The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch

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Every day, Mr Grinling the lighthouse keeper cleans and polishes his light to make sure it shines brightly at night. At lunchtime he tucks into a delicious and well-deserved lunch, prepared by his wife. But Mr Grinling isn’t the only one who enjoys the tasty food. Will Mrs Grinling think of a way to stop the greedy seagulls from stealing the lighthouse keeper’s lunch?

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• There are lots of interesting words in the story (e.g. brazen, ingenious, consolingly). Can you find any words that you don’t know and write a definition of them?
• Mr Grinling is an ‘industrious’ lighthouse keeper. What does this mean? Can you think of any words that mean the same thing?
• Write a recipe for something that might go into Mr Grinling’s lunch.
• Write a set of instructions that teach someone how to make a delicious sandwich for Mr Grinling’s lunch.
• The lighthouse keeper’s lunch is ‘delicious’. Can you think of any synonyms? Can you think of any antonyms?
• Retell the story from the point of view of one of the seagulls.
• The seagulls are ‘scavenging’. What does this mean?
• The lunch was ‘devoured’ by the seagulls. Can you make a list of words which show different ways that people can eat their food?
• Write a new story about Fred, Tom and Bert (the seagulls) and an adventure that they might have.
• Role-play the different characters in the story (Mr and Mrs Grinling, Hamish the cat, and the seagulls). How were they feeling at different points in the story?
• Write a diary from the point of view of Mr Grinling. Use this video to get some ideas for your work:

• Write a sequel for the book, showing how the fisherman in the boat stopped the seagulls from eating his lunch.
• There are lots of books in this series. Can you write a new story featuring these characters?
• Use this lighthouse tour video to describe the inside and outside of a lighthouse, as well as the amazing views from the top.

Maths

• Find out the weight of different items in your lunch. What is the total weight?
• Choose two types of sandwiches and make a Venn diagram to show which children like / don’t like each of them.

Science

• Plan a healthy lunch for the lighthouse keeper.
• Plan and carry out an investigation to find out the strength of different materials. Which would be best to protect the lighthouse keeper’s lunch?
• Explore the forces in action when Mr Grinling rows his boat out to the lighthouse. What forces are in action when his lunch is being carried along the wire?
• The bulb in the lighthouse is a source of light. Can you think of any more?
• Use electrical circuits to power a light. Could you add this to a lighthouse model?

Computing

• Use a paint package to decorate the lighthouse PNG image (see Resources below).
• Watch this animated version of the story. Could you make your own similar stop-motion animation?

Design Technology

• Design a device which will stop the seagulls from stealing the lighthouse keeper’s lunch.
• Create a new basket to hold the lighthouse Keeper’s lunch.
• Can you create your own working lighthouse model?

Art

• Create a new design for a lighthouse using the PDF template? (see Resources below).
• Design some different outfits that Mr Grinling can wear in the winter and the summer.

Music

• Mr Grinling likes singing sea shanties. Can you sing some of these yourself?

Geography

• Use a map / atlas to look for the locations of lighthouses in your local area.
• Find out about cliffs and other coastal features.

History

• Find out about the history of lighthouses. Why were they built? Where are they located?

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