The Bermuda TriangleWhere Is the Bermuda Triangle?The Bermuda Triangle is not a set place. It is the name that some people call a part of the Atlantic Ocean. The area can be found between the coasts of:

• Florida, USA;

• Puerto Rico;

• Bermuda.

Lots of ships and aircrafts travel through the Bermuda Triangle every day.

Why Is the Bermuda Triangle Famous?The Bermuda Triangle is famous because there have been lots of stories about strange things that have happened there. The earliest known story about the Bermuda Triangle was told in 1492 by Christopher Columbus.

What Did Christopher Columbus Say?

During their first journey across the Atlantic Ocean, Columbus and his crew saw lots of strange things within the Bermuda Triangle. They reported that they saw:

• the stars moving around in the sky;

• a light moving up and down in the distance that kept disappearing;

• a glowing object come out of the water and shot towards the sky.

Did You Know…?• The Bermuda Triangle is not shown on any maps.

• There are lots of storms in the Bermuda Triangle. They are very strong but pass quickly.

• The sea within the Bermuda Triangle has some of the deepest trenches on earth.

visit twinkl.com

A large Navy ship was sailing in the Bermuda Triangle. The ship was almost 170 metres long and had 306 sailors onboard. On the ninth day of the ship’s journey, it disappeared. It was never seen or heard from again.

Frank and Romina Leone went on a fishing trip on their new boat. The US Coast Guard went looking for them when they did not return home. They could not find Frank, Romina or their boat.

year:1918

year:2003

Twelve members of the US Navy got on a seaplane. They were taking part in a training flight. Just after 1:16 a.m., the plane disappeared. Neither the plane nor its crew were ever found.

Two 14-year-old boys from Florida set sail on a small boat to go fishing. Their boat was found one year later but the boys were never seen again.

year:1945

year:2015

The Burmuda Triangle

A large ship was sailing inside the Bermuda Triangle when its crew found a small boat. The captain told four members of his crew to get onto the small boat and sail it to New York. On the third day of sailing, the crew disappeared from the boat. When the captain asked a new crew to get onto the small boat, they disappeared too.

year:1881

What Other Strange Things Are Said to Have Happened?

visit twinkl.com

Questions1. Which ocean is the Bermuda Triangle a part of? Tick one.

Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Arctic Ocean Pacific Ocean

2. Which of these things did Christopher Columbus report seeing? Tick three

stars moving in the sky an unusual floating bottle a light moving up and down a glowing object in the water

3. Number these facts to show the order that they first appear in the text.

1 The Bermuda Triangle is not a set place. A large Navy ship disappeared. Lots of ships travel through the Bermuda Triangle every day. The earliest story of strange events was told in 1492. The Bermuda Triangle is not shown on any maps.

4. Join the boxes to show what year the events happened in. One has been done for you.

A large ship found a small boat.

1881

Frank and Romina Leone disappeared.

1918

A Navy ship disappeared. 1945

A Navy seaplane disappeared.

2003

5. Find and copy one word from the text which describes the storms that happen in the Bermuda Triangle.

The Burmuda Triangle

visit twinkl.com

The Burmuda Triangle

6. Who went looking for Frank and Romina Leone?

Explain why the Bermuda Triangle is not shown on any maps.

visit twinkl.com

Answers1. Which ocean is the Bermuda Triangle a part of? Tick one.

Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Arctic Ocean Pacific Ocean

2. Which of these things did Christopher Columbus report seeing? Tick three

stars moving in the sky an unusual floating bottle a light moving up and down a glowing object in the water

3. Number these facts to show the order that they first appear in the text.

1 The Bermuda Triangle is not a set place.4 A large Navy ship disappeared.2 Lots of ships travel through the Bermuda Triangle every day.3 The earliest story of strange events was told in 1492.5 The Bermuda Triangle is not shown on any maps.

4. Join the boxes to show what year the events happened in. One has been done for you.

A large ship found a small boat.

1881

Frank and Romina Leone disappeared.

1918

A Navy ship disappeared. 1945

A Navy seaplane disappeared.

2003

5. Find and copy one word from the text which describes the storms that happen in the Bermuda Triangle.

strong

The Burmuda Triangle

visit twinkl.com

The Burmuda Triangle

6. Who went looking for Frank and Romina Leone?

The US Coast Guard went looking for Frank and Romina Leone.

7. Explain why the Bermuda Triangle is not shown on any maps. Pupils’ own responses, such as: The Bermuda Triangle is not shown on any maps because it is not a set place. It is just a name for part of the Atlantic Ocean.

visit twinkl.com

The Bermuda TriangleWhere Is the Bermuda Triangle?The Bermuda Triangle is not a set place. It is a large area of the Atlantic Ocean. It can be found between the coasts of Florida, Puerto Rico and Bermuda. Many ships and aircrafts travel through it every day.

Why Is the Bermuda Triangle Famous?The Bermuda Triangle is famous because of the many unusual stories about the strange things that are said to happen there. The earliest known story about the Bermunda Triangle with unexplained activity dates back to 1492. It was given by the Italian explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus.

What Did Christopher Columbus Report?During their first journey across the Atlantic Ocean, Columbus and his crew recorded many strange events in the ship’s log. These all happened within the Bermuda Triangle.

The first thing they noted was that the stars appeared to move around in the sky. The second thing was a light moving up and down in the distance. When Columbus asked his crew to come and look at the light, it disappeared and reappeared many times.

The strangest thing that Columbus saw was a glowing, disc-shaped object. It came out of the water and shot upwards towards the sky.

Glossary• abandoned: Something that has been left or deserted.

• navigator: A person who explores by sea and plans the route.

• seaplane: An aircraft with floats or skis instead of wheels. It can land on and take off from water.

• ship’s log: An important record of the events that happen during a ship’s journey.

visit twinkl.com

A US Navy ship called the USS Cyclops was sailing within the Bermuda Triangle. They had set off from Brazil and were heading to Baltimore, USA. The ship was almost 170 metres long and had 306 sailors onboard. On the ninth day of the ship’s journey, it vanished and it was never seen or heard from again.

Frank and Romina Leone left their home in Florida for a fishing trip on their new boat. When they did not return home, the US Coast Guard launched a rescue mission. They could not find Frank, Romina or any sign of their boat.

year:1918

year:2003

Twelve members of the US Navy got on a seaplane. They left the Naval Air Station in Florida to take part in a training flight. After sending their location at 1:16 a.m., the plane disappeared. Neither the plane nor its crew were ever found.

Two 14-year-old boys from Florida set sail on a small boat to go fishing. Their boat was found one year later but the boys were never seen again.

year:1945

year:2015

The Burmuda Triangle

The Ellen Austin was a large ship. It was sailing inside the Bermuda Triangle when its crew found a small, abandoned boat. Captain Baker ordered four members of his crew to get onto the small boat and sail it to New York. On the third day of sailing, the crew disappeared from the boat. When Captain Baker asked a new crew to get onto the small boat, they disappeared too.

year:1881

What Other Strange Things Are Said to Have Happened?

visit twinkl.com

Questions1. Which of these places is not near the Bermuda Triangle? Tick one.

Bermuda Belarus Puerto Rico Florida

2. Which of the following statements are true? Tick two.

The Bermuda Triangle is the name of a country. No one dares to travel through the Bermuda Triangle. The first recorded strange events happened in 1492. Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator.

3. Number the events below to show the order in which they happened.

1 The Ellen Austin found a small, abandoned boat. The second of Baker’s crews also disappeared from the boat. The first of Baker’s crews disappeared from the small boat. The crew sailed towards New York for three days. Captain Baker ordered four members of his crew aboard.

4. Join the boxes to show the vessel which disappeared in each year.

a small fishing boat 1918

a US Navy ship 1945

a US Navy seaplane 2015

5. What was the name of the US Navy ship that disappeared?

The Burmuda Triangle

visit twinkl.com

The Burmuda Triangle

6. Find and copy two different words or phrases used in the text to describe the strangest

thing that Christopher Columbus saw.

1.

2.

7. Summarise what Christopher Columbus saw using fewer than 30 words.

8. Do you think that a boat will disappear in the Bermuda Triangle this year? Give a reason for your answer.

visit twinkl.com

Answers1. Which of these places is not near the Bermuda Triangle? Tick one.

Bermuda Belarus Puerto Rico Florida

2. Which of the following statements are true? Tick two.

The Bermuda Triangle is the name of a country. No one dares to travel through the Bermuda Triangle. The first recorded strange events happened in 1492. Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator.

3. Number the events below to show the order in which they happened.

1 The Ellen Austin found a small, abandoned boat.5 The second of Baker’s crews also disappeared from the boat.4 The first of Baker’s crews disappeared from the small boat.3 The crew sailed towards New York for three days.2 Captain Baker ordered four members of his crew aboard.

4. Join the boxes to show the vessel which disappeared in each year.

a small fishing boat 1918

a US Navy ship 1945

a US Navy seaplane 2015

5. What was the name of the US Navy ship that disappeared?

USS Cyclops was the name of the US Navy ship that disappeared.

The Burmuda Triangle

visit twinkl.com

The Burmuda Triangle

6. Find and copy two different words or phrases used in the text to describe the strangest

thing that Christopher Columbus saw.

glowing

disc-shaped

7. Summarise what Christopher Columbus saw using fewer than 30 words.

Pupils’ own responses, such as: Christopher Columbus saw three strange things: the

stars moved on their own, a light bobbed up and down and a strange disc came out of

the ocean.

8. Do you think that a boat will disappear in the Bermuda Triangle this year? Give a reason

for your answer.

Pupils’ own responses, such as: I don’t think that a boat will disappear in the Bermuda

Triangle this year because it seems to only happen every once in a while and it last

happened in 2015 which is quite recently.

visit twinkl.com

The Bermuda TriangleWhere Is the Bermuda Triangle?The Bermuda Triangle is not a set place. It is an area of the Atlantic Ocean between 500,000 – 1,510,000 square miles in size. It can be found between the coasts of Florida, Puerto Rico and the island of Bermuda. It is a hot spot of activity and regularly sees a many ships and aircrafts travelling through it.

Why Is the Bermuda Triangle so Famous?The area which became known as the Bermuda Triangle gained fame due to the many unusual tales of the strange activity happening there. The earliest known report of unexplained activity dates back to 1492. It was given by the Italian explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus and his crew.

What Did Christopher Columbus Report?During their first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, Columbus and his crew

recorded many strange events in the ship’s log. These all happened within the Bermuda Triangle.

The first of these was that the stars in the sky appeared to move around. The second was that Columbus saw a light moving up and down in the distance. When he asked his crew to come and look at the light, it vanished and reappeared multiple times.

The strangest thing that Columbus saw was a glowing, disc-shaped object. It came out of the water and shot upwards towards the sky.

Glossary• cargo: Goods that are carried on a ship, aircraft or motor vehicle.

• navigator: A person who explores by sea and plans the route.

• seaplane: An aircraft with floats or skis instead of wheels. It can land on and take off from water.

• ship’s log: An important record of the events that happen during a ship’s journey.

• voyage: A long journey.

visit twinkl.com

A US Navy ship called the USS Cyclops set off on a journey from Brazil to Baltimore, USA. The ship was almost 170 metres long and had a crew of 306 sailors aboard. On the ninth day of the ship’s journey, it vanished and it was never seen or heard from again.

Frank and Romina Leone left their home in Florida for a fishing trip aboard their new boat. After failing to return home, the US Coast Guard launched a rescue mission. They could not find Frank, Romina or any trace of their boat.

year:1918

year:2003

Twelve members of the US Navy left the Naval Air Station in Florida. They were taking part in a radar training flight aboard a seaplane. After sending their radio position at 1:16 a.m., the plane disappeared. Despite a ten-day search, neither the plane nor its crew were ever found.

Two 14-year-old boys boarded a small boat and left the coast of Florida to fish. Their boat was found one year later but the boys were never seen again.

year:1945

year:2015

The Burmuda Triangle

The Ellen Austin was a large cargo ship. The crew onboard found a small boat drifting along within the Bermuda Triangle. They decided that it had been abandoned. Captain Baker ordered four members of his crew to board the boat and sail it to New York. On the third day of sailing, the crew were said to disappear from the boat. When Captain Baker ordered a new crew to board the small boat, they disappeared too.

year:1881

What Other Strange Things Are Said to Have Happened?

visit twinkl.com

Questions1. In which year did the USS Cyclops disappear? Tick one.

1881 1918 1945 2003

2. Which of these phrases best describes the motion of the glowing, disc-shaped object that Columbus reported? Tick one.

It fell from the sky and went underwater. It hovered above the water’s surface. It rose from the water and went up to the sky. It bobbed along the horizon, blinking strangely.

3. During their first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean… Give one word that the author could have used instead of the word voyage in this phrase.

4. Look at the section called: Why Is the Bermuda Triangle so Famous? Find and copy two different adjectives which describe the activity that occurs in the Bermuda Triangle.

1.

2.

5. What was the name of the captain of the Ellen Austin?

6. Summarise why the Bermuda Triangle is well-known.

The Burmuda Triangle

visit twinkl.com

The Burmuda Triangle

7. Choose one thing that Christopher Columbus reportedly saw and explain what you think it might have been.

8. It is a hot spot of activity…

What does this phrase imply about what the Bermuda Triangle is like?

visit twinkl.com

Answers1. In which year did the USS Cyclops disappear? Tick one.

1881 1918 1945 2003

2. Which of these phrases best describes the motion of the glowing, disc-shaped object that Columbus reported? Tick one.

It fell from the sky and went underwater. It hovered above the water’s surface. It rose from the water and went up to the sky. It bobbed along the horizon, blinking strangely.

3. During their first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean… Give one word that the author could have used instead of the word voyage in this phrase.

Accept any appropriate synonym for ‘voyage’, such as: journey, trip, expedition.

4. Look at the section called: Why Is the Bermuda Triangle so Famous? Find and copy two different adjectives which describe the activity that occurs in the Bermuda Triangle. strange unexplained

5. What was the name of the captain of the Ellen Austin? Captain Baker was the name of the captain of the Ellen Austin.

6. Summarise why the Bermuda Triangle is well-known. Pupils’ own responses, such as: The Bermuda Triangle is well-known because there are so many tales of unexplained events that happened there and this makes people remember it.

The Burmuda Triangle

visit twinkl.com

The Burmuda Triangle

7. Choose one thing that Christopher Columbus reportedly saw and explain what you think it might have been. Pupils’ own responses, such as: I think that the light that moved up and down in the distance might just have been the light from a lighthouse. I think that it was only moving because Columbus’s boat was bobbing up and down.

8. It is a hot spot of activity… What does this phrase imply about what the Bermuda Triangle is like? Pupils’ own responses, such as: This phrase implies that it is a very popular place and that you will always find ships and airoplanes there no matter what time you visit.

visit twinkl.com