The Titanic Disaster: A Field Investigator's Field Book (Printable PDF, Ages 10 to 14)

YOUR STUDENT DOESN'T STUDY THE TITANIC. THEY INVESTIGATE IT.

Two official inquiries examined the Titanic in 1912 and blamed different people. Your student gets the same evidence and one job: reach a verdict and defend it.

In Case No. 0415, your student becomes a Field Investigator working an open case alongside Senior Investigator Mo Vance. They examine twelve findings built from the real 1912 inquiry testimony, take field notes, file four written reports, and deliver final testimony to an investigating board.

There is no answer key, because historians still disagree. Your student is assessed on whether their argument holds up, not on which side they choose.

BUILT FOR HOMESCHOOL (Paperback books available on Amazon)

• Your student can work it alone. Mo guides them through every section with briefings, margin notes, and step-by-step filing prompts.
• You don't need to know anything about the Titanic. A one-page guide at the front tells you everything you need before starting. Facilitator notes at the back cover the rest.
• Scoring takes no expertise. A simple 3-part rubric asks whether the argument is clear, backed by evidence, and answers the other side.
• It fits your schedule. About 6 to 9 hours total. Most families spread it across 2 to 3 weeks.

WHAT YOUR STUDENT INVESTIGATES

• The Ship They Built: the rivets, the bulkheads, steel in freezing water
• The Night They Steered Into: the ice warnings, the speed, the missing binoculars
• The Rules They Followed: lifeboat law, the canceled drill, locked gates between classes
• The Choices They Made: the captain, the evacuation, the ship that stopped

WHAT'S INSIDE (105 pages)

• Briefing pages: the story, the background, the six key people
• Twelve evidence findings with guided field notes
• Four written filings and a Position Tracker that shows how their thinking changed
• The Field Op: an optional online simulation where your student boards the ship as a real survivor or officer (internet required, access code included)
• Testimony planning and writing pages
• Board rubric, verdict letters, and a resubmission guide
• Mo's own filings, for a final compare-and-disagree activity
• Glossary, facilitator notes, and full source list

A NOTE ON THE HARD PARTS

More than 1,500 people died. The Field Book states this plainly and does not dwell on suffering. The simulation is optional, and the case can be completed without it.

PRINTING

Letter size (8.5 x 11). Print single- or double-sided so your students have full writing space.

LICENSE

One purchase covers one household. Print as many copies as your own children need. For co-ops or classrooms, please buy one copy per family, or contact deanna@theointeractive.com for group pricing.

Prefer a bound book? The Field Book is also available as a paperback on Amazon.

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