©Alexandra Fitzsimmons 2008. More at www.alexandrafitzsimmons.co.uk

Viking Discovery Erik Thorvaldsson (or Erik the Red) was the Viking who discovered Greenland. He was the first person from Europe to go there and, when he arrived, nobody was living there. Later he persuaded many families from Iceland to join him there.

Activity 1 Imagine you have just landed in Greenland in your Viking boat. You’ve been sailing for a week, with your whole family, your servants, your dogs and all your cows, sheep and horses. It’s been rough (the waves in the North Atlantic can be 20m high!) Write a letter to your friends at home describing how you feel when you see this coastline... and land in the islands.

©Alexandra Fitzsimmons 2008. More at www.alexandrafitzsimmons.co.uk

Activity 2 – IT extension After three years of living in Greenland, Erik the Red went back to Iceland. He told his friends all about the new country he had discovered, and asked them to come and live there with him. He made it sound as nice as possible. For example, he gave it its name, “Greenland” because he thought it sounded like things would grow well (compared to Iceland, the country he came from). He also told his friends they would be rich – there was plenty of land for everyone. Greenland today is a very different place. There are many different people living there, including both descendents of Vikings and Inuit. But still, not many people visit Greenland. Imagine you are a tourist company leader, trying to persuade people to visit. Make a presentation for your class about visiting Greenland. Remember to make it sound as nice as possible! Websites of tourist companies in Greenland, which you might find helpful, include: www.blueice.gl www.greenland.com