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Beyond the Bright Sea
Last updated Thursday, January 23, 2020
Author: Lauren Wolk
Date of Publication: 2018
ISBN: 1101994851
Grade Level: 5th (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Feb. 2020
Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the starkly beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift in a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow’s only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar. Crow has always been curious about the world around her, but it isn’t until the night a mysterious fire appears across the water that the unspoken question of her own history forms in her heart. Soon, an unstoppable chain of events is triggered, leading Crow down a path of discovery and danger.
| Note to readers: |
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This story takes place on islands off the coast of Massachusetts. Explain to students what weather is like there, especially in winter.
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There are a lot of nautical terms you may have to explain or skip.
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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This story take place on islands off the coast of Massachusetts. If there is a globe in the classroom, find that area.
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What is the difference between "summer/seasonal people" and "year-rounders".
Vocabulary
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milestone - an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development.
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lyric - a lyric poem or verse; word of a song.
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flotsam - the wreckage of a ship or its cargo found floating on or washed up by the sea.
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keen - highly developed; having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm.
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salvage - the rescue of a wrecked or disabled ship or its cargo from loss at sea.
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skiff - a shallow, flat-bottomed open boat with sharp bow and square stern.
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leper - A chronic, mildly contagious disease of tropical and subtropical regions.
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shortwave radio - a radio wave having a wavelength between 10 and 100 meters.
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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Why do you think Osh burns the little boat/skiff, instead of keeping it for material for the cottage?
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Why do you think people were send to the "leper colony"?
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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