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RSRT Y6 L2 Darwin's Dragons

Literacy Counts

Created on January 27, 2026

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Transcript

Ready Steady Read Together

Darwin's Dragons: Fiction Lesson 2

What do you think you know?

What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?

Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.

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What do you know and think?

Before I even had time to call out, he flipped over…into the sea.

How might this extract link to the illustration?

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From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Today's Question(s)

A) How does the writer show that Covington finds hope even when the situation seems most dangerous?

B) Put these events in the correct order.

D) Why did Mr Darwin scramble across the bench and throw himself to the side of the boat?

C) Who shouts “Man overboard!” when Mr Darwin falls into the sea?

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Let me read today's text

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Lightning split the dark clouds above us and thunder shook my bones. From the first lurch of the rowboat, Mr Darwin’s face turned the colour of ship’s porridge, as it always did in any sort of swell. But as we pitched and rolled our way towards the Beagle, it was Robbins’ stony face that scared me. He and Tanner were rowing with all their strength, but the waves were rising, the wind sharper than the bosun’s whip, and it was hard to say if we were any closer to the ship. I bailed rainwater from the bottom of the boat, but it poured in almost as fast as I could throw it out. I slid Scratch round to my back, glad I had sealed the case with wax. Each wave was a galloping hillock of water for us to climb and it seemed impossible we were still afloat, but the sailors rode on and I tried to tell myself that it was harder to sink a boat than it looked. Mr Darwin’s linen shirt was plastered to his skin, his face as white as the foaming waves. He reached out to me, then scrambled across the bench and threw himself to the side of the boat to void his guts. He clung to the edge, his back heaving, and I moved over to help – but just as I did, we climbed a mountain of a wave and the master pitched forward, his hand slipping. Before I even had time to call out, he flipped over...into the sea.

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

“Man overboard!” Robbins yelled. I snatched up the rope curled in the bottom of the rowboat, coiling it round my hand. Then another shout as I threw the other end of the rope behind me. I leapt into the raging sea after my master. The waves hauled me under and then threw me up, gasping, and I realised too late that I was a raw cove because I’d likely not be able to save myself, let alone Mr Darwin. “Robbins!” I yelled. “Robbins!” I felt the fiddle case rise at my back, still strapped tight across my chest. Everything was a blur of grey and white – was this the end? – then the line pulled taut in my hand. I collected my senses and kicked hard, trying to make out the silhouette of Robbins in the boat. And there...Mr Darwin’s white shirt! He wasn’t lost, not yet. We had a chance. I must not let go. Both our lives depended upon it.

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Vocabulary

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Hover for definitions!

galloping hillock of water

bosun's whip

swell

plastered to his skin

void his guts

raw cove

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From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

I will model the first.

Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner

swell

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Find Read Talk

Lightning split the dark clouds above us and thunder shook my bones. From the first lurch of the rowboat, Mr Darwin’s face turned the colour of ship’s porridge, as it always did in any sort of swell. But as we pitched and rolled our way towards the Beagle, it was Robbins’ stony face that scared me.

Reveal Vocabulary

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Your turn

swell

bosun's whip

Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner

galloping hillock of water

plastered to his skin

void his guts

raw cove

Use your text

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Vocabulary Check & Re-read

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Reveal Vocabulary

Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.

Lightning split the dark clouds above us and thunder shook my bones. From the first lurch of the rowboat, Mr Darwin’s face turned the colour of ship’s porridge, as it always did in any sort of swell. But as we pitched and rolled our way towards the Beagle, it was Robbins’ stony face that scared me. He and Tanner were rowing with all their strength, but the waves were rising, the wind sharper than the bosun’s whip, and it was hard to say if we were any closer to the ship. I bailed rainwater from the bottom of the boat, but it poured in almost as fast as I could throw it out. I slid Scratch round to my back, glad I had sealed the case with wax. Each wave was a galloping hillock of water for us to climb and it seemed impossible we were still afloat, but the sailors rode on and I tried to tell myself that it was harder to sink a boat than it looked. Mr Darwin’s linen shirt was plastered to his skin, his face as white as the foaming waves. He reached out to me, then scrambled across the bench and threw himself to the side of the boat to void his guts. He clung to the edge, his back heaving, and I moved over to help – but just as I did, we climbed a mountain of a wave and the master pitched forward, his hand slipping. Before I even had time to call out, he flipped over...into the sea.

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Reveal Vocabulary

Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.

“Man overboard!” Robbins yelled. I snatched up the rope curled in the bottom of the rowboat, coiling it round my hand. Then another shout as I threw the other end of the rope behind me. I leapt into the raging sea after my master. The waves hauled me under and then threw me up, gasping, and I realised too late that I was a raw cove because I’d likely not be able to save myself, let alone Mr Darwin. “Robbins!” I yelled. “Robbins!” I felt the fiddle case rise at my back, still strapped tight across my chest. Everything was a blur of grey and white – was this the end? – then the line pulled taut in my hand. I collected my senses and kicked hard, trying to make out the silhouette of Robbins in the boat. And there...Mr Darwin’s white shirt! He wasn’t lost, not yet. We had a chance. I must not let go. Both our lives depended upon it.

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Fluency

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Let me use my reader's voice...

Everything was a blur of grey and white – was this the end? – then the line pulled taut in my hand. I collected my senses and kicked hard, trying to make out the silhouette of Robbins in the boat. And there...Mr Darwin’s white shirt! He wasn’t lost, not yet. We had a chance. I must not let go. Both our lives depended upon it.

What did you notice?

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From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

My Turn
Your Turn

Echo Read

Everything was a blur of grey and white – was this the end?

– then the line pulled taut in my hand. I collected my senses and kicked hard,

trying to make out the silhouette of Robbins in the boat.

And there...Mr Darwin’s white shirt!

He wasn’t lost, not yet. We had a chance.

I must not let go. Both our lives depended upon it.

Explore

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Sound like a reader!
Stand up!

Choral Read

Everything was a blur of grey and white – was this the end? – then the line pulled taut in my hand. I collected my senses and kicked hard, trying to make out the silhouette of Robbins in the boat. And there...Mr Darwin’s white shirt! He wasn’t lost, not yet. We had a chance. I must not let go. Both our lives depended upon it.

Explore

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Focus

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Strategy: Read Between the Lines

A) How does the writer show that Covington finds hope even when the situation seems most dangerous?

Be a detective and look for clues!

Teach

Let me show you

Reveal Text Marks

But as we pitched and rolled our way towards the Beagle, it was Robbins’ stony face that scared me. He and Tanner were rowing with all their strength, but the waves were rising, the wind sharper than the bosun’s whip, and it was hard to say if we were any closer to the ship.

Reveal Explainer

Even though the journey is dangerous and chaotic, Covington is hopeful they are moving closer to safety. I can infer this because the writer says they are travelling “towards the Beagle”. Although they are being “patched and rolled”, which shows how rough the sea is, moving towards the ship suggests rescue and safety, so Covington still has reason to hope.

A) How does the writer show that Covington finds hope even when the situation seems most dangerous?

Teach

From: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Stop

What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?

Teach

Your Turn

Find the answers
Text mark

A) How does the writer show that Covington finds hope even when the situation seems most dangerous?

B) Put these events in the correct order.

A) Covington jumps into the sea after Mr Darwin. B) Mr Darwin leans over the side of the boat and falls into the water. C) The rowboat battles rising waves and strong wind as it heads towards the Beagle. D) Covington throws a rope. E) Covington spots Mr Darwin’s white shirt in the water and realises there is still hope.

C) Who shouts “Man overboard!” when Mr Darwin falls into the sea?

D) Why did Mr Darwin scramble across the bench and throw himself to the side of the boat?

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Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence rowing with all their strength

notices strong effort of sailors

A) How does the writer show that Covington finds hope even when the situation seems most dangerous?

Text Mark Evidence I bailed rainwater from the bottom of the boat, but it poured in almost as fast as I could throw it out

refuses to give up

Text Mark Evidence I slid Scratch round to my back, glad I had sealed the case with wax

protects the case expecting to survive

Go to the next slide for more...

Text Mark Evidence and it seemed impossible we were still afloat, but the sailors rode on

finds hope in the sailors’ determination

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Practise & Apply

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence I tried to tell myself that it was harder to sink a boat than it looked

reassures himself

A) How does the writer show that Covington finds hope even when the situation seems most dangerous?

Text Mark Evidence - I snatched up the rope curled in the bottom of the rowboat - I leapt into the raging sea after my master - then the line pulled taut in my hand...I collected my senses and kicked hard

acts quickly with determination and focus to survive / save Darwin

Text Mark Evidence and there...Mr Darwin’s white shirt...he wasn’t lost, not yet...we had a chance

believes he can succeed and save Darwin

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence I must not let go

believes that survival depends on endurance

Practise & Apply

Acceptable Answers

C) The rowboat battles rising waves and strong wind as it heads towards the Beagle.

B) Mr Darwin leans over the side of the boat and falls into the water.

B) Put these events in the correct order.

D) Covington throws a rope.

A) Covington jumps into the sea after Mr Darwin.

Click on each number to reveal the correct order of events

E) Covington spots Mr Darwin’s white shirt in the water and realises there is still hope.

Practise & Apply

Acceptable Answers

C) Who shouts “Man overboard!” when Mr Darwin falls into the sea?

Click to reveal...

Text Mark Evidence Robbins

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Practise & Apply

Acceptable Answers

D) Why did Mr Darwin scramble across the bench and throw himself to the side of the boat?

Text Mark Evidence void his guts

felt seasick / needed to vomit or be sick

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Practise & Apply

Quiz Time

Start

Picture Me

Which image is the best match for ‘swell’?

Which One's Right?

Which answer best completes this sentence? The waves _____ Covington under the water before throwing him back up again.

B) yanked

A) drifted

D) floated

C) settled

True or False?

Robbins’ white shirt was seen floating in the water.

True
False

Fill the Gaps

scrambled
plastered
void

Mr Darwin's linen shirt was to his skin, his face as white as the foaming waves. He reached out to me, thenacross the bench and threw himself to the side of the boat to his guts.

Discuss then check
Click if correct

Feedback: Who did what well?

FindRead Talk

EchoRead

ChoralRead

ReadingStrategy

Answers & Text Marks

Other...

To be a book lover, you could...

share a story.

Reveal

Read your favourite fiction book aloud to a friend or family member.

Copyright Notice

This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Galvin © 2021 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.

plastered
scrambled
void