ghostwriter summer 2006 - bbcdownloads.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/pdfs/ghostwriter_summer... ·...

1

Ghostwriter – Summer 2006

s

Ghostwriter

Summer 2006

Age: 10-12 These programmes are available to order (for UK schools only) on pre-recorded CDs or cassettes from: BBC Schools’ Broadcast Recordings Tel: 08701 272 272 Monday to Friday 0800 to 1800 Or visit www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/howtoorder.shtml for more information Audio on demand. These programmes are also available as audio on demand from the School Radio website for 7 days following the original date of transmission. Refer to programme titles below to find out when programmes are available as audio on demand.

bbc.co.uk/schoolradio

© This publication contains only BBC copyright material: its contents may be copied or reproduced for use in schools and colleges without further

permission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/howtoorder.shtml

2


Ghostwriter

Summer 2006 Introduction 3 Unit 1: The Clinton Street crimewave 1 Two robberies 6 AOD 06/04/2006 – 12/04/2006 2 The red glove 8 AOD 13/04/2006 – 19/04/2006 3 Throught the skylight 10 AOD 20/04/2006 – 26/04/2006 4 The abandoned building 12 AOD 27/04/2006 – 03/05/2006 5 Helping out 14 AOD 04/05/2006 – 10/05/2006 Unit 2: Digging for clues 6 The pendant 17 AOD 11/05/2006 – 17/05/2006 7 Who is ‘Maartje’ 19 AOD 18/05/2006 – 24/05/2006 8 Treasure hunt 23 AOD 25/05/2006 – 02/06/2006

3


Introduction

Ghostwriter is produced by BBC School Radio in collaboration with Children’s Television Workshop, New York, USA. Each episode is 10 minutes long. It’s an action-packed adventure story which is both lively and fun. The programmes have been devised to be highly interactive, involving a great deal of classroom participation. The listeners become involved in the story as part of the Ghostwriter team, helping to solve the case. Aims of the series:

• To engage and motivate pupils, encouraging them to develop their listening skills

• To stimulate ideas and skills for creative writing • To stimulate discussion, as a direct result of listening to the mystery

unfold (for example analysing the clues and predicting what they mean) • Stimulating the children’s imaginations, to offer ideas for solving the

mystery • To further develop vocabulary and language, by investigating the

meaning of new and unfamiliar words • To introduce words that come from a different dialect and culture

National Curriculum: Ghostwriter fulfils several objectives of the National Curriculum English programmes of study at Key Stages 2 and 3 in England and Wales and the equivalent levels in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In particular:

• Speaking – speak with confidence in a range of contexts, for a range of purposes

• Listening – to identify the gist of an account or key points in a discussion and evaluate what they hear

• Listening - Recall and re-present important features of an argument, reading or radio programme

• Group discussion and interaction – to qualify or justify what they think after listening to other’s questions or accounts

• Language variation – pupils should be taught about how language varies: according to context and purpose (e.g. choice of vocabulary)

The programmes also support word, sentence and text level objectives of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) at Years 5 to 7, an in particular offer a range of activities suitable for those needing additional support at this level. Additionally the series promotes many aspects of Citizenship, for example through the concern of the Ghostwriter team for the local environment and for the many people that they help.

4


Who is ‘Ghostwriter?’ Ghostwriter began as a character in a television series which was developed to stimulate children who were having difficulty developing literacy skills. In the television series he is depicted on the screen as letters and phrases swirling in the air. In our audio version he has his own musical signal and the team translate his messages, reading them out, each time he appears. He’s the friend of the Ghostwriter team, a gang of school friends who get together to solve mysteries. Ghostwriter can’t speak or hear, but he can read and write anything…anywhere. For example, he can take the letters from street signs and re-arrange them into messages. The radio series was devised to encourage listening and writing skills. The series is vibrant and fun, full of music and sound effects. The setting for all the stories is New York and the style is up-beat and pacey. So you’ll need to encourage your group to listen hard, to tune in to the American accents (and some unfamiliar vocabulary) and to listen carefully for each Ghostwriter clue. There are several of these clues in each episode, so pupils will need to remain focused throughout. The clues! Children will need a pencil and paper ready to write down the clues in each episode. Each word clue is clearly signalled by a musical phrase. Each time the children hear the signal they should write down the word or phrase that follows. By the end of the episode they should have compiled a list of clues in their casebook, which will help them solve the mystery. A full list of all the clues is provided in these notes. (Sometimes clues are repeated at the beginning of an episode, but all clues should be written down anyway). If you are using the programmes from CD you can pause them at clue points, to allow more time for writing (or even rewind to play it again). However, you may feel that if pupils know they won’t get a second chance to hear a clue it will help to keep them focused. Casebook ‘Solve the crime’ worksheets: One of these has been produced for each episode, allowing space to write down each clue. There are also a series of comprehension and story recall questions to answer. The questions section should only be used at the end of the programme as a recall process, rather than be filled in during the listening time. You could hand the sheets out after the programme, or fold the questions over, so that the children are only looking at the clue list as they listen. The Ghostwriter team: There are five members of the team: Alex, Hector, Lenni, Gaby and Tina. All the characters were played by children from the American School in London.

5


Character profiles: Alex Fernandez. Age 12. His family come from El Salvador. He likes to think of himself as good-looking and a favourite with the girls. He has pen-pals all over the world. Gaby Fernandez. Alex’s younger sister, aged 9. She is well-read and bright – a source of occasional annoyance to Alex. Both Gaby and Alex can speak Spanish as well as English. Lenni Frazier. Age 12, born in America. She lives with her father Max, who is a jazz musician. Lenni is a great fan of music too. Tina Nguyen. Age 10. Her parents are Vietamese. She has a sharp nose for news, and often produces documentaries for the school video circuit. Hector Carrero. Puerto Rican, 9 Years old. Has a ‘never give up’ attitude. He loves baseball and likes collecting baseball cards. Published Ghostwriter novels: ‘Digging for clues’ Amy Keyishian, Bantam Books 1994 ISBN 0553541668 ‘A match of wills’ Eric Weiner, Bantam Books 1994 ISBN 0553299344 ‘Steer clear of Haunted Hill’ by Eric Weiner, Bantam Books 1993 ISBN 0553480871 ‘Dress code mess’ by Sara St. Antoine, Bantam Books 1996 ISBN 0553480693 ‘Courting danger and other stories’ Dina Anastasio, Bantam 1992 ISBN 0553480707 ‘The Ghostwriter detective guide’, Susan Lurie, Bantam 1996 ISBN 0553480693

6


1. The Clinton Street crime wave. Part 1 ‘Two Robberies’

Synopsis: Hector and Lenni tell the story… Hector and Alex are working in Phil Reiner’s workshop. They discover that a robbery has taken place there the night before and some scrap wood has been stolen, but there is no sign of forced entry. Ghostwriter shows them a footprint of a size 5 trainer shoe. Could it belong to the burglar? They wonder if Rick, an ex-employee, could be a suspect. Meanwhile Lenni is supposed to be writing an essay on stealing, but her writing partner Jade Clintock has not turned up. Lenni goes to ask Gaby and Tina their views on stealing to get some ideas. She discovers that things are going missing from the Bodega shop, owned by the Fernandez family. Back at the workshop, the boys discover a threatening letter from Rick. So the team get together to decide what to do. Casebook clues: 1 scrap Wood 2 size five 3 tomato soup 4 baked beans 5 little old lady 6 Rick After the programme: Go through the list of clues and make sure everyone has them listed. Children can work in partners or groups. Answers to questions about the plot? 1. Who discovered the robbery at the woodworking shop? (Alex and Hector) 2. What was stolen? (Scrap wood) 3. What clue did Ghostwriter show Alex and Hector? (Size 5 shoe) 4. Who was Lenni waiting for to help her with her essay? (Jade Clintock) 5. What was Lenni’s essay about? (Stealing). 6. What was stolen at the Bodega shop? (Tomato soup) 7. Who do Gaby and Tina suspect as the thief? (Old lady) 8. Who do Hector and Alex suspect as thief at the woodworking shop? (Rick) Key words to find in the dictionary: Stealing, justified, shoplifter Discussion points: Ask the children to spend time in pairs or small groups discussing the clues from their casebooks. How do they build up a picture of the mystery? 1. Who’s been stealing soup and beans from the store? 2. Who’s been stealing from Phil’s woodworking shop? 3. Why would anyone steal scrap wood? 4. What reason can they think of why Rick might have written a threatening letter? 5. What would be the best surface to leave a footprint on to make a clear mark? Listen again! It’s possible your group is not experienced at listening to a radio drama and found the pace and unfamiliar setting hard to follow. If so, run the episode again encouraging pupils to listen out really carefully for the clues. After all, if they don’t write them down, they can’t join in and help solve the mystery!

7


NAME …………………………………..

THE CLINTON ST. CRIME WAVE – PART ONE CAN YOU SOLVE THE CASE!

CASEBOOK CLUES:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. ………………………………………………….. 4. ………………………………………………….. 5. ………………………………………………….. 6. …………………………………………………..

Questions about the mystery…

1. Who discovered the robbery at the Woodworking shop? 2. What was stolen? 3. What clue did Ghostwriter show Alex and Hector? 4. Who was Lenni waiting for to help her with her essay? 5. What was Lenni’s essay about? 6. What was stolen at the Bodega shop? 7. Who do the Gaby and Tina suspect as the thief? 8. Who do Hector and Alex suspect as the thief at the woodworking shop?

8


2. The Clinton Street crime wave. Part 2 ‘The red glove’

Remind the children to listen out hard for the clue sound and be ready to write down the word or phrase that follows. There are several reminder clues at the beginning of the episode. The story so far: There has been a robbery at Phil’s woodworking shop – some scrap wood has been stolen and Hector and Alex suspect an ex-employee Rick. Lenni was supposed to be writing an essay on stealing but Jade Clintock never arrived. Meanwhile Gaby and Tina have discovered cans of tomato soup and baked beans have been disappearing from the Bodega shop and they suspect an old lady. Synopsis: After Ghostwriter calls the team together, they split up to investigate. Alex and Hector go in search of Rick. They suspect him as thief, thinking he could well have had a key and he’s written a threatening letter too. Meanwhile Gaby and Tina keep a watch on the old woman at the Bodega. Lenni is still hoping that Jade will turn up to work on their assignment. Hector asks for Ghostwriter’s help and they are led to ‘The Marcie Residence Hotel’, where they find Rick and ask him a few questions. Gaby and Tina see a shoplifter running away fast and then find a red glove. Could this be the clue to solve the mystery? Casebook clues: 1 size five 2 scrap wood 3 Rick 4 little old lady 5 tomato soup and baked beans 6 big man 7 size eleven 8 running away fast 9 small red glove 10 ‘Two roads diverged in a wood and I…’ After the programme: Did anyone manage to write down every single clue correctly? Answers to questions about the plot: 1. How did Hector and Alex find out where Rick was working? (Ghostwriter sent them a message on a street sign) 2. Where is Rick’s new job? (Marcie Residence Hotel) 3. Is Rick still a likely suspect? (No because he wears size 11 shoes) 4. What did Ghostwriter do to help Hector and Alex? (Show them the footprint) 5. What did Gaby and Tina try to do? (Catch the shoplifter) 6. What is written on the red glove? (‘Two roads diverged in a wood and I…’) 7. Why did Hector write ‘Rally H’ (sign to ask Ghostwriter to call the team together – H stands for Hector’s name). Key words to find in the dictionary: Advertising hoarding, shabby, embroidered, diverged Discussion points: 1. What does the last clue mean? If that’s on one glove what could be on the other one? 2. If the shoplifter ran away fast from the Bodega, who could it have been? 3. What about Rick? He wore size 11 trainers, so could he be the thief who stole the wood from Phil’s shop? 4. If you are starving or cold, would it be right for you to steal to eat or keep warm? Investigate! Find a copy of Robert Frost’s poem ‘The road not taken’ and read it as a class. What ideas spring from the poem?

9


NAME …………………………………..

THE CLINTON ST. CRIME WAVE – PART TWO HELP THE GHOSTWRITER TEAM SOLVE THE CASE!

MY CASEBOOK CLUES:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. ………………………………………………….. 4. ………………………………………………….. 5. ………………………………………………….. 6. ………………………………………………….. 7. ………………………………………………….. 8. ………………………………………………….. 9. ………………………………………………….. 10. …………………………………………………..

Questions about the mystery… 1. How did Hector and Alex find out where Rick was working? 2. What is Rick’s new job? 3. Is Rick still a likely suspect? 4. What did Ghostwriter do to help Hector & Alex? 5. What did Gaby and Tina try to do? 6. What is written on the red glove? 7. Why did Hector write ‘Rally H’ in his casebook?

10


3. The Clinton St. Crime Wave – Part 3 ‘Through the skylight’

The story so far: There now appear to be two cases to solve. There’s the robbery from Phil’s woodworking shop of the scrap wood (it now appears Rick can’t be the culprit) and there’s the disappearing cans of soup and beans from the Bodega (and the little old lady seems out of the frame!) Will the embroidered clue on the red glove be able to help? Synopsis: The team get together to review the clues. They ask Ghostwriter to help them find the other red glove. He tells them ‘it’s still with the thief I guess’. They decide the embroidered clue is a line from a poem and set out to find it, asking for Ghostwriter’s help. The girls make a visit to the library and the boys return to Phil’s shop to re-check for clues. Hector and Alex discover more wood has been stolen and they find another size 5 footprint. Gaby and Tina search some poetry anthologies and Ghostwriter shows them the poem ‘The road not taken’ by Robert Frost. Casebook clues: 1 Hammond Lumber 2 skylight 3 someone small 4 ‘I took the one less travelled by…and that has made all the difference’ 5 other glove 6 a short man After the programme: Review the clues for this episode. Answers to questions about the plot: 1. Who went back to look for clues at Phil’s woodworking shop? (Hector & Alex) 2. What did they discover when they got there? (Some cherry boards had been stolen and there’s another size 5 footprint.) 3. Who climbed up to the skylight in Phil’s shop? (Hector) 4. What did he see in the abandoned building next door? (A short man) 5. How did Gaby and Tina solve the clue on the first red glove? (They went to the library and looked at some poetry books, asked for Ghostwriter’s help) 6. Who was the poem written by? (Robert Frost) 7. At the end of the episode who called the rally to get Ghostwriter’s help? (Alex wrote ‘Rally A’). Key words to find in the dictionary: lumber, skylight, contents, abandoned Discussion points: 1. Who is the short scruffy man in the abandoned building next to Phil’s shop? Could he be the thief? 2. What do you think Ghostwriter will find near the other red glove? 3. How will that help discover the person shoplifting from the Bodega? Investigate! What shoe size do people wear in the class? Make a selection of class footprints and compare a size 5 to a size 11 – what does that tell you about the person? What is the most common shoe size in the class?

11


NAME …………………………………..

THE CLINTON ST. CRIME WAVE – PART THREE LISTEN OUT FOR THE CASEBOOK CLUES!:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. ………………………………………………….. 4. ………………………………………………….. 5. ………………………………………………….. 6. …………………………………………………..


1. Who went back to look for clues at Phil’s woodworking shop?

2. What did they discover when they got there? 3. Who climbed up to the skylight in Phil’s shop? 4. What did he see in the abandoned building next door? 5. How did Gaby and Tina solve the clue on the first red glove? 6. Who was the poem written by? 7. At the end of the episode who called the rally to get Ghostwriter’s help?

12


4. The Clinton Street crime wave. Part 4 ‘The abandoned building’

The story so far: Gaby, Tina and Lenni are trying to find the second red glove and they have discovered the words are part of a poem by Robert Frost. Hector climbed up into the skylight at Phil’s store and saw a short scruffy man in the abandoned building next door; they wonder if he is connected to the robberies. Synopsis: The Ghostwriter team have called a Rally to review the facts of the case. Ghostwriter appears on the computer telling the team ‘I have a found a name, Hammond Lumber’. The team wonder if they’re looking for one thief not two. Then Lenni and Gaby realise that the glove is small so they ask ‘could be a woman’s glove?’ Ghostwriter provides them with another clue ‘Waverley House’, the name of the building next door. Lenni spots Jade Clintock in the street and goes off to speak to her, but she disappears down a side street. The team enter the abandoned building to search for clues and find some of the scrap wood from Phil’s shop with the ‘Hammond Lumber’ tags, as well as some empty cans of food. Ghostwriter spins the words on a school book to spell a name. The door opens and they meet the scruffy person who calls himself Joshuha Clintock. Casebook clues: 1 other glove 2 Hammond Lumber 3 someone small 4 Waverley House 5 scrap wood 6 Josuha Clintock After the programme: Review the clues written down. Answers to questions about the plot: 1. What were the words that Ghostwriter found near the red glove? (Hammond Lumber) 2. Who did Lenni see outside in the street? (Jade Clintock) 3. What is the name of the abandoned building? (Waverley House) 4. What stolen items do the team find inside? (scrap wood, empty cans) 5. What is the name of the scruffy man? (Josuha Clintock) 6. Where did Ghostwriter write his last message? (on an exercise book) Key words to find in the dictionary: suspicious, dishonest, desperate Discussion points: 1. Whose name could be on the cover of the exercise book? 2. Where does Josuha Clintock fit in? Who do you think he could be? 3. Why is he be living in an abandoned building? 4. Are the team looking for one or two thieves? 5. What do you think will happen next? What possible story ideas can you come up with? Listen again! This is quite a dense episode and the plot unfolds quickly. If the class have found it difficult to keep up, then play the episode again allowing them time to check their clues, and write down any they have missed. Can they find any additional evidence to help solve the mystery?

13


NAME …………………………………..

THE CLINTON ST. CRIME WAVE – PART FOUR STAY ON THE CASE WITH THE GHOSTWRITER TEAM!

CASEBOOK CLUES:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. ………………………………………………….. 4. ………………………………………………….. 5. ………………………………………………….. 6 …………………………………………………….


1. What were the words that Ghostwriter found near the red glove? 2. Who did Lenni see outside in the street? 3. What is the name of the abandoned building? 4. What stolen items do the team find inside? 5. What is the name of the scruffy man? 6. Where did Ghostwriter write his last message?

14


5. The Clinton Street crime wave. Part 5 ‘Helping out’

The story so far: The Ghostwriter team suspect, there may now only be one thief. Following their trail of clues, they find the abandoned building called Waverley House. They go inside and meet someone called Josuha Clintock. But who is he? Synopsis: The team have all gathered in the abandoned building and Ghostwriter reveals the name on the exercise book to be ‘Jade Clintock’. It appears that Jade has been stealing the wood and the cans of soup. After her mother dies, Jade and her dad have nowhere to live following her Dad losing his job at the bakery, so they are living in the abandoned building. When the team accuse Jade of being the thief, she runs away out into the street. The team have a discussion about whether Jade was right to steal. They go off in search of Jade when they find her, they confront her. Ghostwriter shows them a footprint on the ground. Jade admits she is the thief. The team decide to talk to Mr Fernandes and Phil Reiner. Jade agrees to pay back the money she owes. Casebook clues: 1 Josuha Clintock 2 Jade Clintock 3 Jade Clintock, Josuha Clintock After the programme: Review the clues so far. Why are the two names so important? Answers to questions about the plot: 1. What was the name Ghostwriter showed the team on the exercise book? (Jade Clintock) 2. Who is Josuha Clintock? (Jade’s Dad) 3. Where did he use to work? (at the bakery) 4. Why was Jade living in the abandoned building? (They had nowhere to live, couldn’t pay rent, mother had died, dad lost his job) 5. Who stole the wood from Phil’s shop? (Jade) 6. Who stole the food from the Bodega store? (Jade) 7. Why? (Wood for fire to keep warm, food to eat) 8. What does Jade decide to do? (Pay back the money for what she stole) Key words to find in the dictionary: evicted, experienced, determined Discussion points: 1. What do the class think about stealing? Do they think Jade was right to steal? Was there anything else she could have done instead? Take a class vote 2. What did the Ghostwriter team decide about stealing? 3. Does anyone remember why Josuha lost all his money? (Paying for hospital bills). Explain there is a different system in America, unlike the NHS in UK. 4. What about Josuha? Where did he think the wood and food was coming from? Shouldn’t he have asked Jade that? Was he trying to get work?

15


Write a new episode: Use this story as a stimulus to write a new Ghostwriter chapter to continue the story. Make a story plot map as a class. Encourage the children to use dialogue. Remember the dialogue should fit the American setting and the personality of the characters. You may wish to review the character profiles. The children could choose one of the characters and write a profile of them, based on the evidence from the story. They could work in pairs for this activity. Some new ideas for storylines: What happens to Jade and her Dad? How do the Ghostwriter team help them get back on their feet? Does Josuha get a job? How? Who helps him? (Does he get employed by Phil at the woodworking store?) Or does he remain unemployed and do the team continue to help? What do Jade and Lenni write in their essay? (Maybe it’s about friendship and helping each other, rather than stealing…or about Jade and her Dad moving into a new home). Think of ideas for how Ghostwriter gets involved. Turning newspaper articles into messages. Making words out of letters stuck to a fridge. Using a crayon to draw a picture clue? Sending an email on the computer?

16


NAME …………………………………..


MY CASEBOOK CLUES:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. …………………………………………………..


1. What was the name Ghostwriter showed the team on the exercise book? 2. Who is Josuha Clintock? 3. Where did he use to work? 4. Why was Jade living in the abandoned building? 5. Who stole the wood from Phil’s shop? 6. Who stole the food from the Bodega store? 7. Why? 8. What does Jade decide to do?

17


6. Digging for clues –Part 1 ‘The Pendant’

Synopsis: The narrators of this new story are Tina and Hector… The team meet up at a construction site in Brookyln. Tina wants to make a video because workers on the site have found some old ruins. The archaeologist for the dig is Frieda. The team have to try to prove that what has been dug up is of historic importance so that the construction on the site will have to be stopped while it’s investigated. They’ve only got the weekend left. Hector finds a yellow pendant. Then they overhear a phone conversation by Timothy Burnett, in charge of the site, saying he doesn’t want the construction work to be delayed by the dig. Tina begins to type the script for the video and gets a message from Ghostwriter. He’s found a fragment of a diary from a girl called ‘Maartje Salee,’ who seems to be in trouble. Tina Calls a rally of the team. They discover Maartje is from the Bight of Benin - in Africa. Frieda thinks they’ve found a farmhouse from 1664 which belonged to Dutch settlers. Casebook clues: 1. 300 years ago 2. Burnett 3. pendant 4. Timothy Burnett 5. bonus 6. pendant 7. leave 8. Bight of Benin 9. forced to leave 10. Bight of Benin. After the programme: There are a lot of clues in this opening episode, so check that the class have them all. If they have struggled you may wish to listen to the episode again. Answers to questions about the plot: 1. Who is making a video? (Tina) 2. What is the name of the archaeologist on the site? (Frieda) 3. What has been dug up? (Ruins of a house, a pendant) 4. What is the name of the construction site owner? (Timothy Burnett) 5. Who is the girl that Ghostwriter found? (Maartje Salee) 6. Where is the Bight of Benin? (Africa) 7. What does the word Bight mean? (bay) 8. What colour is the pendant? (yellow) Key words to find in the dictionary: foundations, archaeologist, construction, pendant, bight Discussion points: 1. What could be going on? Who is Marrjte? And where might she live? 2. Why did she have to leave her home? 3. How did the pendant get there? Who did it belong to? 4. Why is Mr. Burnett unhappy about the dig taking place? Might he try anything to stop it? Investigate! Do some investigation on the internet or use an encyclopaedia to find the Bight of Benin on a map or a globe! What can you find out about it?

18


NAME …………………………………..


MY CASEBOOK CLUES:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. ………………………………………………….. 4. ………………………………………………….. 5. …………………………………………………..


1. Who is making a video? 2. What is the name of the archaeologist on the site? 3. What has been dug up? 4. What is the name of the construction site owner? 5. Who is the girl, that Ghostwriter found? 6. Where is the Bight of Benin? 7. What does the word Bight mean? 8. What colour is the pendant?

19


7. Digging for clues. Part 2 ‘Who is Maartje?’

The story so far: The Ghostwriter team are trying to protect a site from the construction company of Timothy Burnett. The remains of an old farmhouse have been found and a pendant. A scrap from a diary found by Ghostwriter revealed a girl’s name - Maartje Salee - but the team don’t know who she is. Synopsis: Tina has called a rally. They review the clues so far and then ask for Ghostwriter’s help. He reveals more extracts from Maartje’s diary, which describe the family having to leave their home due to fighting with the English ‘Red Coats’. They discover a strange word and think it means bible. They discover that Marrjte’s birth date was 6 March 1653. They return to the site and meet Freida who is excited because she’s found a fireplace and two rooms of the old farmhouse. Ghostwriter gives the team the clue C-7, which is one of the marked out squares at the dig. A box has been found in that sector and inside is a bible with Maartje’s name inscribed. A small piece of parchment drops out with a poem on it. It seems to be a clue to find some treasure. The team ask Ghostwriter to help them solve the puzzle. Tina then tries to find X marks the spot by taking steps from the fireplace, following Maartje’s instructions. Having completed the task, Ghostwriter reveals X marks the spot at her feet! Casebook clues: 1 Bight of Benin 2 pendant 3 leave 4 Red Coats 5 B -I –J- B- E- L 6 Red Coats 7 fire place 8 tree 9 tree 10 heat 11 X marks the spot 12 X marks the spot After the programme: Go through the clues and give the children a copy of Maartje’s poem (printed following these notes). Again this is a dense episode, so if need be, play it again to allow more time for the clues to be written down. Answers to questions about the plot: 1. Maartje was from Africa. Where did her Mother come from? (She was Dutch) 2. Who was the family trying to escape from? (Red Coats) 3. What has been newly discovered at the site? (A fireplace) 4. What did the team find inside square C-7 (The bible) 5. Where was the picture of the tree found? (The fireplace) 6. What was found inside the bible? (Maartje’s poem) 7. Which member of the Ghostwriter team follows Marrtje’s instructions to find X marks the spot! (Tina) 8. What was the date written on the bible? (6th March 1653) Key words to find in the dictionary: bible, fireplace, ancient, quest, directions

20


Discussion points: 1. Could Tina really be standing on top of Maartje’s family treasure? Do you think it could be valuable? What clues are there? 2. How will Mr. Burnett feel when he has to hold off from starting the Supermarket construction? 3. If there is buried treasure, what could it be? Why did Maartje’s family hide it before leaving? 4. Why does Mr. Burnett want to start building so quickly? What is he trying to cover up? Investigate! Use the internet or an encyclopaedia to see what the class can find out about the Red Coats from 1653?

21


NAME …………………………………..

DIGGING FOR CLUES – PART 2 UNRAVEL THE PUZZLE AND SOLVE THE CASE!

MY CASEBOOK CLUES:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. ………………………………………………….. 4. ………………………………………………….. 5. ………………………………………………….. 6. ………………………………………………….. 7. ………………………………………………….. 8. ………………………………………………….. 9. ………………………………………………….. 10. ………………………………………………….. 11. ………………………………………………….. 12. …………………………………………………..

22


Digging for Clues Part 2 ‘Who is Maartje?’

Maartje’s poem found inside the Bible: ‘Begin thy journey here. Beside this tree, and rest thy back against it’s ancient trunk. Thou shalt feel the heat, that used to be. Then count what steps you make, And travel till you come to 32. Then turn to where the sun shines, when you wake. And 20 steps will bring it near to you. To thy right hand, now turn thy quest Now walk 10 steps and there you make your rest. X marks the spot, where our family treasure lies!’

Questions about the MYSTERY?

1. Maartje was from Africa. Where did her Mother come from? 2. Who was the family trying to escape from? 3. What has been newly discovered at the site? 4. What did the team find inside square C-7? 5. Where was the picture of the tree found? 6. What was found inside the bible? 7. Which member of the Ghostwriter team follows Maartje’s instructions to find X marks the spot! 8. What was the date written on the bible?

23


8. Digging for clues. Part 3 ‘Treasure hunt’

The story so far: Work has been stopped on the construction site. The team have found a puzzle on a piece of parchment from Maartje, which they have solved. They believe there could be treasure buried from her family below the spot where Ghostwriter revealed the letter X to them. Synopsis: The team find a box under the tiles and inside are some brass figures from the Bight of Benin. They have discovered that the site is where one of the first African Americans settled. So the supermarket construction will have to wait until all the artefacts are retrieved. Suddenly there is a bulldozer out of control heading towards Hector. Frieda manages to stop it. When they get back to the artefacts tent, they discover all the brass figures have gone. They suspect Timothy Burnett. Ghostwriter finds a letter signed by T. Burnett that says construction will start on Monday. Hector and Gaby take the camera and go to interview Burnett. Meanwhile Tina searches his trailer for the missing objects but has to hide when Burnett comes back. Ghostwriter sends a message to the team to get help. Tina finds the objects in his cupboard. Tina’s edited video of the discovery is shown to the rest of team. Casebook clues: 1 figure 2 Timothy Burnett 3 T. Burnett After the programme: Review the clues Answers to questions about the plot: 1. What was inside the treasure box? (Brass figures from Bight of Benin) 2. Where were they put on the site? (on a table in the artefacts tent) 3 Why is this discovery important? (It means the site is historically important). 4. What happens to Hector? (He is nearly run over by a bulldozer) 5. Why do the team want to interview Burnett? (To distract him, so Tina can search his trailer for the stolen objects). 6. Who goes to search inside his trailer? (Tina) 7. Where was the stolen treasure found? (In the cupboard of Burnett’s trailer) 8. Where will the treasure be displayed? (Brookylin Museum collection of African Art). Key words to find in the dictionary: trailer, artefacts, bulldozer Ideas for writing a new Ghostwriter episode: What other objects might be found on the site? What other rooms may be uncovered? Do they find the bones of any old farm animals? Write a newspaper article featuring the Ghostwriter team with interviews from Freida the archaeologist, Tina (who was hiding in the cupboard) and Hector (describing what it was like as the bulldozer travelled towards him). Make the article full of quotations from the different characters. Focus on writing dialogue that fits the character’s personality. Remember they’re American, so make sure the vocabulary fits the way they would speak. Will the supermarket ever be built? What could it called - something African? Might the team be asked to open it officially? Write another episode in Maartje’s diary. What was their escape like? How did they get away from the Red Coats? Who could have buried the treasure, was it her father or mother? Did Maartje have any brothers or sisters? What happens to Mr. Burnett? Does he donate money to the museum? Do something to help the local community?

24


NAME …………………………………..

DIGGING FOR CLUES – PART 3 STAY ON THE CASE WITH THE GHOSTWRITER TEAM!

MY CASEBOOK CLUES:

1 ………………………………………………….. 2. ………………………………………………….. 3. …………………………………………………..


1. What was inside the treasure box? 2. Where were they put for safe keeping? 3. Why is this discovery important? 4. What happens to Hector? 5. Why do the team want to interview Burnett? 6. Who goes to search inside his trailer? 7. Where was the stolen treasure found? 8. Where will the treasure be displayed?

ghostwriter summer 2006 - bbcdownloads.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/pdfs/ghostwriter_summer... ·...

Documents