TreeTops

Fiction

Oxford Level 13 Pack A

The Revenge of Captain Blood Author: Paul Shipton Range: Humorous ghost story Theme: Pirate life Teaching Notes authors: Thelma Page and Vicky Yates Synopsis Mark’s parents run a Bed and Breakfast in a seaside village. A portrait of Captain Blood, a local legend, hangs on the wall. One day he appears to Mark and enlists his help to find his buried treasure. A history professor and a TV crew have come to make a programme about the legend, but there is something about Professor Grimsdale that Mark doesn’t trust. Group or guided reading Introducing the book • Look at the cover picture. Ask: What can you say about Captain Blood? How can you tell he is a pirate? • Read the blurb on the back cover. What do you think will happen in this story? • Look at the title. What does ‘revenge’ mean? Why might a pirate want to take revenge on someone? Strategy check • Find ‘tourist’ on page 4. What is a tourist? • On page 11, find ‘lily-livered’ in a speech bubble. What does ‘lily-livered’ mean? • Find ‘researching’ on page 17. What does ‘researched’ mean? • What did the professor mean by ‘so-called pirate’? Independent reading Focus: Explain that you would like the children to think about this question as they read: How does the author show us the character of Professor Grimsdale? • Ask the children to read the story independently while individuals read aloud to you. • After they have read to you, ask the children to tell you what they have found out about the professor in their reading so far. Returning and responding to the text • Ask each child in turn to tell you a piece of evidence about the professor’s character. Turn to the pages to find what is said about him, e.g. ‘a history professor from the university’ (page 4); ‘the professor had changed’ (page 16); ‘at first he seemed nice, but then he’d grown less friendly’ (page 17). • Find similar quotations on pages 38, 44, 46, 54. How did the professor’s character change at the end of the story? Find the page that has the evidence. • What was the Captain’s revenge? Who did he need to take revenge against? Reread pages 18–20. • Do you think Mark believed in ghosts at the end of this story? Do you think his parents would believe him, if he told them what had happened?

© Oxford University Press 2014

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Fiction

Speaking and listening activities • Make copies of the scripted scene created in the writing session. Decide how many characters are needed to act out this part of the story. • Ask volunteers to read the parts. Encourage them to think about the voices the characters would use. • Notice the instructions in brackets in the script. • Ask the characters to read their words and perform the actions. • Practise performing the scene if possible with children learning their lines. • Praise children for remaining in role. Further reading activities • Ask the children to find out how the pirate died on page 31. Ask them to scan the text and make a list of phrases associated with pirates, such as ‘walk the plank’. • Provide copies of Spooky! by Michaela Morgan or Black Dan by Susan Gates for the children to read. Ask them to compare the ghost stories. Which story is scarier? Which one holds the reader’s attention more? Suggestions for using ICT • Ask the children to find out about pirate facts, including the code of conduct on a pirate ship. • Record the scene acted out in the speaking and listening session. Ask the children to listen to their performance and make constructive suggestions for improving it. Writing activities • Work together to create a short playscript from the scene on the beach: pages 33 to the end. • Read the book aloud and ask the children to tell you what was said. Use the words in speech bubbles. Show them how to write dialogue for a playscript, e.g. Parrot: Three paces east and… here. This is the spot! Captain: OK, lad. Start diggin’! (Mark begins to dig.) Captain: Not bad, matey, keep goin’! (Mark’s arms begin to hurt, but he goes on digging. Eventually he hits something hard. He scrapes away the sand.) Captain: (excitedly) There it be, lad. Me chest o’ gold! • Remind the children to put actions in brackets, as above, and to give directions as to how people should speak. • Ask the children to work in pairs to finish writing the scene. • End with the professor saying he will set the record straight. • Use the playscripts in the speaking and listening session. For teachers Helping you with free eBooks, inspirational resources, advice and support For parents Helping your child’s learning with free eBooks, essential tips and fun activities www.oxfordowl.co.uk © Oxford University Press 2014

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