Activities

Chapter 1

LEVEL 1

Phantom of the School Play

by Cethan Leahy

Opening Night

Working with the text:

Guided reading notes

READ Reading comprehension
Reading lab

WRITE Inspire words

Writing workshop Noun phrases

TALK Discuss the options

Space for debate Any questions?

Put on your own mystery play

In the first part of the project:

PROJECT Work in a group to choose characters, a setting and plot (told in three sce
Specific tasks □ Plan your play

Review the Project sheet and download the activities provided for it alongside each chapter

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

READ Name:
Reading lab

Guided reading notes

Here you can find some tips to help you in your reading sessions.

1 2
Use Cethan’s video on the Fiction Express website What
to introduce
impression
the story.
do youRead
get from
the blurb
scurried?
and speculate
(Everyone
elsewhere. Read the first section. Explain why the type is in italics.

3 4
Read the next section. Ask: Why is the play important
Readto
toLaura?
the end.
(She
Askwants
a volunteer
her parents
to clarify
to see
theher
plot.
act.
A
kidnapped.) (perhaps for money or to stop the show)

5 6
Find key vocabulary in chapter 1 that is linked to putting
Ask: Howon is
a play.
the story
Clarify
off-stage
any new
similar?
meanings.
(Someone
(actors,
is k
there is a hero, tree suggests a wood.) or Mel? Speculate on who the REAL phantom will be.
ideas for the plot of the school play.

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

READ Name:
Reading lab

Reading comprehension
Answer the following questions about the chapter and explain your answers.

1 What sort of story is Phantom of the School Play?

2 Why don’t Laura’s parents want her to be an actor?

3 The stagehands scurried around.

What impression do you get from the word scurried?

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

READ Name:
Reading lab

4 He looked spooked.
What does the word spooked tell us about Mel?

5 Find and copy three words that are linked to putting on a play.

How is the plot of the story Phantom of the School Play similar to the
6 plot of the play the children are putting on?

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

WRITE Name:
Writing workshop

Inspire words
Find these words in the chapter. Look at how they are used.
Make up a sentence for each word.

convince dreaded

pranks scurried

sinisterly spooked

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

WRITE Name:
Writing workshop

Noun phrases
Write one or two adjectives before each noun to create a noun phrase.

phantom

stage

play

laugh

teacher

costume

vase

walk

bully

note

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

TALK Name:
Space for debate

Discuss the options

Discuss which of the three options you find most interesting to continue the story and why.
Here’s a reminder of the options and some key points for each one.

What will they do next?

A B C

Check the basement where the electrics for

Interview the cast Look around the
the lights are
and crew school for clues

The cast and crew are the actors andThis

all the
is Laura
otherand
people
Mel’swho
school,
workso
onthey
aThe
play.
know
lights
Dothe
you
in building
the
think
art Laura
room
well. went
and
Do you
Mel
offthink
will
justhave
befo
they
until the play is due to start! able to release him? basement be a good place to
start looking?

Any questions?
Discuss the chapter in a small group. Ask each other as many
questions as you can about the story so far. Try to ask four
different questions each. Speculate on the answers together.

For example:

• Characters: Who are the main

characters? Why is Mel a bully? Who is
The Phantom?

• Plot: What is the real play about? Is Mr Leroux in danger? What should Laura do?

• Setting: What is the setting like? What dangers are there in the setting?

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

PROJECT Name:
Specific tasks

Plan your play

Work in a small group of about five. Together, discuss ideas for a short play called Phantom
of the School Play. Remember to listen carefully to each other’s suggestions. Choose four
main characters and one or two settings. Write a plan of the plot here.

Characters Settings

Scene 1

Scene 3

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ACTIVITIES LEVEL 1. Phantom of the School
Play

ANSWERS Document for the teacher

Reading comprehension (p. 3) Noun phrases (p. 6)

For example: For example:
1.humour, mystery, detective white/scary/mysterious phantom
2.They think acting is not a sensible job. dark/big/curtained stage
3.The stagehands are busy. new/school/tonight’s play
4.He is frightened; he probably didn’t stick the sinister/loud/creepy laugh
note to the mirror.
kidnapped/drama teacher
5. actors, stagehands, premiere, stage,
dressing room, costumes, lead role, lines character’s/tree costume

6.The play is about someone being broken/china/heavy/nearby vase

kidnapped; Mr Leroux is kidnapped in long/countryside/tiring walk
the story.
mean/pathetic/big bully
secret/ransom/surprising/kind note

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