December 27, 2018
Rations are low, crew is disgruntled
By TYSON SMEDSTAD ZIEMANN
The year is 1495. You’ve spent another week at sea. The captain reports the ship is making 70 to 80 miles a day, but think it’s closer to 90. Why is the captain lying? You must make another rations and navigation check.
The “explorers” start their expedition by asking either King Ferinand and Queen Isabella of Spain or King Manual of Portugal, for a charter to sail to the Americas.
It was dramatic day when I stopped into visit with Darlene Ruud’s fifth grade class to see what this “explorers simulation” was all about. Well it was dramatic for one of the three groups. Ruud reads parts of the story aloud, the students roll the dice to see which outcome they have to deal with.
The one group sailing from Portugal had a death on the ship that day, along with many fights, a few stabbings and wrong turns. Cara Schlehr was the first sailor to not make the trip, she had a bad case of scurvy and passed away while on board.
The “explorers” start their expedition by asking either King Ferinand and Queen Isabella of Spain or King Manual of Portugal, for a charter to sail to the Americas.
It was dramatic day when I stopped into visit with Darlene Ruud’s fifth grade class to see what this “explorers simulation” was all about. Well it was dramatic for one of the three groups. Ruud reads parts of the story aloud, the students roll the dice to see which outcome they have to deal with.
The one group sailing from Portugal had a death on the ship that day, along with many fights, a few stabbings and wrong turns. Cara Schlehr was the first sailor to not make the trip, she had a bad case of scurvy and passed away while on board.
