Darwin's Dragons - Session 1 - Reading Comprehension

In the opening session of 'Darwin's Dragons', students delve into the reading comprehension journey with a series of questions that explore the characters and plot. They are asked to recall the name of the ship that Mr. Darwin uses, identify the role of the Ship's Fiddler and Cabin Boy from four years prior, and consider the feelings of a giant tortoise under an unusual circumstance. The questions also probe into the figurative language used in the text, such as what it means to have 'turned the colour of ship's porridge', and require students to understand why certain text is italicised in chapter 3. The session aims to encourage students to think critically about the narrative details and the intentions behind them.

The comprehension exercise continues by questioning the reasons behind the actions of the characters, such as why Mr. Darwin refers to Covington as having 'chosen a donkey' and what prompts both characters to return to the ship. Students are also asked to recount how Mr. Darwin is thrown out of the boat and to identify the first creature Covington encounters after being washed ashore. To ensure they have a firm grasp of the material, students are challenged to summarise the session in no more than 50 words, capturing the essence of the story's beginning and setting the stage for further exploration of Darwin's adventures and discoveries.