Chapter 1
What year does the story start in?
What scene opens the chapter?
The scenes switch quickly as the chapter introduces several things, what
information is he giving the reader about the ship & its crew?
What is the feeling or tone this chapter leave you with? |
Chapter 2
What are the general feelings the Captain and crew have for each other?
|
Online Resources |
What is a fo'c'sle and what part
of a ship is it? |
How does the boy get onto the ship?
How does the boy get a name?
What are your predictions about Neb at this point? Is he better or worse off
than before? |
Chapter 3
Neb gets an unexpected friend. What do you think about his decision to let
him stay on the ship?
The author shows us the Captain brutality when he whips the five men who
went to get provisions, why?
Why is the captain so enraged with them? Why did he hurt Petros' hand? |
Chapter 4
What's the dog's name?
What poor assumption does the crew make about Neb's ability to talk?
Neb overhears their plan to murder the captain. What are Neb's options?
What happens during the murder attempt? What are Neb and Denmark's duties
now?
|
Online Resources |
find Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn,
Cape Verde Isles |
Where are the places mentioned by the
captain?
|
Chapter 5
How do the crew feel about Neb and Den?
What happens to Petros, the cook?
What picture does the author give us of the captain and the sea? |
Chapter 6
The captain sends Neb in to find out how the crew feel towards him & then
leaves Neb in the galley alone, why?
What does the captain tell Neb about how he picked his crew?
What hardships does the crew endure while trying to get around Cape Horn?
As things continue to deteriorate, what does the Captain tell Neb to do at
mealtimes? What is he protecting the boy & dog from?
Pages 44 & 45 make it clear that the captain is insane, what does he do? |
Chapter 7
What happens when the ship fails to make the pass a third time?
The author gives us a bit of foreshadowing on page 48, did you catch it?
What happens to Neb & Den? |
Poem
What does the poem tell us about the lives of Den & Neb? |
|
The Shepherd |
Chapter 8
What new thing can both the boy & dog do now?
Who finds them on the beach?
|
Dictionary |
lee, ewe, mutton |
Pg 57, what does "lee" mean here?
Who's Neptune?
|
Online Resources |
Keyword: Neptune |
|
Chapter 9
How much time has passed when this chapter opens?
|
Streaming Video |
Watch the short video clip: Working
Dogs, to see what a herding dog does |
What does Luis see on shore that
frightens him? |
Chapter 10
Neb has a flashback. What triggered it?
What happens to Luis?
Who appears to them & tell them it's time to go?
Why did the author put this scene in the book? What was he saying about the
boy & the dog's relationship with the angel?
What does the poem say about the friends lives together? |
|
The Village |
Chapter 11
How many years have passed now?
What do you think about Obadiah Smithers?
Any predictions about why they are here? |
Chapter 12
What do you think of Mrs. Winn? |
Chapter 13
Describe what happens in this chapter |
Chapter 14
What does Mrs. Winn do for the friends?
What message does Ned receive in his dream?
British FOOD,
Try it! |
try a few of the foods by Mrs.
Winn: jam poly-poly pudding and custard, apple pie and cream,
shortbread, cottage pie, porridge, rice pudding, treacle toffees,
aniseed ball, nut brittle, scone, clotted cream, crumpets |
What does Mrs. Winn tell Ned about
the village & Mr. Smithers?
Who's Jon Preston?
|
Chapter 15
What are Ben and Ned's plans for the day?
What stereotype does the author indulge in at the library?
What happens in front of the library? |
Chapter 16
What does Mrs. Winn buy for Ben?
What is the "village mentality"? |
Chapter 17
How did Mrs. Winn's meeting with the lawyers work out?
| Dictionary |
pugnacious, irate,
primping |
|
Chapter 18
| Dictionary |
revulsion, pertly,
scheme, biddy, pittance, browbeaten |
What do think about the relationship
between Wilf and his father? What about Mrs. Smithers?
|
Chapter 19
On page 134, the author allows the friends to be a little wistful about
their situation, why?
Did they find anything in the captain's room? |
Chapter 20
Ben seems to have a fear of bells, why?
Why doesn't Ben tell Ned about the meeting with Wilf? |
Chapter 21
What bits of seafaring lore does the author share through the conversation
Ben has with Jon?
What do Ben & Jon find? |
Chapter 22
What happens when Ben & Wilf meet?
Does Ben stick with his resolve to not fight? |
Chapter 23
What does Hattie tell Mrs. Winn? |
Chapter 24
What do the children find at the almshouse with Jon?
What does it mean, any ideas? |
Chapter 25
How can you tell the four compass points if you don't have a
compass?
| Dictionary |
din, defiantly,
primly |
What makes Wilf and Maud like "two
peas in a pod"?
|
Chapter 26
What does the gangs poor writing ability probable tell us about the author's
view of having a good education and being literate? |
Chapter 27
Ben is constantly letting others figure
things out for themselves, why? Why doesn't he just jump in & do it when
he's already figured it out?
Why does the author engage more & more townspeople in solving the riddle?
What does Ben find in the well? |
Chapter 28
What information do the friends uncover? |
Chapter 29
What happens when Wilf dares Ben? |
Chapter 30
What does Mr. Smithers say he's done to make sure Mrs. Winn can't prove
ownership?
What do he and Miss. Maud argue about? |
Chapter 31
What type of tree is the key to the mystery?
| Online Resources |
What does a Yew
tree look like? |
|
Chapter 32
What did they find at the location of the old smithie?
What does Mr. Smithers notice say? |
Chapter 33
What 2 decisions does Mr. Smithers make in this chapter? |
Chapter 34
Try the webpage to see some more hidden word puzzles like the one Amy found.
|
Chapter 35
Why do you think Ben is feeling oddly inside the police station? |
Chapter 36
| Online Resources |
When was the last
hanging to the US? |
|
Chapter 37
How did they find the candlesticks? |
Chapter 38
Who do we meet in this chapter? What do you think about them?
How do they find the paper with the strange lines/ |
Chapter 39
What else have they found? |
Chapter 40
Ben is happy he told the Constable about the four thugs, why? |
Chapter 41
What do they have to do to read the clue?
| Try it! |
Try making a message
using the method Amy discovered. |
|
Chapter 42
What happens to the thugs?
How does the author fell about criminals? |
Chapter 43
How do they decide where to dig? |
Chapter 44
Where's Hetty?
Who else is coming to town?
What does Mrs. Evans tell Mr. Smithers when he comes in for breakfast? |
Chapter 45-48
How does the story end?
What happens to Mr Smithers?... Mrs. Winn? ...Ben & Ned?... Jon? |
