Classroom activities

1. Ask students to write an extra chapter for River Boy. Students could, for example, focus on what happens when Nat goes back to see Uncle Silas and tells him about his new life.
2. Ask your students to complete the River boy BLM (PDF 863kb). In this activity, students design a new cover and write their own blurb for River Boy.
3. Use the Song of the river BLM (PDF 906kb) with your students to explore the shanty sung by the crew in River Boy.
4. Are your students landlubbers? Encourage them to develop some nautical skills by researching, and learning how to tie, two different rope knots.
5. Ask students, in small groups, to use the illustrations and text from River Boy to help them create a model of a paddle steamer and barge.
6. Students can complete an engaging interactive activity about the PS Enterprise by clicking on the interactive below.

> Interactive on the PS Enterprise
(requires Flash version 8, see link below)
> Purchase book