Oxford Reading Circle

Book-5

Teachers Guide
Sue Gilbert

Great Clarendon Street, Oxford

OX2

6DP

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INTRODUCTION
This new Teachers Guide has been written to help teachers to exploit fully
all the learning opportunities presented in the Oxford Reading Circle series
of reading books.
It provides, on a chapter-by-chapter basis, suggestions for how the various
points of reading covered can be taught. It also contains suggestions on how
the illustrations and texts can be used to develop language by relating the
content to the students own wider experiences and by encouraging them to
predict outcomes in the light of what they can see or what they have already
read. There are also some supplementary activities and games to reinforce
the teaching in a less formal way.
The Guide supplies answers for the Exercises sections of the student book
where appropriate, recognising that there are not always right or wrong
answers and any valid contribution from a student must be welcomed, and
a variety of responses should be encouraged.
Each class is dierent and only the teacher will know which activities will
work with his/her students. For this reason, although the Guide can be used
as a step-by-step lesson plan, it is in no way prescriptive, and not all teaching
steps have to be followed, but I hope that every teacher will nd something
that can be used to promote their students learning of English and in some
way help with their lesson preparation.

Contents
1.

The Boy Who Served His Tribe _______________________________________ 1

2.

Nurses Song ______________________________________________________ 5

3.

The Boy with an Answer _____________________________________________ 5

4.

The Poet and Jester _________________________________________________ 6

5.

Sir Nicketty Nox ___________________________________________________ 8

6.

The Toads Warts ___________________________________________________ 8

7.

Send Three and Four Pence __________________________________________ 9

8.

The Frog and the Bird ______________________________________________ 11

9.

Natashas Doll ____________________________________________________ 11

10. Malisha and Akulya _______________________________________________ 12

11. The Speed Track __________________________________________________ 13
12. Aladdins Magic Lamp _____________________________________________ 14
13. Haggards Crossing ________________________________________________ 15
14. The Camels Complaint ____________________________________________ 17
15. Three Men in a Boat _______________________________________________ 17
16. Leisure __________________________________________________________ 19
17. A Tin of Pineapples ________________________________________________ 19
18. Fly Back to Me ___________________________________________________ 20
19. The Lake Isle of Innisfree ___________________________________________ 21
20. The Fire on the Mountain ___________________________________________ 22
21. Sea Fever ________________________________________________________ 23
22. Precious Treasure _________________________________________________ 25
23. Notes ___________________________________________________________ 26

Oxford Reading Circle Book 5

Teachers Guide

Chapter 1
The Boy Who Served His Tribe
1. Talk about the American Indians as the native people of North America. Ask students to tell you what they
know about these people; they will probably be familiar with words like tomahawk, wigwam, moccasins
etc. Supplement their knowledge using some of the information below or information from additional
sources.
2.

Explain that the native Indians were very spiritual people and believed in dierent spirits; they were not
scientists and used myths to explain the natural world around them.

(Page 8)
1.

Teach the new words.

(Pages 12)
1.

Read to only by hunting, on page 1. Ask the students what they eat apart from meat and sh. From their
answers it should be clear that all the other foods are grown on farms or in gardens. Explain that the
Indians had no system of farming and had to move round following the game that they hunted for food.
If there was no game, they would have nothing to eat.

2.

Read to during this weeks fast? on page 2. Ask the students for ideas of what might be a good gift for the
whole tribe.

(Pages 24)
1.

Read to the end of page 4. Ask students for ideas as to who the stranger might bethe green plumes could
be a clue.

(Page 5)
1.

Read the page. Ask students why the boy did not tell his family. (They might not have believed him.) Ask
what the leaves might be.

(Pages 68)
1.

Read the text. Ask how the father knew that the grains were good. (By tasting them.) How would the grain
help the whole tribe? (They had a new source of food.)

2.

Talk about how bread is made from grain.

3.

Activity: If possible make some bread in class and bake it.

(Page 9)
1.

Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.

1

2.

Ex B. Ask the students to form the expressions. (harvest corn; spend time; hunt animals; part curtains;
regain strength; win glory)

3.

Ex C. Put the words into four groups and say what the words in each group have in common. Where
possible, explain the dierences between the terms too. (1. wigwam, tepee, igloo, kraal 2. rye, oats, corn,
barley 3. worship, pray, revere, adore 4. tribe, race, breed, clan)

4.

Ex D. Ask students if they know any local myths and/or tell them the Chippewa myth below:

How Dogs Came To The Indians

Two Ojibwa Indians in a canoe had been blown far from shore by a great wind. They had gone far and were
hungry and lost. They had little strength left to paddle, so they drifted before the wind.
At last their canoe was blown onto a beach and they were glad, but not for long. Looking for the tracks of
animals, they saw some huge footprints that they knew must be those of a giant. They were afraid and hid
in the bushes. As they crouched low, a big arrow thudded into the ground close beside them. Then a huge
giant came toward them. A caribou hung from his belt, but the man was so big that it looked like a rabbit.
He told them that he did not hurt people and he liked to be a friend to little people, who seemed to the
giant to be so helpless. He asked the two lost Indians to come home with him, and since they had no food
and their weapons had been lost in the storm at sea, they were glad to go with him.
An evil Windigo spirit came to the lodge of the giant and told the two men that the giant had other men
hidden away in the forest because he liked to eat them. The Windigo pretended to be a friend, but he was
the one who wanted the men because he was an eater of people. The Windigo became very angry when
the giant would not give him the two men, and nally the giant became angry too. He took a big stick and
turned over a big bowl with it.
A strange animal which the Indians had never seen before lay on the oor, looking up at them. It looked
like a wolf to them, but the giant called the animal Dog. The giant told him to kill the evil Windigo spirit.
The beast sprang to its feet, shook himself, and started to grow, and grow, and grow. The more he shook
himself, the more he grew and the ercer he became. He sprang at the Windigo and killed him; then the
dog grew smaller and smaller and crept under the bowl.
The giant saw that the Indians were much surprised and pleased with Dog and said that he would give it to
them, though it was his pet. He told the men that he would command Dog to take them home. They had no
idea how this could be done, though they had seen that the giant was a maker of magic, but they thanked
the friendly giant for his great gift.
The giant took the men and the dog to the seashore and gave the dog a command. At once it began to grow
bigger and bigger, until it was nearly as big as a horse. The giant put the two men onto the back of the dog
and told them to hold on very tightly. As Dog ran into the sea, he grew still bigger and when the water was
deep enough he started to swim strongly away from the shore.
After a very long time, the two Ojibwa began to see a part of the sea coast that they knew, and soon the dog
headed for shore. As he neared the beach, he became smaller and smaller so that the Indians had to swim
for the last part of their journey. The dog left them close to their lodges and disappeared into the forest.
When the men told their tribe of their adventure, the people thought that the men were speaking falsely.
Show us even the little mystery animal, Dog, and we shall believe you, a chief said.
A few moons came and went and then, one morning while the tribe slept, the dog returned to the two
men. It allowed them to pet it and took food from their hands. The tribe was very surprised to see this new
creature. It stayed with the tribe.
That, as the Indians tell, was how the rst dog came to the Earth.
2

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Chippewa Tribe
1. What is the dierence between Chippewa, Ojibway, Ojibwe, and Ojibwa? What do these words mean?
There is no dierence. All these dierent spellings refer to the same people. In the United States more
people use Chippewa, and in Canada more people use Ojibway, but all four of these spellings are
common. They all come from an Algonquian word meaning puckered, probably because of the tribes
puckered moccasin style. The Ojibway people call themselves Anishinabe in their own language, which
means original person.
2. Where do the Chippewas live?
The Chippewas are one of the largest American Indian groups in North America. There are nearly 150
dierent bands of Chippewa Indians living throughout their original homeland in the northern United
States (especially Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan) and southern Canada (especially Ontario,
Manitoba, and Saskatchewan).
3. How is the Ojibway Indian nation organized?
Each Ojibway community lives on its own reservation (or reserve, in Canada). Reservations are lands that
belong to the Ojibways and are under their control. Communities of Ojibway Indians are called tribes in
the United States and First Nations in Canada. Each Ojibway tribe is politically independent and has its
own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. Some Ojibway nations have also
formed coalitions to address common problems.
The political leader of an Ojibway band is called a chief (gimaa or ogimaa in the Ojibway language.) In
the past Ojibway chiefs were men chosen by tribal council members, often from among the last chiefs
sons, nephews, or sons-in-law. Today Ojibway chiefs can be men or women, and they are elected in most
Ojibway bands, like mayors and governors.
4. What language do the Ojibways speak?
Most Ojibway people speak English, but some of them also speak their native Ojibway language. Ojibway
is a musical language that has complicated verbs with many parts. If youd like to know a few easy Ojibway
words, aaniin (pronounced ah-neen) is a friendly greeting and miigwech (pronounced mee-gwetch)
means thank you.
5. How do Ojibway Indian children live, and what did they do in the past?
They do the same things any children doplay with each other, go to school and help around the
house. Many Ojibway children like to go hunting and shing with their fathers. In the past, Indian kids
had more chores and less time to play, just like colonial children. But Ojibway kids did have dolls and
toys to play with, and older boys liked to play lacrosse. Like many Native Americans, Ojibway mothers
traditionally carried their babies in cradleboards on their backsa custom which many American
parents have adopted now.
6. What were Ojibway men and womens roles?
Ojibway women were farmers and did most of the child care and cooking. Men were hunters and
sometimes went to war to protect their families. Both genders practised storytelling, artwork and music,
and traditional medicine. Ojibway men and women worked together to harvest wild rice. An Ojibway man
used a pole to steer through the reeds, while his wife knocked rice grains into the canoe. Ojibway people
still use canoes for ricing today, but both genders do the knocking now.

7. What were Ojibway homes like in the past?

There were two types of dwellings used by the Chippewas. In the woodlands, Ojibway people lived in
villages of birch-bark houses called waginogans, or wigwams. On the Great Plains, the Ojibwas lived in
large bualo-hide tents called tipis. The Plains Ojibwa were nomadic people, and tipis (or tepees) were
easier to move from place to place than a wigwam. Today, Native Americans only build a wigwam or tepee
for fun or to connect with their heritage. Most Ojibways live in modern houses and apartment buildings.
8. What was Ojibway clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint?
Chippewa women wore long dresses with removable sleeves. Chippewa men wore breechcloths and
leggings. Everybody wore moccasins on their feet and cloaks or ponchos in bad weather. Later, the
Chippewas adapted European costume such as cloth blouses and jackets, decorating them with fancy
beadwork.
Traditionally, the Chippewas wore leather headbands with feathers standing straight up in the back. In
times of war, some Chippewa men shaved their heads in the Mohawk style. Otherwise, Chippewa men
and women both wore their hair in long braids. Some Chippewa warriors wore a porcupine roach. In the
1800s, some Chippewa chiefs began wearing long headdresses like those of their neighbours the Sioux.
The Chippewas painted their faces and arms with bright colours for special occasions. They used dierent
patterns for war paint and festive decoration. Some Chippewas, especially men, also wore tribal tattoos.
Today, some Chippewa people still wear moccasins or a beaded shirt, but they wear modern clothes like
jeans instead of breechcloths. They only wear feathers or roaches in their hair on special occasions like a
dance.
9. What was Ojibway transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle canoes?
The Ojibway Indian tribe was well-known for their birch bark canoes. Canoeing is still popular in the
Ojibway nation today, though few people handcraft their own canoe from birch bark anymore. Over land,
Chippewa people used dogs as pack animals. (There were no horses in North America until colonists
brought them over from Europe.) Today, of course, the Chippewas also use cars... and non-native people
also use canoes.
10. What was Ojibway food like in the days before supermarkets?
Ojibway bands lived in dierent environments, so they didnt all eat the same food. Woodland Chippewas
were mostly farming people, harvesting wild rice and corn, shing, hunting small game, and gathering
nuts and fruit. The Plains Ojibwa were big-game hunters, and bualo meat made up most of their diet.
11. What were Ojibway weapons and tools like in the past?
Ojibway warriors used bows and arrows, clubs, ails, and hide shields. Hunters also used snares, and when
Plains Ojibway men hunted bualo, they often set controlled res to herd the animals into traps or over
clis. Woodland Chippewas used spears or shhooks with sinew lines for shing, and special paddles
called knockers for ricing.
12. What are Ojibway arts and crafts like?
Ojibway artists are known for their beautiful beadwork, particularly oral designs. Other traditional
Ojibway crafts include birch-bark boxes, baskets, and dreamcatchers. Like other eastern American Indians,
the Ojibways also crafted wampum out of white and purple shell beads. Wampum beads were traded as a
kind of currency, but they were more culturally important as an art material. The designs and pictures on
wampum belts often told a story or represented a persons family.
13. What kinds of stories do the Chippewas tell?
There are many Ojibway legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Ojibway Indian
culture. Many traditional Ojibway stories taught important lessons to children. Others were just for fun.
4

Chapter 2
Nurses Song
1.

Ask the students what they can remember about William Blake and his poemsfocussing on his themes
of childhood and a happy outdoor life.

2.

Explain that the nurse in the poem is an ayah, not a medical nurse.

(Pages 1011)
1.

Teach the new words and explain and practise the pronunciation of ed.

2.

Read the poem.

3.

Ask the children to reread the poem and decide who is speaking in each verse. (verse 1: poet, verse 2: nurse,
verse 3: children, verse 4: nurse, verse 5: poet)

4.

Ask the students why the nurse wants the children to go home. (its getting late) Ask why the children do
not want to go home. (it is not dark; the birds and sheep are not yet sleeping)

(Page 12)
1.

Ex A. Answer by referring to the text.

2.

Ex B. 1. Already discussed.
2. For rhyme with bed and also for rhythm.
3. Ask the students to identify the rhyming patterns.
4. Encourage students to give their views with reasons. Ask for any phrase or feeling they make like/dislike
as well as commenting on the general theme.

3.

Ex C. Talk about the dierences between the pairs of words and ask for examples of their correct use.

4.

Ex D. Nurse/ayah/nanny/nursemaid/babysitter all look after young children. Governess is a private

teacher; housekeeper makes sure a house is run properly.

Chapter 3
The Boy with an Answer (Page 22 )
1.

Teach new words.

2.

Explain that this is a folk tale and so there is no authors name given.

(Pages 1314)
1.

Read to made Vadim quite lazy. Ask students what sort of character Vadim is. (spoiled, clever, popular,
cheeky, lazy)

(Pages 1415)
1.

Read text. Ask students to comment on how Vadim replied to the stranger. (not very polite to an older
person) Was the old man annoyed? (No, but he thought Vadim was wasting his intelligence and talents)

(Pages 1617)
1.

Read text. Ask the students how a poem can be stronger than magic. Do they think the old man is tricking
Vadim? Do they think the woman is good or bad?

(Page 18)
1.

Read text. Was Vadim polite to the old woman? How did she react?

(Page 19)
1.

Read to You may have either. Ask students which they would choose; which would be more useful.

2.

Finish reading the page. Does Vadim behave as we would expect him to? What do students think will
happen next?

(Pages 2021)
1.

Ask students to comment on Vadims answer. Is his future bright? Was the meeting real or a dream?

(Pages 2223)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions (1. c; 2. b; 3. b; 4. a)

2.

Ex B. Ask students to explain the meanings in their own words (1. no siblings 2. has his own way, not liked
3. a powerful ruler 4. said to himself silently many times 5. made himself feel as brave as possible).

3.

Ex C. Students should write the words, spelled correctly. (chief, thief, height, neigh, relief, mischief).

4.

Ex D. Use a set of atlases; if necessary, teach students how to use the index at the back of the atlas to nd
the places mentioned. Ask for any additional information about the places that the students might have.

Geneva in Switzerland and is French speaking

Andes very high mountains in South America; Spanish speaking
Sahara desert in North Africa
Mt Etna live volcano o the coast of Italy
Nile very long river in Egypt, site of the Pyramids; Arabic is spoken
Java the largest of the Indonesian islands
Grand Canyon huge rift in the mountains in North America
Bolivia South American country; Spanish speaking

Chapter 4
The Poet and Jester
1.

Explain that this continues the story of Vadim; revise the predictions he heard on the mountain.

2.

Explain that a jester is a person who is employed to make people laugh; often they were also very wise
people. If Vadim is the poet, who do students think is the jester?

(Pages 2425)
1.
6

Read text. Ask students to comment on the way Vadim behaves when he meets Mikhailovich; is it his

usual behaviour? (no, more polite) If not, why is he behaving in this way? (He wants his help.) Does
Mikhailovich like Vadims poetry? Is he going to help him?

(Pages 2627)
1.

Read to no news from Mikhailovich. Discuss how Vadim feels. What might he do?

2.

Read to the end of page 27. Ask students whether this behaviour is more typical of Vadim. (cheeky, tricky)

(Pages 2829)
Read text.
1.

Ask students why the people are so delighted? Why is the king embarrassed?

(Pages 3031)
1.

Read text. What do the students think Vadim might do? What might be in the package? Is it a poem?

(Pages 3233)
1.

Read the text. Ask students to explain the trick. Was this typical of Vadims nature to make somebody
look stupid?

2.

Who do the students think is the jester? (Vadim he has made people laugh, particularly by making
somebody proud look stupid.)

3.

Ask the students to look at the words in the box and then to nd the words as they are used in the text.
Read out the sentences containing the words and see how the meanings t.

(Page 34)
1.

Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. Refer to the text if students are unsure and see the expression in context. (1. decided 2. surprised/
shocked 3. get revenge/repay for harm suered 4. separate/on ones own/not part of the crowd 5. a secret
plan 6. escape with little or no punishment 7. was not made to feel embarrassed)

3.

Ex D. Talk about the dierences between the dierent terms. Ask students to talk about magicians etc. they
have seen. You could tell them about the famous Houdini (see below).
Houdini initially focused on traditional card acts. At one point he billed himself as the King of Cards
and King of Handcus. One of his most notable non-escape stage illusions was performed in Londons
hippodrome: he vanished a full-grown elephant (with its trainer) from a stage, beneath which was a
swimming pool.
From 1904 and throughout the 1910s, Houdini performed with great success in the United States. He
would free himself from handcus, chains, ropes and straitjackets, often while hanging from a rope or
suspended in water, sometimes in plain sight of the audience. In 1913, he introduced perhaps his most
famous act, the Chinese Water Torture Cell, in which he was suspended upside-down in a locked glass and
steel cabinet full to overowing with water. He held his breath for over 3 minutes.
He explained some of his tricks in books written throughout his career. In Handcu Secrets (1909)
he revealed how many locks and handcus could be opened with properly applied force, others with
shoestrings. Other times, he carried concealed lock picks or keys, being able to regurgitate small keys at
will. When tied down in ropes or straitjackets, he gained wiggle room by enlarging his shoulders and chest,
and by moving his arms slightly away from his body, and then dislocating his shoulders.
7

Chapter 5
Sir Nicketty Nox (Pages 3536)
1.

Read the title; explain that Sir is the title given to a knight. Talk about medieval knights, their armour, their
reputation for bravery and chivalry.

2.

Ask students to read the poem themselves, referring to the box for unfamiliar words. Ask them how this
knight is dierent from the usual image of a knight.

3.

What do they notice about the last two lines of all the verses? (They all rhyme.)

(Page 37)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions, giving textual reference where possible to support answers.

2.

Ex B. Tell the students that you want them to be as quiet as mice. Explain that a comparison like this, using
as is called a simile. Can they think of other similes if so, write some of them on the board; give clues if
necessary, e.g. as cold as ice, as white as a sheet/snow, as good as gold. Using words from each of the boxes,
ask the students to make similes and use them in sentences. E.g. the earth was as dry as a bone; the mans
head was as round as a ball; his hair was as black as coal; Mr Jones was as proud as a peacock; The cake was
as light as a feather; Vadim was as sly as a fox.

3.

Ex C. Ask the students to nd the rhyming words (lacked/cracked, fact; knight/sight; sea/three, be; gauge/
rage, age).

4.

Ex D. Talk about royal titles and ranks, including local ones.

Chapter 6
The Toads Warts (Page 44 )
1.

Ask the students to read the words in the box and their meanings. Close books and test their learning by
reading a meaning and asking students to supply the word.

(Page 45)
1.

Ex D. Use a globe or atlas to explain where Myanmar(Burma) is in relation to Pakistan. Talk about the
capital (Rangoon/Yangon) and the importance of the Irrawaddy river.

2.

Ask the students what they know about toads (see information below). How are they like/unlike frogs?
Toads are amphibians, animals that spend the early part of their lives under water (as eggs and tadpoles)
and the remainder on land. These nocturnal animals hunt at night and spend the day sheltered in a cool
spot. Toads spend less time in the water than frogs. Toads are found all over the world except polar
environments and Australia.
Anatomy: Toads have poison glands (called parotids) behind their eyes, a chubby body, and shorter legs
than frogs. Toads have no teeth, and most toads have warty skin. The largest toads are over 8 inches (20
cm) long. Females are larger than males.
Life cycle: Like all amphibians, toads must return to the water to lay their eggs. Toad eggs are laid in the
water. When they hatch into tadpoles, they breathe with gills and swim using a tail. As they mature, they
lose their tail, and they develop lungs for breathing air.
Diet: Toads eat insects and other small animals, catching them with their long, sticky tongue.

(Pages 3840)
1.

Read to hole in the side of the house. Ask the students to describe the chain reaction that is taking place.
This is sometimes called the buttery eect. (The phrase refers to the idea that a butterys wings might
create tiny changes in the atmosphere that ultimately cause a tornado to appear (or, for that matter,
prevent a tornado from appearing). The apping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of
the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale phenomena.)

2.

Ask students to predict what will happen next.

(Pages 4041)
1.

Read text. Elicit that the woman is now following the chain of events back. Where will it stop? (prawn).

(Pages 4143)
1.

Read to cold or hot water? Why is this a stupid question? (prawns live in cold water).

(Page 43)
1.

Read. Was the toad involved in the initial action?

(Page 44)
1.

Read. Was the prawn punished? (Yes, it was eaten). Discuss whether the toad was treated fairly.

(Page 45)
1.

Ex A. Ask students to order the sentences (7,5,6,9,3,11,4,8,1,10,2).

2.

Ex B. Students may need to look back at the text. Ask them to also say when it would have been said. (bat,
elephant, snake, son, prawn)

3.

Ex C. Find the groups and discuss shades of meanings within the groups.(angry, annoyed, furious, irate;
race, hurry, hurtle, dash; shock, daze, astonish, shun). Ask students to put the words into sentences.

4.

Activity. Create own chain story in groups of about 6 students. Students decide what animals/people are
involved and how each of them reacts, and the consequence. For e.g. One day a dog chased a cat up a tree;
the cat scared a bird who ew into the path of a horse pulling a cart..). Students can tell their stories to
the class or act them out with a narrator if necessary.

Chapter 7
Send Three and Four Pence (Page 56)
1.

Teach the new words.

2.

Explain that this is another story involving a chain of people.

3.

Discuss with students how stories can change as they are passed on from one person to anotherthe
details change, they may become exaggerated etc. Students may have experience of this.

4.

Ask students to keep count of how many people are involved in the message in the story as they read it.

(Pages 4647)
1.

Read to Tibby was. Why was Ruth upset? (She thought the request was unreasonable; she didnt want her
teacher to be angry with her.)

2.

Ask students why the teacher might have asked for a dead frog.

3.

Explain that put to sleep is a euphemism and describes when very sick animals are given a lethal injection
to end their suering and pain. They go to sleep and never wake up again.

(Page 48 )
1.

Read text. Why does Mike say Operation frog successful. Over and out? (He is treating it like a secret
military mission; over and out is used when people communicate by walkie-talkie.)

2.

Why was Ruth trembling? (She was scared of the teacher.)

(Page 49)
1.

Read text. What goes wrong? How is this like the previous story? (There are unforeseen consequences of
an action.)

2.

What do students notice about the term Froggo was arrested while trying to leave the classroom? (It makes
him sound like a human criminal.)

3.

Check how many people are involved so far and write the names on the board; in one column write Ruth
Dixon, Mike Dixon, and in another write Miss Middleton.

(Pages 5051)
1.

Read text. What change has been made in the message? (frog/dog) Who else has become involved? (Derek
Bingham and headteacher) Add names to the lists.

(Pages 5256)
1.

What changes have been made in the message now? (dead frog-dead dog; red sock-red frock) Who else
has become involved? (Tim Hancock, Sue Nixon, Pauline Bates, Miss Wimpole, Moira Thatcher, June
Nicholls). Add the names to the lists. Keeping those who passed on the message separate from the others.

2.

Why does Moira say Yeth? (brace on her teeth).

(Pages 5657)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. Explain that these are mostly colloquial expressions or idioms and do not translate directly. (At
Mrs Todds house; joking/teasing me; gave a hand sign that it was successful; place in England famous for
international tennis tournament; cant remember the persons name; has wires on the teeth to straighten
them)

3.

Ex C. Ask the students to read the phrases without the lisp.

4.

Explain the title: A company of soldiers was taking part in a battle; the enemy was close and it was time to
move nearer to them, but the ocer needed more men to support them. He whispered the words Send
reinforcements, were going to advance, to the next soldier and asked him to pass the message on down
the line. By the time the message reached the end of the line the last man heard, Send three and four
pence, were going to a dance.

10

5.

Ex D. Try whispers round the class.

6.

Try word ladders: by changing one letter at a time, change from e.g. stop chin (stop, shop, ship, chip,
chin). Ask students to make their own word ladders for their friends to try.

Chapter 8
The Frog and the Bird (Page 59)
1.

Teach the new words. Note that bough is not pronounced like other ough words.

(Page 58)
1.

Read the poem. Note that it is written in couplets.

2.

Ask the students to comment on the tone of the poem. (light)

3.

Ask if this is simply a fun poem or is there any message. (We cant put ourselves in other peoples shoes.)

(Page 60)
1.

Ex A. Ask the students to say if the statements are true or false; if false, give correct version. (1. F/up 2.
F/die 3. F/knew 4. F/eating 5. F/seemed to reach).

2.

Ex B. Ask students to look through the poem to nd the words (frog sleek, croak, swim, lazy, forlorn,
yellow, speckled; bird perch, pipe, y, high, chirp.)

3.

Ex C. stream quiet, little; asleep almost; bough high; bird perched, chirped; streamlet up to the
brim; frog forlorn, little, green, sleek, speckled, bright yellow eyes.

4.

Ex D. Students could carry out the research on pond life, perhaps with a cross-curricular link to science.
They could make a wall display.

5.

Students could learn the poem and narrate it in 3s with a narrator.

Chapter 9
Natashas Doll
1.

Revise the story of Baba Yaga in Bk 4where she lived, what she was like and what she liked to eat.

(Page 73)
1.

Learn and test the new words; students should make sentences with them after reading through the words
and meanings.

(Page 61)
1.

Read the text. Discuss how Natashas life is similar/dierent from the girl (Karen) in the previous story.
Why did she feed the doll? Why was she told not to tell anybody about the doll?

(Pages 6263)
1.

Read to close to her chest. Ask the students what they would have chosenthe stepmothers anger or
visiting Baba Yaga? They should give reasons for their choice. Why does she take the bread with her?

11

(Pages 6366)
1.

Read to like lanterns. Describe the horsemen; what might they represent?

(Pages 6668)
1.

Read to breakfast. How does Baba Yaga treat Natasha? Predict how she will get the work done.

(Pages 6870)
1.

Read to pleasant day she had. Who did the work? Why did Natasha think the day was pleasant? (There
were no step sisters to be mean to her.)

(Pages 7071)
1.

Read to the older you grow. Ask students to oer explanations of this. (e.g. the more you know, the more
you worry)

2.

Continue to read the text. How does Natasha almost make a mistake? How does she cover it up? How
does this help her to escape from Baba Yaga? (She says she is blessed.)

(Pages 7273)
1.

How is the end surprising? Do students think that the stepsisters and stepmother deserved this end?

(Page 74)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions with reference to the text to support answers.

2.

Ex B. Students can refer to the text or use their own words. (1. tightly to her chest 2. as if in pain 3. the
doll helped her 4. like bright stars 5. white 6. noisily 7. with a scream/angrily).

3.

Ex C. Ask for the dierences in meanings and students may wish to demonstrate the dierent ways of
talking. Stress that these words should be used instead of said in written work.

4.

Ex D. Ask students if they have any stories to share with the class.

Chapter 10
Malisha and Akulya (Page 85)
1.

Teach the new words.

2.

Ask students if they ever argue with their friends. What about? How long does it last? Do they make
friends again afterwards?

3.

Explain that Easter is a Christian festival that takes place in the Spring but that the date is not always the
sameit depends on the moon.

4.

Explain that the story is written by a famous Russian author, Tolstoy.

(Page 75)
1.

12

Read to the last line. How were the girls dressed? Why were they wearing their best clothes? (for Easter)
Ask students to predict what might happen.

(Pages 7677)
1.

Read to if you can. Talk about how well the girls are playing together and taking care of each other.

2.

Read to the end of the page. Discuss how the mood has changed. (they begin to quarrel)

(Pages 7879)
1.

Read the text. Why was Akulyas mother cross? Predict what might happen between the two mothers.

(Page 80)
1.

Look at the illustration on page 81; what is happening?

2.

Read the text. Who is involved now? (the whole village) Whose side will the grandmother take?

3.

Look at the picture again; ask students to say where the two girls are and what they may be doing.

(Pages 8283)
1.

Read to as if in tow. Predict what the villagers will nd.

(Pages 8385)
1.

Why were the girls wiser than the adults?

(Page 86)
1.

Ex A. Refer to the text to say if the sentences are right or wrong and correct those that are false. (1R, 2R,
3W, 4W, 5W, 6W, 7W, 8W)

2.

Ex B. Explain that these are more idioms that cannot always be translated directly without losing their
meaning. 1. When tempers are ercest 2. supporting one of the people involved in a dispute 3. after some
time 4. a lot of spectators 5. a verbal argument turns into physical ghting 6. walked behind as if pulled by
a rope.)

3.

Ex C. Discuss the dierences between the words and use them correctly in sentences.

4.

Ex D. Ask students to discuss the moral of the story.

Chapter 11
The Speed Track (Page 88 )
1.

Teach the new words.

2.

Check that students understand how the hands on the clock move the minute hand completes one
circle every hour; the hour hand completes one circle in 12 hours. This means the minute hand moves 12
times faster than the hour hand.

(Pages 8788)
1.

Read the poem. Identify the rhyming pattern as rhyming couplets.

2.

Ask students to count how many syllables there are in the rst line (14); ask them to choose another
line and count the syllables. (It should be 14.) Ask them how many beats there are in each line. (7) Ask
if the rst beat is on the rst word of the line or the second. (second) Remind students that they should
13

not always stress these beats too obviously because it can make the poem sound very sing-song and less
interesting than a more natural delivery.

(Page 89)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. With closed books, list on the board the dierent words associated with measuring time and speed.
When student ideas are exhausted, look at Ex B and see if there are any extra terms there. Discuss what the
terms mean.

3.

Ex C. Remind students that similes can be written using as.as... and ask for a couple of examples.
Explain that they can also be written using like to make the comparison. Give them a few minutes
of thinking time and then share their suggestions; there are no correct answers but some may be more
eective than others. Students could vote on this.

4.

Ex D. 1. 5 past 1
2. 604800. Students may need calculators to work out the answer to this.

5.

Students can learn the poem and read in pairs or 3s with a narrator.

Chapter 12
Aladdins Magic Lamp
1.

Refer back to the 1001 Nights and revise why the stories were told. Explain that this is another of the stories
from the collection. Explain that in these stories the magical witches and fairies of European stories are
replaced by Djinns/Genies.

(Page 100)
1.

Teach the new words.

(Pages 9091)
1.

Read to in the strangers company. Ask the students to comment on the fact that Aladdin trusts a complete
stranger. What two words from the text would sum up Aladdins character? (simple fellow)

(Pages 9192)
1.

Read to it will protect you. Comment further on Aladdin, e.g. he does not ask why he might need protection;
even though he is becoming suspicious, he still does as the stranger asks.

2.

Students may be familiar with the magic words for opening the cave Open Sesame.

(Pages 9293)
1.

When does Aladdin start to become wiser? (Let me get out rst.) How would he feel in the cave?

(Pages 9495)
1.

14

Read to sell it in the market. Ask students how Aladdin could have got food without selling the lamp. (the
genie of the ring)

(Pages 9596)
1.

Read to comfortable life indeed. Do students think that Aladdin and his mother have made good use of the
lamps power? What would they have asked for?

(Pages 9697)
1.

Read to told her father. Discuss if this is the happily ever after ending typical of fairy stories. Remind them
that this is one of the 1001 Nights stories so it has to continue. Ask students to predict where new danger
might come from.

(Pages 9798)
1.

Read to How miserable Aladdin felt now. What could Aladdin do now to save his wife?

(Pages 98100)
1.

Does the story have a happy ending? Ask whether Aladdin should have been more honest with his wife.

2.

Ask students to imagine that they are Scherazade telling the story to her husband; where would they pause
the story each night to maintain the suspense? Students should reread the story and mark 4 or 5 moments
of suspense where it would be good to halt the story at night. Discuss their answers if they do not agree.

(Page 101)
1.

Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. Look up the expressions in the text and then try to reword them or explain them. (1. let out a long
breath (Phew!) to show danger had passed 2. surprised, amazed 3. became more hopeful 4. had a very
short look at something 5. thought something was very good 6. sleeping soundly)

3.

Ex C. Ask students to match words (warm-blooded; kind-hearted; fair-skinned; half-baked; tear-stained;

well-taken). What do the expressions mean? Ask students to use them in sentences.

4.

Ex D. Discuss the question; students should give reasons for their choices.

5.

Activity : students could watch scenes from the Disney lm of Aladdin if it is available. They could also act
out some of the story in groups using their own words.

Chapter 13
Haggards Crossing
Note there are no clear solutions to the mystery of this story; allow students to use their imaginations
to suggest possibilities.

(Page 110)
1.

Teach the new words. Note that debris is a word of French origin and is pronounced as debree.

(Pages 102103)
1.

Read to from time to time. Ask students what is unusual about Haggards Cross.

15

(Page 103 )
1.

Read to the end of the page. Ask students if they have any idea of what the incident might be and what the
mist is.

(Page 104)
1.

Read to somebodys cart. What might the reasons best known to himself be?

(Pages 104105)
1.

Read to He would be quite safe with them. Ask students to suggest what he might be scared of.

(Pages 105106)
1.

Read text. Look at the last two lines; what has happened to Jack?

(Page 107)
1.

Read to in the stillness. Ask students to list the odd things that have happened. (the sad music and its eect
on Jack, being stared at, Jack feeling hot, Jack feeling as if in a dream, Jack wanting to sleep)

2.

Ask students to suggest why Jack does not return to the warmth of the barn.

(Pages 107109)
1.

Read to His palms felt clammy. Why does Jack start to play? (He is scared.) How does he react to the gure
he meets? (very scared)

(Page 109)
1.

Read the text. Ask who the gure is and why he has been waiting for Jack for so long. Students should have
a variety of ideas. (He may be a ghost of a person who was killed (by Jack?) in the incident and has been
waiting for Jack, who is now dead, or the gure could represent Death).

(Page 110)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions with reference to the text.

2.

Ex B. Use dictionaries to look up the words and try to use them in sentences to show the dierent shades
of meaning.

3.

Ex C.
Answers

16

4.

Try to bring in instruments or pictures of some instruments or recordings of dierent instruments* and
talk about the instruments are played. Talk about the dierent types of instrumentsstrings (includes
piano woodwind, brass and percussion.
* The music Peter and the Wolf or Brittens Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra demonstrate dierent
instruments.

5.

Ex D. Ask the students to talk about any places they do not like to visit, or any ghost stories they know or
lms they have seen. Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens is a very popular ghost story that you could read
an extract fromparticularly the scene when Scrooge returns home from the oce.

Chapter 14
The Camels Complaint
Before reading this poem, research homework on camels could be set.

(Page 114)
1.

Teach and test the new words.

2.

Ask students to tell you what they know about camels; include two types of camel if possible and discuss
any dierences between them.

(Pages 112114)
1.

Read the poem and list the 5 things the camel complains about. (food, sleeping place, living area, having
to carry loads, his shape)

2.

Discuss each verse in the light of what students know about camels and see whether camels have true cause
to complain.

3.

Look at the rhyme pattern. Identify the internal rhymes in lines 1 and 3 and the rhymes between lines 2
and 4, 5 and 6, and that line 7 is echoed in every verse. Is the pattern the same in all verses? (yes)

(Page 115)
1.

Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. Refer to the poem to answer the questions.

3.

Ex C. There are no set answers but answers could be: fox, monkey, bat, bee, lion, lamb, kitten

4.

Ex D. Students could prepare a talk on their favourite animal to present to the class. They should have an
illustration and give a description of the animal, its habitat and its diet. Marks could be awarded and work
could be used as a classroom display.

Chapter 15
Three Men in a Boat (Page 124)
1.

Teach the new words.

2.

Explain that this is an extract from a story written a long time ago about three friends who have a boating
holiday together on a river in England.

17

(Pages 116117)
1.

Read text. Ask students to explain the problems with the two hotels? Do they seem like good reasons?
Which hotel will they choose?

(Pages 118119)
1.

Read to take you in tonight. Explain that traps (p. 118) means luggage. Ask students what problems the
men are now facing.

2.

Look at the passage on page 118 Oh well, never mindvery easily. Explain the humour in this passage
.(neither George nor Harris was prepared to share a bed)

(Pages 119121)
1.

Read to No 32 was full. Ask students to explain whether the problem has been solved or become greater.

2.

Look at the passage This old woman in her back. (p 1201) Did the womans descriptions really enliven
the journey? Explain that this is an example of sarcasm.

3.

Ask students to say how they think the men would be feeling at this stage.

(Pages 121122)
1.

Read to for the night. How bad is Harris feeling? What does he want the others to do? Do students think
this is serious or exaggeration?

2.

Explain that pop is zzy drink. Why does the narrator say that the disguise of a small boy is a very eective
one for an angel? (Small boys are not usually very angelic.)

3.

Look at the nal paragraph on page 121. Do the three men really want to frighten feeble old people or sleep
in an old barn? What is the author trying to show? (How desperate they were to nd accommodation.)

(Pages 122123)
1.

Read to the end of the story. What happened when they tried to thank the boy? (They all collapsed in a
heap.)

2.

What lessons did the 3 men learn from this experience?

3.

Ask the students what they notice about the way the story is told that is dierent from the other stories
they have read so far. Elicit that it is told in the rst personthe storyteller was actually taking place in the
action. Ask what eect this has. (makes it more immediate and vivid)

4.

Ask students to identify any passages in the story that they particularly like, and explain why.

(Page 124)
1.

Ex A. Refer to the text to answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. Ask students to nd the expressions in the text and then put them into their own words. (1. surprised
us 2. met the challenge/did not despair 3. accept basic, uncomfortable conditions 4. a large part of his
unclothed leg was exposed because the bed was too short)

3.

Ex C. Revise the correct use of speech marks, commas and capital letters referring to examples in the text
if necessary. Ask students to look at the three quotes and underline the words that were actually spoken;
these are the words that should be put inside the speech marks. Ask students to add punctuation (1. I said,

18

Oh, dont lets go in there! Lets go on a bit farther and see if there isnt one with honeysuckle over it. 2.
Well then, he said, theres the manor house just opposite. Have you tried that? 3. Oh well, never mind,
said George, two will do. Two of us can sleep in one bed, cant we?)
4.

Ex D. Talk about the meanings of the sayings. 2,3, and 4 are appropriate to the situation in the story.

5.

Activity: students may wish to act out the story using their own words or those from the text.

Chapter 16
Leisure
1.

Ask students whether they have a lot of free time, and if so, what they like to do when they have free time.
Is it important to have free time? Why?

(Page 126)
1.

Read the poem. Note that it is written in rhyming couplets. Ask students to sum up the overall message of
the poemthat it is important to take time to relax and look around us and enjoy the beauty of nature.

2.

Go through the poem verse by verse to ensure that students understand what the poet is saying. For verses
5 and 6, refer to the box on p. 128.

(Page 128)
1.

Read the note about the poet. Did he live as he advised others to live? (Yes)

(Page 129)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. Find words for the denitions (stare, beneath, woods, boughs, stars, enrich).

3.

Ex C. Ask students to underline the silent letters (gh,h,gh,t,k,b).

Chapter 17
A Tin of Pineapples
1.

Bring into class a tin of something (not one with a ring-pull top). Tell the students that you have no opener
and ask them to suggest how you might be able to open it. Establish that it could be very dicult and
possibly dangerous.

2.

Tell students that the story is another about the three men in the boat; ask what sort of behaviour they
might expect to read about.

(Pages 130131)
1.

Read the text. What do the men wish that they had? (They wished they had mustard.) What is strange
about the narrators strong desire for mustard? (He doesnt usually like it.)

2.

Look at the sentence One makes these extravagant oers in moments of excitement. Have students ever
said they would oer something very large to satisfy a simple desire e.g. Id die for a cold drink, or heard
anybody else do so?

3.

What makes the mood change? (apple tart and a tin of pineapple)
19

(Pages 132134)
1.

Read the text. How many dierent ways did they try to open the tin, and with what results?

2.

Look at the sentence It was Georges straw hat that saved his life that day. Does the reader know what
happened? In what way is this more eective than giving the details of the accident? (Imagination can be
more powerful.)

3.

Is this behaviour in keeping with the way the men behaved in the previous extract? How would students
describe the behaviour? (foolish, childish, immature).

(Page 134)
1.

Ex A. Answer questions not previously discussed above.

2.

Ex B. Refer to the text and ask students to paraphrase the expressions (normally, generally; been very
wealthy in terms of worlds; try to nd a way to break their promise and not honour the deal; made the
atmosphere depressing; almost lost his sight in one eye; was not seriously injured).

3.

Ex C. There are a number of dierent meanings for these phrasal verbs; only examples are given here;
Everything turned out well/They were well turned-out/ The car turned out into the busy road; Something
good is bound to turn up/We waited but he didnt turn up/ She had to turn up the dress because it was too
long; It was time to turn in (sleep)/We saw the car turn in to the drive/They decided to turn in the criminal
to the police; The low oer was turned down/The bed cover was turned down by the hotel sta; Turn away
your eyes/We did not want to turn away the beggar; Turn o the light to save electricity/The sight of the
wound turned him o his food/Turn o the main road at the trac lights.

Chapter 18
Fly Back to Me
1.

Talk about dierent accents and dialects; they may be able to distinguish between or even reproduce
UK and USA accents or know dierent local accents in their mother tongue. Explain that these forms
of language are usually only spoken and are dicult to write but authors sometimes do this to create the
sense of where the story is taking place and the kinds of characters involved.

2.

Ask whether any students have birds as pets, in particular, pigeons. Talk about homing pigeons and how
they are raced and also how they were used to deliver messages during times of war.

3.

Talk about the need to protect bird life and how students can provide water and food for birds in their
gardens.

(Page 144)
1.

Teach and test the new words.

(Pages 136137)
1.

Read the text. Why was Jerry unhappy?

(Pages 138139)
1.

20

Read the text. What does Jerrys mother think has happened to the bird? What is her opinion of catapults?
Why does Jerry feel guilty? How might his mother react if she knew he had a catapult?

(Page 140)
1.

How did Jerry feel when he killed his rst bird using the catapult? (stunned, rapture) Why was it important
for him to have the birds body? (So he could prove to his friends what he had done) What do we learn
about Dan and how Jerry is treated at school? (Dan is a bully but is popular; Jerry is teased about his
mothers concern for him.) Why do bullies sometimes appear to be popular? (Others are afraid that they
will also be bullied if they dont support the bully.)

2.

Look closely at the rst paragraph to out of sight. What do students notice about the way it is written?
(There are very short phrases used to build up tension as he kills the bird and then a bold statement of
fact.) Comment on the eectiveness of this technique.

(Pages 141142)
1.

Look at line 2. Was it a triumph to kill a defenceless bird?

2.

How does Jerrys mood change when he thinks he has killed Wonder? Find specic references in the text
to support the answer. (paragraph beginning with He moved away )

3.

What do the words His eyes clung to the small moving creature mean? (He couldnt take his eyes o it; he
didnt want to lose sight of it).

4.

Why was the bird limping? (injured)

(Page 143)
1.

Read the text. Was Jerry the only one happy to see Wonder again? (no, other birds too)

2.

Why is breaking the catapult described as childish but masterful? (acting on impulse like a child but does
it in a very denite and eective manner)

3.

Does his mother react to the catapult in the way the students had previously predicted; if not, why not?

4.

What important lesson has Jerry learned?

(Pages 144145)
1.

Ask students to nd the new words in the text and see how they are used.

2.

Ex A. Answer the questions, using textual references for each answer.

3.

Ex B. Ask students to write the words in standard English (anything; Has Wonder come back? I dont
know; You all kill peoples chickens and things just for fun; Who do you think you can fool?/ Who do you
think youre fooling?)

4.

Ex C. Students may need to use dictionaries to complete this task.

5.

Ex D. This could be a topic for a formal debate; discuss some of the pros and cons rst and then organise
the debating teams.

Chapter 19
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
1.

Ask students to think about a place where they like to spend time when they relaxit could be a room,
a garden, another town or village etc. Ask them to think about what they see and hear there. How would
they describe the atmosphere (calm/relaxed/happy/exciting)? Do they think about it when they are away
from it?
21

(Page 147)
1.

Read about the poet. (Yeats rhymes with dates, not sheets) Explain that Nobel prizes are awarded for
excellence in literature, science, peace etc. and it is considered an extremely high honour to receive one.
Explain that this poem is about a place where the poet loves to be.

(Page 148)
1.

Teach the new words.

(Page 146)
1.

Read the poem. Is Innisfree an urban or a rural location? What clues are there in the poem to indicate
this? (garden, bees, crickets, linnets, peace, lake) What accommodation is there? (a very simple hut made
of wattle and daub)

2.

What does bee-loud mean? (The only sound is made by the bees.) Is bee-loud an eective way of making
this point? What other noise is heard there? (the waters of the lake) What are the veils of morning? (mist/
clouds)

3.

Where is the poet as he thinks of Innisfree? (on the roadway or on the pavements grey, i.e. in a city)

(Page 148)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions with careful reference to the text.

2.

Ex B. Learning the poem could be set as homework. Encourage students to recite it with feeling and respect
for the unhurried mood of the poem.

3.

Look at the rhythm of the poem and try to nd examples of how the poet has created a slow, relaxed mood.
Look at line 4 in verse 1 and line 2 in verse 3, and point out the use of alliteration, both times using the l
sound.

4.

What is the eect of repeating the opening line in the last verse? (This is to show that he has denitely
decided to go.)

5.

Students could write a similar poem about a place where they like to spend time, starting with the same
line but changing the name of the place. The poem does not have to rhyme but try to use rhythm to good
eect to reect the atmosphere of the place.

6.

Ex C. Complete the crossword.

Across: 5. black 6. roads 8. roast 9. asks 10. alps 13. banks 14. oor 15. medal
Down: 1. claws 2. scars 3. boat 4. idea 7. parent 10. asses 11. petal 12. help 13. book

Chapter 20
The Fire on the Mountain
1.

Explain that this is a folk story from Ethiopia. Show students where Ethiopia is, using a globe or atlas.
Explain that it is a country in Africa.

2.

Revise the characteristics of folk talesusually involve simple people and teach a moral or lesson.

(Page 160)
1.
22

Teach the new words and ask for sentences using them.

(Pages 150151)
1.

Read the text. What do we learn about the character of Hampton? Why does he call Arha a coward? (to
provoke him to take up the challenge) What might happen if he does? (he could die of cold) What might
persuade Arha to do it?

(Pages 152153)
1.

Read to need not fear. How can a distant re help him?

(Pages 153155)
1.

Read to followed. Do students think he will receive the reward or will Hampton back out of it?

(Pages 155156)
1.

Read to cannot claim the reward. Was Hampton right to say Arha cheated? Was the judge fair in his
judgment?

2.

Ask students what Arha can do now? Will he give up? Who might he ask for help?

(Pages 156157)
1.

Read to Leave it to me. What does more wisdom..city judge. say about what the old man thinks of
judges?

(Pages 157160)
1.

Read to the end of the story. How did the old man teach his lesson? Why was it so eective? (They felt the
dierence between smell and taste just as Arha had between see and feel on the mountain.)

(Pages 160161)
1.

Ex A. Answer the questions.

2.

Ex B. Ask students to read the possible answers carefully before they choose (1c, 2b, 3c)

3.

Ex C. Ask students to supply the homophones and use both words in sentences to show their dierent
meanings. (fare, weight, write, ere (before), feat, know, grate, brake)

4.

Ex D. Ask students what makes them happy. Write their answers in two columns, those that can be bought
and those that cannot be bought such as friends, family, sight, health, music etc. Ask students to look at the
lists and decide which are more important.

5.

A debate could be organised on the topic The best things in life are free.

Chapter 21
Sea Fever
1. Talk about the sea sound, smell, colour, bird calls, ships, etc.

23

(Page 163)
1.

Read about the poet. Explain that Poet Laureate means that he was the royal poet and would be required to
write poems for royal or national occasions. Look at the dates and elicit that he would have been familiar
with sailing ships rather than ones with engines.

Pages 162163
1.

Read the poem. What impression do we form of the poet? (loves the sea, does not crave luxury, likes a
simple life)

2.

What do students notice about the form of the poem? Note the repeated opening line in each verse and the
use of And to begin lines. Identify the rhyme pattern as AABB.

3.

Look at each verse in detail and check for comprehension.

4.

Look at line 2 of verse 3 and identify alliteration using w. Ask students to nd other examples (verse 1
line 3, verse 2 line 2 etc.) Ask students to write a sentence of their own containing alliteration.

Page 164
1.

Ex A. Answer questions with reference to the text.

2.

Ex B. wheels, gull/whale, wind, sails, seas

3.

Ex C. Refer to the poem if necessary but try rst without. (1. lonely sea 2. tall ship 3. white sail 4. grey mist
5. running tide 6. wild call 7. windy day 8. ung spray 9. blown spume 10. whetted knife 11. merry yarn
12. quiet sleep 13. sweet dream 14. long trick).

4.

Ex D. Compare the simple and lonely lives that the two poets long for and the references to birds and
nature and water.

5.

Two more of Maseelds sea poems are included below. These could be read with the students. The tone
and content of the rst can be compared with Sea Fever. Cargoes is about dierent types of ships and
contains some very descriptive writing. Students should appreciate how the rhythm changes in the third
verse.

A Wanderers Song
A winds in the heart of me, a res in my heels,
I am tired of brick and stone and rumbling wagon-wheels;
I hunger for the seas edge, the limit of the land,
Where the wild old Atlantic is shouting on the sand.
Oh Ill be going, leaving the noises of the street,
To where a lifting foresail-foot is yanking at the sheet;
To a windy, tossing anchorage where yawls and ketches ride,
Oh Ill be going, going, until I meet the tide.
And rst Ill hear the sea-wind, the mewing of the gulls,
The clucking, sucking of the sea about the rusty hulls,
24

The songs at the capstan at the hooker warping out,

And then the heart of mell know Im there or thereabout.
Oh I am sick of brick and stone, the heart of me is sick,
For windy green, unquiet sea, the realm of Moby Dick;
And Ill be going, going, from the roaring of the wheels,
For a winds in the heart of me, a res in my heels.
Cargoes
Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amethysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.
Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.

Chapter 22
Precious Treasure
1.

Tell students the title of the play and ask them what they think the precious treasure might be. What do
they consider their own most precious treasures?

(Pages 165184)
1.

Read the play. Ask students what they think the treasure is the letters, the old mans memories of his
wife, or the old man himself?
Prepare to perform the play. Students should portray the characters accurately, particularly how their
attitudes to the old man change during the course of the play.

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