Captain Pugwash

Captain Pugwash sets off in pursuit of a ship that could be carrying gold, but Cut-throat Jake is not far behind.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

Write a story about how Captain Pugwash came to be the captain of The Black Pig. How did he get the ship? Where did he find his crew?
Use the pirate paper to write a story about a new adventure that the crew of The Black Pig have?(see Resources below).
Write a set of instructions that the crew could use to do some of the tasks that Tom has to do.
Create some character profiles for a new set of pirates (see Resources below).
Captain Pugwash thinks about trying Market Gardening when he worries about Cut-throat Jake. Imagine that he did change his career to a gardener. Write a diary entry that explains what his new life would be like.
Think of different words that can be used to describe the treasure that Captain Pugwash finds on Cut-throat Jake’s ship.
Retell the story from Tom’s point of view.

Imagine what the pirates might spend their treasure on. Make a list of the things that you would buy if you found some treasure. How much would these items cost?
Can you draw a pirate treasure map and use coordinates to identify the location of the treasure and other items?

Tom spots a ship with his telescope. Can you find out how telescopes work? Could you try to make your own?
Think about why ships float. Can you design a ship / boat / raft that will hold the largest weight without sinking?
Explain the forces that are involved when Captain Pugwash walks the plank, falls into the water and then climbs into the dinghy.

Watch the animated version of the stories. Could you make your own animation based on the story?
How does the Captain Pugwash cartoon compare with cartoons and animations that you watch today? Which do you prefer? Why?

Create a storyboard for a new adventure featuring Captain Pugwash.
Look at the portrait of Captain Pugwash at the start of the book. Can you draw your own portrait of him?
Some of the illustrations in the book only use the colours black, white and blue. Can you draw your own pictures using just three colours? Could you draw the same picture using a different set of three colours? Which version do you prefer? Why?

Tom knows how to work the compass. Can you use a compass to navigate from one place to another?
Draw a treasure map for Captain Pugwash and his crew to follow.

Pirates steal treasure from people. Discuss what stealing is and how it affects those involved.