# data[].attributes.headline
Essay Question: Choose a novel or a short story or a work of non-fiction which deals with an important issue or theme. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the issue or theme is explored.  

# data[].attributes.subject
Essay Question: Choose a novel or a short story or a work of non-fiction which deals with an important issue or theme. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the issue or theme is explored.  

# data[].attributes.body
Theme of Adventure

Kensuke’s Kingdom follows Michael and his family as they embark on a daring adventure that eventually leads them to a remote island.

Throughout this journey, the book explores themes of adventure and discovery as Michael navigates through new scenarios and faces unknown dangers on the island.

The story’s portrayal of adventure encourages readers to take risks and explore the world for exciting experiences.

The theme of Family Love

When Michael is stranded on the island, he is comforted by memories of his family frantically searching for him.

These memories serve as a reminder that even when it seems like all hope is lost, family love can bring people back together no matter how far apart they may be.

This theme highlights the importance of having strong family relationships and celebrates the unconditional love between parents and their children.

Theme of Redemption

The story also explores themes of redemption and forgiveness, as Kensuke reveals his connection with World War II events which have haunted him throughout his life.

By sharing these experiences with Michael, Kenseke can finally forgive himself and move on from his past mistakes. Ultimately, this helps both characters find healing while inspiring readers to forgive those who wronged them to achieve inner peace.

The Main Characters In Kensuke’s Kingdom

Michael

Michael is the main protagonist of Kensuke’s Kingdom. He is an adventurous twelve-year-old who embarks on a sailing trip around the world with his parents, eventually stranded on a remote island.

His courage, strength of character and creative spirit allow him to survive on the island until Kensuke arrives and helps him through harrowing ordeals.

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
Why does Michael want to tell his story now?
Why was there a ‘terrible silence at the breakfast table’?
Is this an effective opening?
Michael describes his father’s plan to sail around the world as ‘inspiration driven by
desperation’. What does this mean?
Who do you think will be the best sailor and why?
Can you imagine this happening to your family? |

Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Imagine you are Michael. Write a diary entry to describe how you feel after you find out about
your father’s plan to sail around the world. Include amazing adjectives.
2. Make a list of all the ‘feeling’ words you can find in this chapter e.g. ‘creeping misery’. Use a
dictionary to look up any unfamiliar vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
What kept Michael busy on the Peggy Sue?
Do you think Michael is happy?
What is the most important theme in this chapter?
Michael sometimes felt as though ‘they were the last people alive on the whole planet’.
What does he mean?
Would you like to follow Michael’s curriculum? Why/Why not?
How do you think the ship’s log will be written? |
Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Michael is going to have all his lesson at sea from now on. Read about the school work his
mother has planned for him. Design your perfect lesson to be learned at sea! What would you
find out about?
2. How many different connectives can you find in this chapter? Make a list and then choose 3 to
use in 3 sentences of your own. (Examples: as, but, when).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sailboat Parts Explained: Overview and Names

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Survive If You Get Stranded On An Island

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Becalmed [Sea of Thieves] | Freya Catherine [Vocal & Violin/Epic Orchestral]

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
What game do Mum and Dad play at sea, and who is winning?
Why do you think Mum gets snappy when they do things wrong?
A copy of the log is included at the beginning of the chapter. What effect does this have
on the reader?
What does ‘becalmed’ mean, and is it an effective word choice?
Do you think a ship’s log is a good way to tell a story and why?
Why do you think Michael is excited to play football in Brazil? |
Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Choose 5 of Michael’s openers that you think could be improved. Write down your suggestion.
2. Read the descriptions of the photos Mum had developed on November 16th. Choose 2 to
illustrate and write the descriptions underneath.

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
What song did Michael keep singing in the darkness?
Why does Michael feel ‘strangely elated’ on the island?
What do we learn about how to survive on a desert island?
Michael describes the ‘impenetrable darkness’ of the sea. What does this mean, and is it a good choice of phrase?
How do you know we are seeing the island from Michael’s point of view? What clues can you find?
Does this story remind you of any other famous books? | Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Choose a paragraph and copy it out without any punctuation. Swap with a partner and see if
you can re-punctuate it so that it makes sense.
2. If you could take 5 items with you to a desert island to help you, what would you choose
and why?

# data[].attributes.headline
Video: Castaway (2000) Watch this trailer to help you imagine having to survive on an island. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Video: Castaway (2000) Watch this trailer to help you imagine having to survive on an island. 

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
What is Kensuke wearing when Michael first sees him?
Why is Kensuke ‘agitated’ at the beginning of the chapter?
Do you think this is a good time to introduce a new character?
Is ‘jabbering incomprehensibly’ a good choice of phrase?
Do you think Kensuke is mad? Explain your answer.
Is Michael in a ‘wretched predicament’? What will happen next?
Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Choose 10 ambitious words you don’t normally use. Look up the meaning in a dictionary and
use each one in a sentence of your own.
2. Michael wants to communicate with Kensuke but doesn’t know how. Find a way to describe
Michael’s situation.

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
Where did Michael build his Beacon?
How did Michael feel when the tanker disappeared from sight?
What is the main problem in this chapter?
Can you find 3 good words to describe Michael’s attitude?
How does the last sentence make you feel?
How do you think Kensuke ended up on the island?
Follow-up Reading Activities
1. How many time connectives can you find in this chapter? Make a list and then choose 3 to use
in sentences of your own.
2. Can you think of 5 ways to help Michael keep his spirit up when he starts to feel lonely and
homesick on the island?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Most Venomous Jellyfish In The World | World's Worst Venom | Real Wild

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
Can you describe Kensuke’s cave?
How do you think Michael feels when he see his football?
Can you think of an alternative name for this chapter?
Which words tell the reader that Michael is in agony?
How does Michael Morpurgo show the change in Michael and Kensuke’s relationship
during chapter 7?
Have you changed your mind about any of the characters? | Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Choose your favourite opener in this chapter and use it to write 10 different sentences e.g. ‘In
the dying of the light...’
2. Michael is overjoyed to see his football again at the end of the chapter. It means a lot to him.
Which of your possessions would you be overjoyed to see again and why

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CBBC Newsround: Hiroshima - A survivor's story in animation

# data[].attributes.headline
Animation: The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs

# data[].attributes.subject
Animation: The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Man Who Survived TWO Tactical Nukes (Strange Stories of World War II)

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
What amazes Michael at the beginning of the chapter?
How did Kensuke feel when he heard about the atomic bomb falling on Nagasaki?
Can you think of an alternative name for this chapter?
Michael ‘wrestled’ with his ‘conscience’. What does this mean?
Do you think Michael Morpurgo has an opinion on war/killing?
Do you know any other stories that involve WW1 or WW2?
Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Use speech punctuation accurately to write a conversation between Michael and Kensuke
regarding the message in the bottle. Think about how each character feels.
2. Read Michael’s note to his parents. Imagine you are stranded on a desert island. Write your own
message to go in a bottle. Choose your words carefully!

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
Who does Tomodachi keep losing and why?
How does Michael feel at the beginning of the chapter?
How does Kensuke link his life story to Michael’s situation?
Michael ‘grieved’ for his friendship with Kensuke. What does this mean?
Can you find examples of ‘honourable’ or ‘selfless’ behaviour?
Have you ever felt closer to a friend after a ‘reconciliation’? Can you describe why you
felt closer?
Follow-up Reading Activities
1. Kensuke has been on the island since 1945. What changes have taken place? Make a list of
inventions and changes that Kensuke won’t know about.
2. Michael wants to persuade Kensuke to come with him. Write a speech full of persuasive
language giving reasons and evidence to try and persuade Kensuke to agree.

# data[].attributes.body
Textual Analysis
Why does Kensuke paint ‘indistinct’ faces on his family?
Do you agree Kensuke is ‘stoical’. Can you find evidence?
How does the conclusion link back to the opening of the story?
It rains ‘constantly, incessantly’. Put this in your own words.
How do you think the author feels about hunting animals?
Kensuke thinks he is too old for the ‘new world’. Is he right?
Follow-up Reading Activities
1. ‘Shortly after this...’
This chapter opens with an adverb - a really effective way to start a sentence. Write 5
sentences about the story, opening each one with an adverb.
2. Write a letter to Michael Morpurgo and tell him about your favourite parts of the book. Explain
what you liked about it. You could even suggest some improvements.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. BRIEF STORY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo is a classic adventure tale for students of all ages. Filled with mystery and discovery, Kensuke's Kingdom follows the story of Michael, an adventurous twelve-year-old who finds himself stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean.

With compelling characters and a captivating plot, this literature resource can be used to generate meaningful classroom discussions around themes such as courage, friendship, and family.

To structure your time spent working through or teaching from Kensuke's Kingdom, try utilizing our planning overview, which contains lesson plan activities that provide scaffolding before introducing each chapter.

This will support you and your students to ensure each concept is fully addressed!

Related: For more, check out our article on The Golden Compass here.

The storyline of Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

After his parents decide to go on a sailing trip around the world, twelve-year-old Michael leaves England with his family in search of adventure. When fierce storms and high seas crash the boat into a remote island, Michael is stranded there for months.

He lives there alone until he meets an old Japanese fisherman named Kensuke, who helps him survive and develops a strong bond with Michael over time.

Meanwhile, Michael's family frantically searches for him at home as they sail around the globe, hoping to find their lost son.

After daring adventures involving wild animals, deadly accidents, and monstrous sea creatures, Kensuke reveals he has been looking out for Michael since World War II when he was rescued by one of Kensuke's ships during an air raid.

With this newfound knowledge, Kensuke helps reunite Michael with his family-whose love will never change-and finally allows him to leave his beloved Kingdom behind.

The Themes in Kensuke's Kingdom

Theme of Adventure

Kensuke's Kingdom follows Michael and his family as they embark on a daring adventure that eventually leads them to a remote island.

Throughout this journey, the book explores themes of adventure and discovery as Michael navigates through new scenarios and faces unknown dangers on the island.

The story's portrayal of adventure encourages readers to take risks and explore the world for exciting experiences.

The theme of Family Love

When Michael is stranded on the island, he is comforted by memories of his family frantically searching for him.

These memories serve as a reminder that even when it seems like all hope is lost, family love can bring people back together no matter how far apart they may be.

This theme highlights the importance of having strong family relationships and celebrates the unconditional love between parents and their children.

Theme of Redemption

The story also explores themes of redemption and forgiveness, as Kensuke reveals his connection with World War II events which have haunted him throughout his life.

By sharing these experiences with Michael, Kenseke can finally forgive himself and move on from his past mistakes. Ultimately, this helps both characters find healing while inspiring readers to forgive those who wronged them to achieve inner peace.

The Main Characters In Kensuke's Kingdom

Michael

Michael is the main protagonist of Kensuke's Kingdom. He is an adventurous twelve-year-old who embarks on a sailing trip around the world with his parents, eventually stranded on a remote island.

His courage, strength of character and creative spirit allow him to survive on the island until Kensuke arrives and helps him through harrowing ordeals.

Kensuke

Kensuke is an elderly Japanese fisherman who lives alone on a remote island near Michael's family's destination.

He has spent many years living in isolation and has developed a strong bond with nature. Over time he begins to warm up to Michael and share his knowledge of survival skills with him, ultimately becoming an unlikely mentor for the young boy.

Michael's Family

Michael's family includes his parents, grandmother, sister and brother, who are all out searching for him when he becomes stranded on the island.

They love him deeply and go to great lengths to find him while they sail around the world, hoping to bring him home safely.

Teaching Opportunities in Kensuke's Kingdom

Finding Adventure

Kensuke's Kingdom provides an opportunity for teaching about the thrill of adventure and discovery. The story encourages readers to embark on adventures and take risks to find excitement.

This can be used as an opportunity to teach students to follow their dreams and prepare them with the necessary skills to survive while exploring the world.

Embracing Family Love

The story also serves as a reminder of the love between family members, no matter how far apart they might be.

It is an opportunity for teachers to explore themes of family relationships and forgiveness with their students, helping them better understand how important it is to maintain these connections even when separated by distance.

Growing from Mistakes

Finally, Kensuke's Kingdom presents a chance for teachers to discuss redemption and personal growth with their students. The story highlights Kensuke's journey towards self-forgiveness, allowing him to move forward despite his past mistakes.

This is a great teaching point for students about accepting responsibility for our actions and learning from our mistakes to become better individuals.

Lesson Plan 1: Finding Adventure

Objectives

Students will explore the concept of adventure and learn about the thrill it provides.

Students will reflect on their courage and willingness to take risks to find excitement.

Students will be able to identify and prepare themselves with the survival skills needed for different explorations.

Introduction

This lesson plan is based on Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo, a thrilling story about 12-year-old Michael's journey of discovery when he becomes stranded on an island near their destination with no sign of his family.

During his time alone, he learns many important lessons from his unlikely mentor Kensuke, including the importance of taking risks to find adventure.

Main Teaching Points

In this lesson plan, we will focus on exploring the concept of adventure and its potential rewards and preparing students for any explorations they might embark upon.

Firstly, we will discuss what motivates people to go on adventures and why having that sense of curiosity within us is essential.

We will examine historical examples demonstrating how taking risks can lead to great discoveries or inventions.

Finally, we will explore how to prepare ourselves for explorations or adventures that involve going beyond our comfort zones by learning survival skills.

Reflection

To wrap up the lesson, we can ask the students reflective questions such as: What was one idea or concept you found interesting in today's discussion? How do you think adventure has changed over time?

What skills would you need if you decided to go on your experience? Are there certain things you could do now which would help prepare you for future exploration?

Key Questions

What motivates us to go on adventures?

Can we learn anything valuable from our explorations?

How do we prepare for possible dangers or obstacles during an adventurous journey?

Lesson Plan 2: Embracing Family Love

Objectives

Students will understand why it is essential for families to stay connected despite the distance separating them.

Students will discuss themes related to family relationships, such as forgiveness and unconditional support.

Students will reflect on their family relationships and better understand their significance in life.

Introduction

This lesson plan is based on Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo, which tells a heartwarming tale about Michael's search for his family while stranded on a remote island near his destination with no sign of his relatives anywhere in sight.

While waiting patiently, he discovers the power of unconditional love between family members even when separated by endless miles apart through encounters with a kind older man named Kensuke, who eventually helps him reunite with his loved ones.

Main Teaching Points

In this lesson, we focus mainly on themes related to family relationships, such as forgiveness and unconditional support shown between parents/guardians and children alike throughout the story of Kensuke's Kingdom.

We can first begin by discussing what sort of qualities make up an ideal family relationship, then move on to looking at some specific moments from

Michael's story that display examples of these qualities, such as loyalty between siblings, understanding parental guidance and finding strength during difficult times through family love.

Reflection

To conclude this session, we should ask questions like: Have there been any occasions where your family has shown unconditional love towards each other?

Is there room for improvement in your relationships that can help strengthen bonds between loved ones? What are some traits/values that make up a strong relationship between parents/guardians and children?

Key Questions

What qualities make up an ideal family relationship?

What are some examples from Michael's story that demonstrate unconditional support found within families?

How does embracing domestic love help during challenging times?

Its inspiring how Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo can serve as a powerful educational tool?

Through the narrative of young Michael and his island adventure, we open the door to a world of rich discussion around courage, friendship, and family.

Can you envision the engaging conversations and critical thinking this adventure tale could inspire in your classroom?

Utilizing our detailed planning overview with pre-structured lesson plan activities provides a roadmap to guide you through each chapter. Can you see how this scaffolding approach can help ensure your students fully understand and appreciate every concept?

FAQ

Website Resources

Here are four web pages with valuable resources for teaching the book Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo:

Twinkl: This website provides various resources to help teachers and parents guide their KS2 class in learning about Kensuke's Kingdom, including worksheets, storyboards and other activities.

MichaelMorpurgo.com: An excellent resource for students and teachers to get deeper into the story of Kensuke's Kingdom. It includes discussion questions, character analysis activities and other lesson plans that can be used to explore the themes and characters from the book even further.

Teaching Ideas: Here, there is a selection of ideas for creative activities related to this title and more traditional comprehension exercises based on the text, such as cloze readings, crosswords and word searches.

Literacy Shed Plus: Literacy Shed Plus offers extensive materials to teach English Language Arts around Kensuke's Kingdom, such as colourful posters, study guides and interactive quizzes!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kensuke's Kingdom - Planning Overview - The Teaching Couple

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo is a classic adventure tale for students of all ages. Filled with mystery and discovery, Kensuke's Kingdom follows the story of Michael, an adventurous twelve-year-old who finds himself stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean. With compelling characters and a captivating plot, this literature resource can be used to ...

# data[].attributes.body
Design a shelter to keep Michael safe on the island.

Create a plan view of Kensuke’s cave house, using information from the book to include the correct features.

Michael and Kensuke make a range of objects using materials from the island. Could you make your own clothes / equipment / tools using natural materials found on the ground?

Design a vessel that could help Michael get away from the island.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Red Turtle (French: La Tortue rouge; Japanese: レッドタートル ある島の物語, romanized: Reddo Tātoru: Aru Shima no Monogatari) is a 2016 animated fantasy drama film directed by Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit who co-wrote the film with French screenwriter Pascale Ferran.