Focus concept: Causation
The first task serves as a more gentle introduction to the idea of cause by looking at Scott’s personal motivation. By using the speech bubble device we aimed to make the task more accessible allowing pupils to complete at least one idea but most will give too. Encourage the higher-attainers to include more than 2 if they like. Don’t let the shape of the task constrain them. Overall, we are looking here less at the number of reasons, of course, more at ensuring the key ones have been understood. Use the marksheme to encourage those who are ready to think about ideas of national pride, wanting to do it for Britain not just personal glory.
The second task is more demanding in that it expects a broader range of factors to be considered and gives higher-attaining pupils scope to display extensive understanding. Once again, stress to the pupils that the images are there to help not to constrain. Encourage higher-attaining pupils to think beyond. The images are there to support lower-attaining pupils, on the whole, but the inclusion of the scientific equipment image is clearly more challenging as is the suggestion that the snow tractors were always breaking down.
Above all with this task look for pupils who can explain the impact of each of these factors and not just a description of them. For example : why was scientific equipment included?-because Scott insisted on carrying out experiments ad carrying heavy rock specimens which slowed them down and added to the weight. So look out for sentences that start This made things worse because… Best answers will hint at if not directly stated that one cause was probably key , be it the weather or possible poor planning.
