Watch at least part of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean and discuss how it makes pirates seem dishonourable and glamorous, and how it makes the navy look silly.

Read John Masefield’s poem “Sea-Fever”. Ask pupils to decide which details the poet describes that make them want to go sailing and which details put them off. Why did he choose this title?

KS 3-4

Consider Robert Browning’s poem, “Meeting at Night” and describe the night and the journey the lover must take to reach his lady. Write three or so paragraphs about the poet’s use of sound, colour and small detail, looking particularly at which lines rhyme with each other.

Chapter one of Treasure Island contains the description of the archetypal “old sea dog”. Note the details that have become synonymous with our idea of the sailor, and consider the advantages to the reader of a boy as narrator.

Read The Tempest (I.i). Explain how the language, action and character interaction convey the severity of the storm and the ship’s danger.