The Explorer - Session 23 - Worksheet

Session 23 of "The Explorer" worksheet, crafted by KS2Gems in 2021, presents an array of activities designed to engage Year 6 students in thoughtful discussion, reading comprehension, and creative writing, all themed around the challenges faced by children on a journey to Manaus. The discussion questions prompt students to consider the perils the characters might encounter and to speculate on their chances of reaching their destination, while also delving into the motivations of the explorer character who is guarding them. Additionally, students are encouraged to reflect on how one character, Con, manages to surprise the others, fostering critical thinking and inference skills.

The reading activities encourage students to continue plotting a timeline of events, express their personal thoughts on the journey and the children's chances of survival, and explore each child's hopes and fears regarding the expedition. These tasks are designed to deepen students' understanding and empathy for the characters. The worksheet also incorporates a 'Grammar and Punctuation' section, where students hunt for examples of direct speech, prepositions, clauses, conjunctions, and paragraphs within the text. A 'Words to Workshop' list challenges pupils to expand their vocabulary with words like 'disdain' and 'naive'. Writing opportunities range from crafting a poem about the children's hopes and fears to composing a persuasive letter to the explorer. These exercises are aimed at honing a variety of writing skills and encouraging creative expression.