Survival in the Wild with Bear Grylls

Who knew that the one and only Bear Grylls had ventured into the world of children’s books? During Book Talk last week, we explored one of his thrilling stories, Spirit of the Jungle. The book follows Mak as he travels through the Wainganga jungle with his parents—but adventure quickly turns to danger. As the weather becomes unpredictable and something suspicious lurks beneath the water, disaster strikes. The boat capsizes, leaving Mak stranded, swept away from the captain… and separated from his parents (definitely not on the holiday itinerary!).

Inspired by the story, the children stepped into the role of junior survival experts - minus the camera crew and dramatic music. They carried out online research, read information handouts, and studied tips from one of Bear Grylls’ famous survival videos to learn how to help themselves (and others) if they ever found themselves in a tricky environment.

From snow-covered mountains to fast-flowing rivers, jungles packed with creepy crawlies to vast deserts where water is more precious than gold, the children discovered the amazing - and sometimes slightly gruesome - ways explorers survive in the wild. Thankfully, no insects were eaten during the lesson!

It was an action-packed learning experience that captured everyone’s imagination and proved that survival skills are just as exciting to learn about as they are to watch (especially when you’re safely indoors).

Tom

Y5 Bear Grylls - Survival Guides