A Lighthouse In Time Activities

INspiration behind writing the story

In this video, I discuss why I like lighthouses and ghost stories. I also include a cut and tell story of chapter one.

Below are the resources I have prepared to accompany A Lighthouse In Time.

This Chapter Book is suitable for children aged 6-12 years.

The activities below are suitable for various ages in that range.

Research Questions

There are many lighthouses along our coastline. The lighthouse at Cape St George has a fascinating history. What is the closest lighthouse to where you live? Find out when it was built and any history about it that might be interesting.
Where is the oldest lighthouse in Australia? Can you pin-point it on a map? Draw the location and show where the lighthouse stands. Write a little about its history.
My ghost story about Cape St George lighthouse is fiction, can you find another story
about a lighthouse and a ghost? Is it fiction or non-fiction? Write a little about the story and why or why not you think it might be true.
Many tall ships sailed from England halfway across the world only to be wrecked on our coastline so close to reach the safe harbour of Sydney. Research the name of a tall ship that was wrecked off the NSW South coast (or Victorian, Western Australian etc) and find out where it came from, where it was heading to, and what was its cargo?
In A Lighthouse in Time, I weave in a couple of Dreamtime stories about the stars. What is the meaning of ‘Dreamtime’ and where did it originate? Can you find and read a Dreamtime story that you like?

Writing Prompts

Spelling with Shells. This one is for the younger readers, but older kids can still have a bit of fun. Once you have collected all those amazing shells, here’s a fun hands-on way to practice those tricky spelling words. Make words and letters out of the shells. Play a guessing game. Can you guess the word before the person spelling has laid out all the shells? If you don’t have access to any shells but have a tray of sand, you can use your finger to spell out the words in the sand instead. Spelling words in sand is fun and stress free, easy to wipe away any mistakes and start again.
Start a journal. With all those memories of the beach you don’t want to forget, write a retell of each day, try to include all the special moments you shared. Don’t forget to add photos, tickets to carnivals, movies, museums, zoos, national parks etc. If you can’t go to the beach, you can still write a daily journal of all the fun things you have done, seen or found around home. Don’t forget there are so many ideas you can gather from any walk outside. Just remember to use all your five senses.
In A Lighthouse in Time, Mick retells the Dreamtime story of how the Southern Cross appeared in the night sky. Look at the night sky, what other constellations can you see? Make up a story about how those stars came to be there.
Many tall ships sailed passed the coast and the lighthouse on their way to Sydney from Great Britain. Imagine you were a child on a tall ship travelling halfway across the world. Write a story about your travels or adventure. How would you feel coming to a strange, new and unknown land?
Lots of people like to tell ghost stories around a campfire at night, it helps keep them warm and entertained. Write your own ghost story.

Art and Craft Activities

1. Beach/nature Scavenger Hunt

This first one isn’t strictly an art/craft activity. However depending on the items you find, you might be able to make a collage out of some of them.

In the beginning of A Lighthouse in Time, Zac is collecting shells as he walks along the beach. You too, can have a little fun with this by turning it into a scavenger hunt. Make a list of all the things the kids might be able to see or find, perhaps, shells, seaweed, flat round stones. If they are old enough to use a camera, they might even take photos of things they see, such as seagulls, crabs, sea anemone, star fish etc. Print your photos and add them to your collection to make a beautiful collage.

Maybe you can’t go to the beach, go for a walk in the bush, your backyard or school playground. Scavenger hunts can be fun wherever you are. Take a bucket with you to collect your treasures. Make it a race to see who can collect a certain number of treasures first. Above all, have fun.

2. Fridge Magnets

Did you find any special beautiful shells you want to keep? Make them into fridge magnets to hold up your memorable photos from the beach. You will need: Shells, ribbons, dried flowers, anything you might like to add to decorate your shell. Magnetic strip, low temperature glue gun.

Step 1. In the opening of the shells arrange the flowers, ribbons etc as you like. If you just want to highlight the other side of the shell, sometimes it is the most beautiful, ignore this step.

Step 2. Using the glue gun, carefully glue the items to the inside of the shell.

Step 3. Cut the magnetic strip to fit he back of the shell.

Step 4. Glue the magnet onto the back of the shell.

Step 5. Allow to dry. Then have fun displaying your favourite photos.

3. Journal Print

This is to be used along with the writing prompt of journal writing. It can also be a simple fun painting activity if you don’t want to use it for a journal cover. Lay out a large piece of art paper. Take all the things you collected in your nature walk, or go for another nature walk and collect a few more items. Next, press them into paint or use a paintbrush to cover one side of each item, one at a time. Press down like a stamp onto your sheet of art paper. Arrange prints as you like, it may be abstract, or it may make a scene. Have fun with your design. Leave to dry. When finished use it to cover your writing journal.

4. 3D Lighthouse Painting

You will need: A sheet of art paper, a toilet or paper towel roll, yellow coloured paper, paint, glue, pencil and a black marker.

Step 1. Draw a curved line at the bottom of your page to represent the headland.

Step 2. Draw a line across your page to represent the horizon.

Step 3. Paint your sky a light blue, you might like to add clouds and a sun, maybe even a seagull or two. (Seagulls screech and cause havoc several times in the story.)

Step 4. Use a different shade of blue to paint the sea. Add some waves and maybe a pod of dolphins, (they get a mention in the story too.)

Step 5. Paint the headland.

Step 6. Cutting your cardboard roll. Cut it lengthways from end to end so that you have two crescent halves. Cut one of those in half sideways so that it is shorter than the other.

Step 7. Paint white and red stripes on the longer half, paint the shorter half white only.

Step 8. When dry, draw with a black marker, windows and fence posts on the white half.

Step 9. Glue the edges of both rolls and stick them onto your painting. First the red and white stripes, then add the white roll with the black fence and windows on to the top.

Step 10. Cut a light beam out of your yellow paper and glue on.

Extra Bonus: Can you draw a tall ship out at sea, just like the one in the story?

Your 3D lighthouse painting is now complete!

5. LightHouse Colouring

For two lighthouse colouring pages, see resources below.

Preview and Links to resources

Fact or Fiction Quiz?

Cape St George Lighthouse was built in the wrong place. It caused much confusion and tall ships consequently smashed into the cliffs on the coastline.
The Royal Australian Navy used Cape St Lighthouse as target practice to blow it up.
In all the years people lived at the lighthouse, no one ever came to any harm.
Twenty-three ships were wrecked off the South Coast before it was decided to build the second more appropriate lighthouse at Point Perpendicular.
This lighthouse is not heritage listed as it is not significant to Australian maritime history.

The answers to the quiz are below the video.

In this video

I explain why I specifically chose Cape St George lighthouse and then read a part of a chapter.

Fact or Fiction Quiz Answers

True
True
False. Many people who lived at the lighthouse died from fever or accidents. Their fate is recorded on signs at the site.
True
False. Cape St George Lighthouse is Heritage listed and is significant to maritime history for the fact that it was established in the wrong place and the consequences that resulted from that mistake.