The Wreck of the Zanzibar

'The Wreck of the Zanzibar'
By Michael Morpurgo

Karen has sent in some topic style questions about the book that could be used as individual tasks or whole class activities.

Discuss author, title, front cover & blurb - What questions do they make you want to ask? What do you think the story will be about? Do you think you are going to like the story - why/why not?
Write 5 questions you would like to ask the author Michael Morpurgo about the book.
Write 5 questions you would like to ask Laura/ Billy/ Dad etc.
Make a glossary of all the words you do not know eg gig, schooner, gannet....
Find the Scily Isles on a map of Britain.
Find and collect pictures of saling boats.
Write a letter from Laura to Billy after he has left.
Write a postcard from Billy in America to Laura.
Act out Billy and/or Dad saying whose fault all the arguments are.
Pretend to be Joseph Hannibal telling his stories from around the world.
Be Laura trying to give good reasons to persuade them to let her row in the gig.
Make a 3-masted schooner like the General Lee.
Imagine 5 photographs taken during the book - draw them.
Find out about Leatherback Turtles.
Write/tell the turtles story of how he got to Rushy Bay.
Interview the turtle about how he feels being stranded on the beach.
Think of as many reasons to stay on Bryher and reasons to leave.
Interview Billy about how he feels as the ship becomes wrecked on the rocks.
Write a newspaper report or do a 'live' news report on the rescue.
Draw a photograph to go with the newspaper report.
Write a song or poem about the dying island, the storm, the rescue, the sinking.
Make your own figurehead of Zanzibar the turtle.