Who? (Which person or people is this article mainly about?) Elsie, Frank, and George Hook

What? (What event does this article describe?) the sinking of the Lusitania

When? (At what time did this event occur?) May 1915

Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) off the coast of Ireland

Why? (What was the cause of this event?) Europe was at war and the ship sailed into waters near England where German submarines were patrolling. One of these submarines torpedoed the Lusitania.

Connected readings from the Scope archives:

Narrative Nonfiction: “Searching for the Titanic”

Narrative Nonfiction: “The Pigeon Hero of World War I”

Narrative Nonfiction: “Searching for the Titanic”
Narrative Nonfiction: “The Pigeon Hero of World War I”

Text-to-Speech

Attack at Sea

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

1. Prepare to Read

(10 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

3. Write About It: Author’s Craft

(45 minutes)

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Either/Or Questions

Short-Answer Questions

Language Acquisition Springboard

Connected readings from the Scope archives:

Help/Support

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Attack at Sea

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

1. Prepare to Read

(10 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

3. Write About It: Author’s Craft

(45 minutes)

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Either/Or Questions

Short-Answer Questions

Language Acquisition Springboard

Connected readings from the Scope archives:

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These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.